Toward Independence: RoadtotheRevolution
TowardIndependence:RoadtoRevolution
• Thestorybeginsinthe1750s,whenBritainandthecoloniesfoughtawaragainsttheFrenchandtheirIndianallies.ThewarleftBritainwithhugedebts,andavastnewempiretoprotect.TheBritishgovernmentpassedlawsplacingtightercontrolsandnewtaxesonthecolonists.Colonistswereangeredasthey,forthemostpart,hadbeenabletomaketheirownlawsanddeterminetheirowntaxes.
• Patriots(alsocalledWhigs)wereAmericanswhobelievedthecolonieshadtherighttogovernthemselves.
• Loyalists(alsocalledTories)werecolonistswhowereloyaltoBritainandfaithfulsubjectstotheking.
• Neutralistswerecolonistswhodidnotwishtotakesides.
TowardIndependence:RoadtotheRevolution
Analyzethefollowingimage.• Whatdoesthesnakeappeartorepresent?• Whatdothelettersunderthesnakerepresent?• Whatdoyouthinkwasthemessageofthecreatorofthecartoon?
• Whatdoesthesnakeappeartorepresent?• Whatdothelettersunderthesnakerepresent?• Whatdoyouthinkwasthemessageofthecreatorofthecartoon?
• Whatdoesthesnakeappeartorepresent?• Whatdothelettersunderthesnakerepresent?• Whatdoyouthinkwasthemessageofthecreatorofthecartoon?
• TheimagefirstappearedintheMay9,1754,atthebeginningoftheFrenchandIndianWarinanissueofBenFranklin’sPennsylvaniaGazette.FranklinconsideredtheAmericancoloniestobedangerouslyfragmented(notunited)and,throughthiscartoon,hopedtoconvincetheAmericancoloniesthattheywouldhavegreatpoweriftheyunitedagainstthethreatofFrenchexpansioninNorthAmerica.
• WiththeonsetoftheAmericanRevolution,patriotsfromacrossthecoloniesusedFranklin's"JoinorDie"cartoontopromotethecauseofindependence.Theslogancouldregularlybeseeninthewindowsofshops,onflags,andinnewspapersinordertohelpswaypublicopinion.
TowardIndependence:RoadtotheRevolution
• TheimagefirstappearedintheMay9,1754,issueofBenFranklin’sPennsylvaniaGazette.Bythe1750s,FranceandGreatBritainhadbeenarguingforyearsovertheextentoneanother’slandholdingsintheAmericas.FranklinconsideredtheAmericancoloniestobedangerouslyfragmentedand,throughthiscartoonanditsaccompanyingarticle,hopedtoconvincetheAmericancoloniesthattheywouldhavegreatpoweriftheyunitedagainstthethreatofFrenchexpansioninNorthAmerica.
• WiththeonsetoftheAmericanRevolution,patriotsfromacrossthecoloniesusedFranklin's"JoinorDie"cartoontopromotethecauseofindependence.Theslogancouldregularlybeseeninthewindowsofshops,onflags,andinnewspapers.
RoadtotheRevolutionDirections:foreachofthefollowingevents,brieflyexplaintheeventanditseffect(s):
1. StampAct1765(p.91)
2. QuarteringAct1765(p.92)
3. TownshendActs1767(p.92)
4. BostonMassacre1770(p.93)
5. TeaAct1773(p.95-96)
6. BostonTeaParty1773(p.95-96)
7. IntolerableActs1774(p.97)
8. FirstContinentalCongress1774(p.98)
9. LexingtonandConcord1775(pgs.99-101)
RoadtotheRevolution1. StampAct(1765)
Explanation:• ThisBritishimposedactrequiredcoloniststopayforanofficialstamp(oraseal)whenevertheyboughtpaperitems,suchasnewspapers,legaldocuments,andevenplayingcards.
Effects:• ColonistssentmessagestoParliament,refusedtobuystamps,andtheSonsofLibertyattackedtaxcollectors.TheBritishgovernmentrepealedtheStampAct.
RoadtotheRevolution
2.QuarteringAct(1765)Explanation:• Colonialassemblieshadtoprovidehousing,food,andsuppliesforBritishtroops;tofurnishsoldierswithcandles,bedding,cookingutensils,salt,vinegar,beerandcider.
Effects:• NewYork’sassemblyrefusedtogivefundsforsomesupplies.• TheBritishgovernmentrefusedtoallowtheNewYorkassemblytomeetuntilitcompliedwiththelaw.
