What do you know about the causes of the American Revolution?

Why was it started?

Who started it? Who supported it and why?

Who were the heroes?

Where was it fought, and by whom?

What were the problems the rebels faced and why?

What were the problems of the British government?

Road to RevolutionRoad to Revolution1754-17761754-1776

22 years that changed the world

22 years that changed the world

1761…1761…

WRITS OF ASSISTANCEWRITS OF ASSISTANCE

The Writs gave the British colonial officials the power to search the homes, ships and warehouses of people suspected of smuggling or trading with the French. The official did not need evidence that the owner was involved in smuggling.

American colonists traded with France during the Fr. and Ind. War. England wanted this to stop. Americans started smuggling goods from and to the French. It was all about the money!

Otis lost the case but soon became the leader of the radical wing of the colonial opposition to British measures.

James Otis was hired by the colonists to argue against the writ of assistance. Otis claimed that the writs violated

the natural rights of the colonials as Englishmen and that any act of Parliament violating those rights was void.

England cracked down on the colonists………

Colonists grew upset……

North America in 1763 after the North America in 1763 after the French & Indian WarFrench & Indian War

North America in 1763 after the North America in 1763 after the French & Indian WarFrench & Indian War

England’s land doubled in size…..

Colonists wanted to take the land

Indians still fought on…

Colonials:

Wanted protection from Indians

Wanted to take more land from Indians

King George III - Time to tighten control on Colonies:

Indians still enemies of British settlements.

Britain had a war debt & colonists needed to pay their share.

Proclamation Line of 1763Proclamation Line of 1763

Colonists don’t listen to their King and moved west, fighting Indians, building homes and farms and claiming all the land they saw.

“It is just and reasonable and essential to our interest and the security of our colonies that the several nations or tribes of Indians with whom we are connected, and who live under our protection should not be attacked or disturbed”

1764… MORE CONTROL…1764… MORE CONTROL…

Currency Act:The colonists were forbidden to make paper money which could be used as legal exchange.

Sugar Act:

A tax was placed on molasses that the colonists imported from foreign colonies in the West Indies.

New England merchants were hurt as they lost profitable trade with the West Indies.

Violations were tried in the Admiralty Courts which did not hold trials with juries.

Prime Minister George Grenville needed to pay for the war… he decided to raise taxes on the colonies.The Sugar Act was the first act passed

specifically to raise money in the colonies. The money was to be used to pay for the French and Indian war.

Admiralty courts had greater power. These courts had no juries, and their judges treated suspected smugglers as guilty until proven innocent.

James Otis… argued that Parliament could not “take from any man any part of his property, without his consent in person or by representation”.

No one in Britain had asked the colonists if they wanted to be taxed. The colonists had no direct representatives in Parliament. Therefore, Otis said, the tax was unfair and violated colonists’ rights.

Colonists grew even more angry. Samuel Adams helped spread Otis’s idea with the slogan…

“No Taxation Without Representation”“No Taxation Without Representation”

1765 Grenville came up with a new idea.The Stamp Act:

A small tax was charged for a stamp or seal which must be placed on all legal papers , newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, dice and even playing cards.

British Argument1. Parliament represented all Englishmen, including the American colonist; Parliament had the right to tax its colonies.

2. Money was needed to defend the new land won from France in the French and Indian War.

3. Since the colonists would benefit from this protection, they should help pay for it.

Colonial Argument

1. Colonists should only be taxed if they agree to the tax.

2. Colonists did not elect Parliament; consequently, Parliament did not have the right to tax the colonies.

In In March 1765March 1765, Parliament , Parliament passed the passed the Quartering ActQuartering Act to provide food and housing for to provide food and housing for the troops. Under the terms of the troops. Under the terms of this legislation, this legislation, each colonial each colonial assembly was directed to provide assembly was directed to provide for the basic needs of soldiers for the basic needs of soldiers stationed within its bordersstationed within its borders..

In In March 1765March 1765, Parliament , Parliament passed the passed the Quartering ActQuartering Act to provide food and housing for to provide food and housing for the troops. Under the terms of the troops. Under the terms of this legislation, this legislation, each colonial each colonial assembly was directed to provide assembly was directed to provide for the basic needs of soldiers for the basic needs of soldiers stationed within its bordersstationed within its borders..

MORE PRESSURE... MORE PRESSURE...

