THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONTHE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”

Spread of Enlightenment Ideas• People SHOULD have more Rights, Freedoms, Equality• John Locke wrote “Two Treatises of Government”

– people can rebel if government does not protect “natural rights”

French and Indian War•King George III (England) felt colonists

should help pay off the debt from the French and Indian War

•England wants to re-establish control over colonies

EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”

Proclamation of 1763

•prevented colonists from moving westward

•keep land for English speculators/traders

1764 Sugar Act (Indirect Tax)

•1st tax on colonists

1764 Committees of Correspondenceest. lines of communication through coloniesencourage united opposition against Britain

EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”

1765 – Stamp Act (Direct Tax)•Tax on all printed items

legal documents, deeds, marriage licenses, newspapers, bills, almanacs, pamphlets, dice, playing cards, etc…

1765 SONS OF LIBERTY

•Underground organization in opposition of Stamp Tax

•Used violence and intimidation against “stamp agents”

EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”

1765 ”Stamp Act Congress” called

Parliament could not make laws for colonists

”no taxation without

representation”

Parliament could not make laws for colonists

”no taxation without

representation”

Called for colonists to Boycott British Goods

Called for colonists to Boycott British Goods

March 1766

England

repealed the

Stamp Act

March 1766

England

repealed the

Stamp Act

1766 Declaratory Act

Parliament “declared” Britain still had right to make laws for Colonies

EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”

1765 Quartering Act

Requiring colonists to house and feed British soldiers

EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”

1767 Townshend Acts•new series of taxes to pay for governing and protecting the colonies

•taxes on glass, paint, oil, lead, paper, and tea

•Colonists boycotted goods

BOSTON MASSACREBOSTON MASSACRE

March 5, 1770•“Redcoats” fired on colonists•3 Americans killed

–Crispus Attucks•tremendous “propaganda” value for colonists–Paul Revere

EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”EVENTS LEADING TO THE “REVOLUTION”

England cancelled the Townshend Acts, except for tax on TEA

England cancelled the Townshend Acts, except for tax on TEA

a 3 cent/ pound import tax on tea was imposed

British East India Tea Co was given a tea monopoly and was underselling American tea merchants

IF colonists bought the tea, they would be acknowledging England’s right to tax them

BOSTON TEA PARTYBOSTON TEA PARTY

December 16, 1773

Colonists dressed as Mohawk Indians and threw 342 cases of tea into Boston HarborKing George IIIKing George III

was was outraged!!!!outraged!!!!

To punish colonists, Parliament issued the Intolerable Acts

• Boston Harbor was CLOSED until:

1. Taxes on “dumped” tea was paid

2. British East India Co was reimbursed for the loss of the tea

COLONIAL TRADE WAS HURT!!!Increased calls for action

INTOLERABLE ACTSINTOLERABLE ACTS

1ST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS1ST CONTINENTAL CONGRESSSept 5 – Oct 26, 1774

Philadelphia12 of 13 colonies were represented

Georgia

oprospered under England

oNeeded help against Indians

declared Colonies have the right to make their laws…NOT the English Parliament or the King

“There are no differences between Virginians,

Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New

Englanders. I am not a Virginian, but I am an

American.”--Patrick Henry

“There are no differences between Virginians,

Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New

Englanders. I am not a Virginian, but I am an

American.”--Patrick Henry

THE PLOT THICKENS…THE PLOT THICKENS…

Shot Heard Round the WorldShot Heard Round the World

Lexington – 1st Battlestart of American Revolutionary War2nd battle at Concord

April 19, 1775Paul Revere, William Dawes, Sam Prescott

warned colonists

“I if by land, 2 if by sea”

2 lanterns in Boston’s North Church

“Minutemen”

Colonial militia

“Minutemen”

Colonial militia

STRENGTHSSTRENGTHSENGLAND

1)Well equipped

2)Well trained

3)Strong Navy

4)Loyalists

5)Mercenaries

•Hessians

•30%

COLONISTS

1)Familiar with terrain

2)Pride

WEAKNESSESWEAKNESSES

ENGLAND

1)English resented paying taxes for the war

2)Many English sympathized with the colonists

COLONISTS

1)Poorly disciplined

2)Continental Congress could not force states to give troops, money, supplies

SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESSSECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

May 1775Philadelphia

Olive Branch Petition• last attempt to compromise with England

and prevent war• England refused

Creation of the Continental Army under George Washington

Patrick Henry – “Give me Liberty or give me Death”

FIGHTING THE WARFIGHTING THE WARJune 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill

1st major battle “Don’t shoot until you see the

whites of their eyes”

Jan 1776 Thomas Paine wrote “Common Sense” critical of King George III attacked allegiance to monarchy argues for American Independence

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCEDECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

7.4.1776•Thomas Jefferson main author

•Colonies declared independence from England

•King George III wrote in his diary for the day “…nothing of

importance.”

BATTLE OF TRENTONBATTLE OF TRENTON

Dec 25, 1776

• Washington’s “Crossing the Delaware”

• surprise attack on the Hessian mercenaries

• Increased soldier morale• Increased public support• No American troops died in this attack

AMERICAN FLAGAMERICAN FLAGJune 14, 1777

Betsy Ross

WHITE

purity and innocence

RED

hardiness & valor

BLUE

vigilance, perseverance & Justice

BATTLE OF SARATOGABATTLE OF SARATOGA

October 1777 American victory

Morale booster…British had recently taken Philadelphia

Nearly 6000 Hessians surrendered TURNING POINT OF THE WARFrance joins war on Colonial side

BATTLE OF VINCENNESBATTLE OF VINCENNESWinter 1779

• George Rogers Clark captured Ft. Sackville–Vincennes, IN

• prevented British from capturing the Midwest

BATTLE OF YORKTOWNBATTLE OF YORKTOWN

Oct 19, 1781General Washington defeats

General Cornwallis

Cornwallis surrenders

AMERICA WINS!!!

TREATY OF PARISTREATY OF PARIS

September 1783•ended American Revolution•Great Britain recognized the independence of the United States of America