The Tension Grows

The 1770s in the Colonies

Reactions to the Boston Massacre

• More colonists were Patriots (or were leaning to that side) than before

• The Townshend Acts were lifted• Colonists were required to buy their (taxed)

tea from the East India Trading Company. All other tea was

considered smuggled in and illegal.

The Boston Tea Party• In 1773, three British ships (the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and

the Beaver) sailed into Boston harbor filled with tea• Angry with the tax, a group of colonists met late at night to

discuss what to do with the ships– allow them to stay, make them leave, steal the cargo, let it be unloaded and sold…?

• During the meeting, 100-200 Sons of Liberty dressed up like Native Americans, shouted war chants, snuck on the boats, and dumped 342 crates of tea into Boston Harbor

• The tea they dumped was worth £9,659 in 1773 money… that would be worth around a million dollars today!

• Participants included Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, John Hancock, Benedict Arnold, Patrick Henry and John Adams

The Intolerable Acts

• British reaction to the Boston Tea Party– Boston Harbor was closed– More soldiers were sent to Boston– Towns were required to house the soldiers, at their

own expense– Town meetings were restricted in Boston– Elected officials in the colonies were replaced by

British officials– If a British soldier killed a colonist, he would be tried

by the Governor, not by a jury of colonists

First Continental Congress

• Met in Philadelphia in 1774• All the colonies (except Georgia) sent delegates• Main goal was to change the way Britain and

America were interacting and to have a unified voice – NOT independence

• George Washington, Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Patrick Henry were among the 55 delegates

Major Actions of the First Continental Congress

• Sent Declaration of Rights and Grievances to the King (NOT to Parliament)

• Suffolk Resolves– Complete boycott of British goods– Called the Intolerable Acts unconstitutional– Declared that colonists aren’t required to follow a King that

violates their rights– Advised Massachusetts to organize a militia and stockpile guns

• Agreed to meet the next year if their problems weren’t fixed by then

Lead-up to Lexington and Concord

• February 1775: Parliament declared Massachusetts to be in open rebellion

• Their goal: make it easier to arrest leaders of the Patriots and kill resistors if necessary

• Britain sent orders to Gov. of Mass. to arrest the leaders of the Patriots

• Leaders found out and left Boston fast• April 18, 1775: Gage went to take Patriots’ stockpile

of weapons…Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

Lexington and Concord

• THE NEXT DAY…• American militia (Minutemen) stood against British

troops in Lexington• (Remember, the British were on their way to

Concord to take the weapons)• The first ‘battle’ of the American Revolution• Another fight in Concord… American militia

ambushed the soldiers on their way back to Boston• Death tolls: Britain had 250 dead and American

colonists had 90 dead.

Second Continental Congress

• May, 1775• More colonists on the side of the Patriots now• Many still expected Britain and the colonists to be able

to get along again• The SCC had no real authority or power but was

respected as the government during the war• Olive Branch Petition: appeal to King George that

promised loyalty and asked him to stop the hostilities• Didn’t work• August 22: the King declared the colonists “open and avowed enemies”

Second Continental Congress, Continued

Continental Congress “adopted” the militias and made it the Continental Army- George Washington named general and commander-in-chief of the army

- Reached out the Canada and offered it a place as the 14th state… Canada said no• The new Continental Army tries to invade Canada• Goal was to take control of British-run Quebec and get the

Canadians on their side against Britain• Didn’t work out… and Canada stayed as a British colony

until 1867… and still is loyal to Britain/the queen

Battle of Bunker Hill

• June, 1775• First MAJOR battle of the war– Area near Boston called Breed’s Hill– “Don’t fire until you can see the whites of their eyes”– Death Toll: Britain had 1,054 dead and American colonists

had 400 dead• EFFECTS:– Made English generals less sure of immediate victory and

more cautious– No more middle ground because Congress was asking all

qualified men to join the army. Now, you’re either working for the Patriot side or working for the Loyalist side

Declaration of Independence• Skipping ahead to 1776• Still fighting with Britain• Second Continental Congress is now ready to formally

declare independence from Britain• July 2nd, 1776: "The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in

the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.“ – John Adams

Wasn’t signed by all colonies until August… but we celebrate July 4th anyway.

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