The Grenville government built up The Grenville government built up British troop strength in colonial North America at the end of the French and Indian War to protect the colonies against threats posed by remaining Frenchmen and Indians.

QUARTERING (housing of military)

Specified items included Specified items included bedding, cooking utensils, bedding, cooking utensils, firewood, beer or cider and firewood, beer or cider and candlescandles.. This law was This law was expanded in 1766 and required expanded in 1766 and required the assemblies to billet soldiers the assemblies to billet soldiers in taverns and unoccupied in taverns and unoccupied houses.houses.

1765: A Very Rough Year………VIRGINIA RESOULUTION: The House of Burgesses rejected the right of

Great Britain to tax Virginians and declared that only Virginians could tax Virginians.

When Parliament passed the Stamp Act in March 1765, no one in Britain or America anticipated the furor it would unleash in the colonies.

1765……SONS OF LIBERTY… freedom fighters or terrorists?

This patriotic (?) group of colonists organized and boycotted English products, particularly those that required stamps.

This had a huge effect on England’s businesses. They start to lose money… They yelled at the King to do something… King grew more upset with the colonists.

1765… again STAMP ACT CONGRESSRepresentatives from nine colonies met in New York. This first inter-colonial convention declared that Parliament did not have the right to tax the colonies.

William Samuel Johnson

Robert Livingston

The Stamp Act Congress:

27 delegates from - MassachusettsConnecticutRhode IslandNew YorkNew JerseyMarylandPennsylvaniaDelawareSouth Carolina

Declared:

All colonies loyal to King and Parliament

BUT

No taxation No taxation without without representationrepresentation

While some were meeting to come up with peaceful solutions, other took matters into their own hands.

Declaratory Act was passed by Parliament: which asserted Parliament's power to legislate for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever."

England wanted to maintain control over its colonies!

1766Grenville replaced.British merchants requested repeal.Pitt lobbied in favor of colonies.Franklin, working in London as a colonial agent, defended colonies.New minister – Rockingham – came up with a solution.

1767…… The problems continue.

George Grenville:”…the troops to be kept up in America should be paid by the Colonies respectively for whose defence & benefit they were Employed."

Charles Townshend: ”[he] approved of … taxing the Colonies so as to provide for their own safety and preservation," and"by which the Colonies should be taxed conformable to their abilities, in a manner that should be least burdensome and most efficacious."

Sponsored by Charles Townshend, and enacted on June 29, 1767. The key statute levied import duties on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. Its purpose was to provide salaries for some colonial officials so that the provincial assemblies could not coerce them by withholding wages.

Townshend Acts

1768-69 Boycotts

12 colonies agreed to boycott all products from England

Americans protested the Townshend duties, as they had the earlier the Stamp Act, with constitutional petitions, boycotts, and violence to even include "tar and feathering“. They now rejected all forms of parliamentary taxation, whether external duties on imports or internal taxes like the stamp levies .

After colonists began to boycott British goods, Parliament altered the revenue measure on March 5, 1770.  Duties on all items except tea were repealed. The tea tax was retained because it was the most lucrative and to show Americans that Parliament still had the right to tax them.

1770…… TOWNSHEND ACTS TOWNSHEND ACTS REPEALEDREPEALED

QUARTERING ACT

PEOPLE DON’T LIKE THE TAXES LEFT….

Falling colonial imports and raising opposition convinced the British government that its policies were not working.

Falling colonial imports and raising opposition convinced the British government that its policies were not working.

England needed a change and at the same time, maintain control over the colonists.

BOYCOTTS WERE WORKING!

1770… THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GO FROM BAD TO WORSE!

BOSTON MASSACRE

A HUGE MISTAKE… A HUGE OPPORTUNITY

The town of Boston was a very uneasy city throughout the 1760's.

On March 5, 1770 a small group of colonists were up to their usual sport of tormenting British soldiers. By many accounts there was a great deal of taunting that eventually lead to an escalation of hostilities.

The sentry in front of the Custom House eventually lashed out at the colonists which brought more colonists to the scene. In fact, someone began ringing the church bells which usually signified a fire. The sentry called for help!

A group of soldiers led by Captain Thomas Preston came to the rescue of the lone sentry. Captain Preston and his detachment of seven or eight men were quickly surrounded. All attempts to calm the crowd proved useless.

At this point, the accounts of the event vary drastically.