RoadtotheRevolution
3.TownshendActs(1767)Explanation:
• LawspassedtoraisemoneyforGreatBritain’sarmyinthecolonies,theyplacedaduty,ortax,oncertaingoodsthecolonistsimportedfromGreatBritain.
Effects:
• SamuelAdams,aBostonPatriot,ledtheoppositionandcolonistsboycottedEnglishgoods.LordNorth(PrimeMinister)repealedtheTownshendActsbecausethetaxeswerenotraisingenoughmoneytocoverthelossesduetotheboycott.However,teawasleftoutoftherepeal.
RoadtotheRevolution
4.BostonMassacre(1770)Explanation:
• NoisymobthrewrocksandiceballsatBritishsoldiers.Someonetauntedthetroopsto“Fire!”Onetroopwasknockeddownandthetroopspanickedandopenedfire.CrispusAttacks,anAfricanAmerican,wasthefirsttodie.Thesoldierswouldbetriedformurder.
Effects:
• JohnAdams,thoughaPatriot,arguedthetroopsactedinself-defense.Adamsbelievedthateverypersonhadtherighttoafairtrial.
RoadtotheRevolution
5. TheTeaActof1773Explanation:
• TeaActloweredthecostofteasoldbyBritishEastIndiaCompany,andwouldkeepthecompanyfromgoingbankrupt.Italsogavethecompanyamonopolyofteasalesinthecolonies.WouldtheBritishtrytocontrolothertrades,puttingAmerican-ownedcompaniesoutofbusiness?
Effects:
• ProtesterskepttheBritishEastIndiaCompanyfromunloadingtheircargo.TheSonsofLibertyunloadedthetea,butnotinthewaytheBritishhadinmind.
RoadtotheRevolution
5. BostonTeaParty(1773)
Explanation:
• RadicalPatriots,theSonsofLiberty,disguisedthemselvesasAmericanIndians,boardedtheship,anddumped342chestsofteaoverboardfromthreeshipsinBostonHarbor.
Effects:
• BritishauthoritiesclosedBostonHarborandpassedtheIntolerableActs.
RoadtotheRevolution7. IntolerableActs(1774)
Explanation:
• KingGeorgewantedtotakecontrolofthecolonies.HeclosedBostonHarbortoshippinguntiltheteawaspaidfor.TheBritishgovernmentnowcontrolledthegovernmentinMassachusetts;aBritishsoldieraccusedofmurderwouldhavehistrialinEngland,notinthecolonies;andmoreBritishsoldiersweresenttoBoston.
Effects:
• Sailors,dockworkers,andotherslosttheirjobs.However,thecoloniesunited–manysentfood/moneytoBostoncitizens.Virginiacalledforameetingofdelegatesfromeachcolony.
RoadtotheRevolution
8.FirstContinentalCongress(1774)
Explanation:
• 50leadersfrom12colonies(Georgiawasnotpresent)metinPhiladelphiatodiscussapeacefulsolutiontotheconflictswithBritain.PatrickHenrywasaleaderfromVirginiawhourgedcoloniststouniteasAmericans,notascitizensinseparatecolonies.
Effects:
• ArespectfulmessagetoKingGeorgewassent,urginghimtoconsidertheircomplaintsandrecognizetheirrights.TheycalledforanewboycottofBritishgoodsuntilParliamentrepealedtheIntolerableActs.InNewEnglandlocalmilitiascalledMinutemenwereformed–theycouldbereadytofightin60seconds.TheKingignoredtheirletter.
RoadtotheRevolution
9. LexingtonandConcord(1775)
• BritishtroopsleftBostontomarchtoConcord,MAtoseizegunpowderand
weapons.PaulRevereandothersrodetowarncolonistsoftheBritish
approach.Ashotrangout,andtheMinutemenandBritishtroopsexchanged
fireinLexington.BritishtroopscontinuedtoConcord.Britishsoldierssearched
forweaponsandgunpowderinConcord.ColonistsfoughtBritishsoldiersat
Concord’sNorthBridge.Minutemenstoodtheirground,causingBritishsoldiers
toretreat.TheBritishwereattackedbyMinutemenontheirretreattoBoston.
RoadtotheRevolution
9. LexingtonandConcord(1775)
HowdidtheBritishmiscalculatethecolonists?Whatdidthesebattlesshow?
• Thecolonistswereuniting.TheBritishmiscalculatedthecolonistsby
underestimatingthem.TheBritishweresurprisedtodiscoverthatordinary
people(farmers,merchants,workers,housewives)wouldfightfortheirrights.
ThesebattlesshowedthatAmericanswerenotonlywillingtofightfortheir
rights,buttheywerealsowillingtodieforthem.