Bell Ringer- 2/8
• Based on what you’ve learned so far,
evaluate/ comment on the following
statement:
“In a broad sense, the American Revolution
was not the same thing as the American War
of Independence. The war itself lasted only
eight years. But the Revolution lasted over a
century and a half.”
The Road to Revolution
The “Betsy Ross” Flag
Photo Credit: http://www.americanrevwar.homestead.com/files/FLAGS.HTM
England established colonies in North
America in the 17th & 18th centuries for
the purpose of increasing her empire.
The colonies were part of
England.
The colonists were English.
Photo Credit:
http://earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/english_colonies/Colonies_1763.jpg
The purpose of
establishing
colonies is to
increase the
wealth of the
mother country.
English mercantilist policies were
designed to do just that.
Photo Credit: http://www.internetgraphicsdesign.com/images/money_bags_jpg.jpg
The colonies were to provide raw materials
to England, which England would sell to
other countries.
The colonies were to purchase British
goods.
Colonial Mercantilism
American Colonies
produce raw
materials
(Ex: cotton, sugar,
tobacco)
England
Ships and sells raw
materials to
England
Controls how it buys
and makes goods
to sell
(Ex. Cloth)
Manufactured goods (ex. Cloth) are
sent back to America
G
o
o
d
s
Other country
(Ex. France)
Buys goods
(Ex. Cloth)
Gold is
traded for
goods and is
taken to
England
The English Navigation Laws (a series of
laws starting in 1650), were to ensure the
process of mercantilism went smoothly:
• commerce was to take place on English
ships
• colonial products were not to compete with
English industries
• England collected tariffs (import taxes) on
non-English European goods bound for
America
Benefits of mercantilism:
• military protection
• guaranteed markets
• price supports
Burdens of mercantilism:
• economic “bondage”
(inability to seek the best price)
• stifled initiative
Photo Credit:
http://www.lesleyannemcleod.homestead.com/files/62214___ship_English_14gun_reve
nue_cutter_1815small.jpg
England laxly enforced the Navigation Laws
(salutary neglect) because …
• England was preoccupied with wars, and
• the people of the colonies were “low class.”
Photo Credit: http://www.internetgraphicsdesign.com/images/money_bags_jpg.jpg
England had incurred “crushing debt”
defending North America in numerous wars.
England hoped to resolve the situation via:
• stricter enforcement of the Navigation
Laws.
• Sugar Act of 1764 – taxed molasses
imported from France
• Quartering Act of 1765 – colonial gov’ts had
to provide food and housing for British
troops in North America.
These efforts weren’t enough.
The series of wars made
England aware of the large
colonial population.
English Prime Minister
George Grenville suggested
taxing the colonies to cover
about 1/3 the cost of the debt.
Photo Credit:
http://www.dukesofbuckingham.org/people/family/grenville/nugent_buckingham.jpg
King George III and
Parliament agreed.
Photo Credit: http://dcmrg.english.ucsb.edu/WarnerTeach/E172/images/George.III.portrait.jpg
Parliament passed the Stamp Act of 1765,
taxing legal documents in the colonies.
The revenue would be used to support British
troops in the colonies.
The colonists were greatly offended.
The colonists argued
that they had been
taxed without their
consent as they had no
representatives in
Parliament.
(Besides, the wars were over, why didn’t the
troops just go home?)
Photo Credit: http://www.aaai.org/AITopics/assets/Page%20Art/teatoon2.gif
“Relax!” exclaimed Parliament.
“You are represented by us! You are our
colonies! It is in our best interests to see to
your best interests.”
This concept is known as
“virtual representation.”
The colonists did not agree.
“Why don’t we have two Parliaments?”
asked the Colonies. “One in England and
one here? We’ll tax ourselves.”
“No.” said Parliament
Photo Credit: http://www.parliament.uk/images/hop/lords_pic.jpg
A group hastily convened in New York
City to discuss the issue. 27 delegates
from 9 colonies participated in this
Stamp Act Congress.
The delegates approved a 14-point
Declaration of Rights and Grievances
affirming that colonial taxation could only
be carried on by their own assemblies.
The arrival of the stamped paper
coincided with the end of the Congress.
The colonists
reacted violently
and began to
destroy property.
Photo Credit:
http://www.silasdeaneonline.org/documents_images/revwar/StampAct_sm.jpg
Merchants organized nonimportation
agreements (boycotts of English goods) and
smuggled non-English goods into the colonies.
Photo Credit: http://www.multied.com/Revolt/photos/Boycott.GIF
Sons of Liberty flag
Colonists formed
radical groups, such
as the Sons of Liberty,
to oppose Parliamentary
taxation policies and to
make certain uncooperative merchants
participated in the boycotts.
Photo Credit: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cabuehner/sonsflag.gif
Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, but
passed other taxation measures:
• Townshend Acts – taxed goods
produced in Britain. The income
would be used to pay the salaries of
British officials in the colonies.
The colonists did not agree that colonial
trade in compliance with navigation laws
was subject to taxation.
Photo Credit: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cabuehner/sonsflag.gif
British officials tightened security against
smugglers in Boston and assigned more
soldiers to the city. Soldiers were taunted
on a regular basis. One day, things got
out of control.
The colonists threw rock-filled snowballs
at the soldiers. The soldiers shot into the
crowd, killing five men.
The Boston
Massacre
Photo Credit: http://library.thinkquest.org/11683/media/Massacre.gif
Thanks to the
Committees of
Correspondence,
news of such
activities spread
throughout the
colonies.
Photo Credit: http://www.britishpensions.org.au/images/quill.gif
The Tea Act,
though it would
make tea
cheaper for the
colonists, was
rejected by the
colonists on
principle.
Photo Credit: http://www.teamuse.com/images/041001_3.jpg
To indicate their
displeasure at the Tea
Act, the colonists
prevented the
unloading of tea at the
ports. The resistance
was strongest in Boston,
where the tea was
dumped into the
harbor.
Photo Credit: http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312233/Image/tea.gif
Parliament acted quickly to punish the
colonies, passing several Coercive Acts
including closing Boston Harbor, making
Massachusetts a royal colony, and allowing
the use of force against the colonists.
The colonists called these
“Intolerable Acts.”
Photo Credit: http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312233/Image/tea.gif
56 delegates from 12 colonies sent delegates
to the First Continental Congress in
Philadelphia in 1774. The delegates drew
up another “Declaration of Rights and
Grievances” (addressed to the King)
indicating that they agreed with the
regulation of external commerce, but not
with taxation without their consent. They
also resolved to continue boycotts of
English imports (Suffolk Resolves).
The delegates went home about eight
weeks later wondering how King
George III would respond.