Apparently, a Apparently, a soldier fired a soldier fired a musket into the musket into the crowd, crowd, immediately immediately followed by more followed by more shots. This action shots. This action left several left several wounded and wounded and five dead five dead including an including an African-American African-American named Crispus named Crispus Attucks. Attucks.

The crowd quickly dispersed, and the soldiers went back to their barracks.

These are the facts we do know. However, many uncertainties surround this important historical event:

Did the soldiers fire with provocation? Did they fire on their own? Was Captain Preston guilty of ordering his men to fire into a crowd of civilians? Was he innocent and being used by men like Samuel Adams to confirm the oft-claimed tyranny of England?

Due to the increasing tension in the city, British troops temporarily withdrew from Boston to Fort William on Castle Island. The British solders involved in the Boston Massacre were also brought to trial.

Captain Preston's Account

Captain Preston claimed he ordered his men to load their weapons. Captain Preston claimed he heard the crowd yelling fire. Captain Preston claimed they were attacked by heavy clubs and snowballs. Captain Preston claimed a soldier was hit by a stick and then fired. Captain Preston claimed the other soldiers fired in response to the colonist attack. Captain Preston claimed he reprimanded his men for firing into the crowd without orders.

Eyewitness Statements in Support of Captain Preston's StatementEyewitness Statements in Support of Captain Preston's Statement Witnesses including Peter Cunningham claimed they heard Captain Preston order his Witnesses including Peter Cunningham claimed they heard Captain Preston order his

men to load their weapons. men to load their weapons. Witnesses including Richard Palmes claimed they asked Captain Preston if he intended Witnesses including Richard Palmes claimed they asked Captain Preston if he intended

to fire and he said no. to fire and he said no. Witnesses including William Wyatt claimed the crowd was calling for the soldiers to Witnesses including William Wyatt claimed the crowd was calling for the soldiers to

fire. fire. Witnesses including James Woodall claimed they saw a stick thrown and hit a soldier, Witnesses including James Woodall claimed they saw a stick thrown and hit a soldier,

which prompted him to fire, quickly followed by several other soldiers. which prompted him to fire, quickly followed by several other soldiers. Witnesses including Peter Cunningham claimed an officer other than Preston was Witnesses including Peter Cunningham claimed an officer other than Preston was

behind the men and that he ordered the soldiers to fire. behind the men and that he ordered the soldiers to fire. Witnesses including William Sawyer claimed the crowd threw snowballs at the soldiers. Witnesses including William Sawyer claimed the crowd threw snowballs at the soldiers. Witnesses including Matthew Murray claimed they did not hear Captain Preston order Witnesses including Matthew Murray claimed they did not hear Captain Preston order

his men to fire. his men to fire. William Wyatt claimed that Captain Preston reprimanded his men for firing into the William Wyatt claimed that Captain Preston reprimanded his men for firing into the

crowd. crowd. Edward Hill claimed that Captain Preston made a soldier put away his weapon instead Edward Hill claimed that Captain Preston made a soldier put away his weapon instead

of allowing him to continue to shoot. of allowing him to continue to shoot.

Eyewitness Statements Opposed to Captain Eyewitness Statements Opposed to Captain Preston's StatementPreston's Statement

Witnesses including Daniel Calef claimed that Captain Witnesses including Daniel Calef claimed that Captain Preston ordered his men to fire. Preston ordered his men to fire.

Henry Knox claimed the soldiers were hitting and pushing Henry Knox claimed the soldiers were hitting and pushing with their muskets. with their muskets.

Joseph Petty claimed he did not see any sticks thrown at Joseph Petty claimed he did not see any sticks thrown at the soldiers until after the firing. the soldiers until after the firing.

Robert Goddard claimed he heard Captain Preston curse his Robert Goddard claimed he heard Captain Preston curse his men for not firing when ordered. men for not firing when ordered.

Several soldiers including Hugh White claimed they heard Several soldiers including Hugh White claimed they heard the order to fire and believed they were obeying his the order to fire and believed they were obeying his commandscommands

1772: COMMITTEES OF CORRESPONDENCE

Things quieted down for a few years. In 1770 most of the hated taxes were ended. Parliament, the British congress, and the King felt that collecting the taxes was too much trouble. But what had happened in Boston was only a sample of what was to come.

In order to keep contact between the colonies, leaders started groups called the committees of correspondence. They kept in touch by writing letters. In these days before telephone, radio, and television, this was the best way to get news from one colony to another. Many leaders such as Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry were members of these committees.

1773: TEA ACT… MORE TROUBLE1773: TEA ACT… MORE TROUBLE

The TEA Act that gave a monopoly on tea sales to the East India Company. In other words, American colonists could buy no tea unless it came from that company. Why? Well, the East Indian Company wasn't doing so well, and the British wanted to give it some more business. The Tea Act lowered the price on this East India tea so much that it was way below tea from other suppliers. But the American colonists saw this law as yet another means of "taxation without representation" because it meant that they couldn't buy tea from anyone else (including other colonial merchants) without spending a lot more money.

Their response was to refuse to unload the tea from the ships. This was the situation in Boston that led to the Boston Tea Party.

1773………… TIME FOR A PARTY

Sam Adams staged a spectacular drama. On the evening of December 16, 1773, three companies of fifty men each, masquerading as Mohawk Indians, passed through a tremendous crowd of spectators, went aboard the three ships, broke open the tea chests, and heaved them into the harbor. As the electrifying news of the Boston "tea party" spread, other seaports followed the example and staged similar acts of resistance of their own.

The citizens boarded the Beaver, the Eleanor and the Dartmouth, and dumped forty-five tons of tea into the Boston Harbor.

342 chests of tea, valued at £18,000

To stop the rebellious spirit that was spreading among the colonists, that had lead to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament passed these four acts to reestablish English authority..

1. The port of Boston was closed until the tea was paid back.

2. More soldiers were sent to put down disturbances.

3. British officials accused of crimes were sent to England for trial.

4. No town meetings could be held without the permission of the governor.

1774: TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE… QUEBEC ACT1. Quebec was given control over the Ohio Valley.

2. Catholics were given religious freedom.

3. Only French-Canadians could trade for furs in the Ohio Valley.

1774: FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

TIME TO MAKE A STATEMENT, TIME TO COME TOGETHER……….

The representatives gathered to discuss their response to the British "Intolerable Acts." They met to discuss their relationship with Britain, and how to assert their rights with the British government. They wanted to appear as united colonies in their reply to Britain.

The purpose of the First Continental Congress was not to seek independence from Britain. Theme of the First Continental Congress (Source: Library of Congress) The congress had three objectives: to compose a statement of colonial rights, to identify British parliaments violation of those rights, and to provide a plan that would convince Britain to restore those rights.

Twelve of the 13 colonies sent delegates. Georgia did not. The colonial congress met in Philadelphia. They made the following declarations:

1. Parliament could not tax them without their consent.

2. The Coercive (Intolerable) Acts were not going to be obeyed

3. They would not import goods from England after Dec., 1774.

4. They would not export goods to England after Sept. 1775.

5. Colonies would collect arms and ammunition.

1775 ...ACTS OF PARLIAMENT…

England took a strong stand!

1. New England was prohibited from all trade except with England and the British West Indies.

2. Colonies could not import any arms or ammunition.

A larger number of colonists became outraged. Talk of rebellion was picking up.

Colonists were at their breaking point!

1775: Shots were fired, blood was spilled…………

BATTLES OF LEXINGTON AND CONCORD

The British moved on Concord..

They met resistance at Lexington first…

Fighting began on April 19, 1775

British casualties:

American casualties:

73 killed, 174 wounded

49 killed, 39 wounded

JUNE 17, 1775… The fighting renewed.

BATTLE OF BREED’S HILL (BUNKER HILL)

Thousands of British troops moved against the rebels to move them off the hill. They burned Charles town.

Putnam stood his ground… and the enemy fell.

They made several attempts to reach the top.

The colonists, now rebels, held their ground… they were not afraid of the most powerful army in the world.

British senior officers discounted the ability of the American troops to resist a frontal attack and overestimated the ability of their own troops to make one.

A final attack was made, concentrating on the redoubt and center of the American position. The American ammunition was all but exhausted and this final assault carried the redoubt, forcing the Americans to retreat and leave the peninsula. They were not vigorously pursued.

June 17th 1775

British casualties

2226 killed

828 wounded

American casualties

140 killed

271 wounded

1776: After fourteen months of meetings, the colonial congress declared independence from Great Britain.

1776: COMMON SENSE is published by Thomas Paine.

"These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.  Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph."