THE ORIGINS OF
THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION
1763 - 1776
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
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THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
At the end of the French
and Indian War, England
is the most powerful
nation on Earth, has full
possession of France’s
North American colonies,
and controls markets in
North America and
Europe. Although thrilled
to have been victorious,
the British were also
overextended, and their
treasury was empty. The
bottom line: England was
broke! Good tax policy
and revenue plans would
be required in order to
maintain the empire they
had created and gain
greater prosperity.
NATIVE AMERICANS RETREAT
Once the French were
forced to cede land and
leave the area, they
found themselves in
direct opposition to the
English. A brief uprising,
Pontiac’s Rebellion,
worried the English.
England had no desire
to provoke war with
Native American tribes.
When American
colonists sought to move
into the Ohio River Valley
and when land
speculators encouraged
migration west, the
English government
stepped in to
discourage settlement.
RETIRING THE ENGLISH DEBT
England had, in fact,
poured enormous resources
into winning the battle with
the French. They were
fearful of any more
immediate conflicts, and it
was their intention to
collect taxes from the
colonists themselves – to
some extent. At the very
least, they sought to
enforce existing laws – and
to prevent American
smugglers from avoiding
import duties from trade
with the French. From the
perspective of the English, it
was perfectly reasonable to
demand that the American
colonists pay some share of
the burden for protecting
the North America!
AMERICAN TAXPAYERS
• It is important to remember that Americans paid less in
taxes than anyone living in England. Some historians
estimate that American colonists paid approximately
1/26th that of Englishmen on the island.
• Importers who attempted to avoid paying duties (taxes)
were largely successful. When Lord Grenville came to
power after the French and Indian War, he discovered
that the British were paying officials over ₤7000 to collect
around ₤2000 in taxes. F-A-I-L.
• Since England seemed to be fighting a losing battle with
American colonists when it came to the collection of
taxes – after a long period of salutary neglect – a revision
of the old system seemed to be in order.
THE PROCLAMATION OF 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was in part a response to
Pontiac’s War. Realizing that the British Empire was
overextended, the British policies discouraged further
encroachment upon Native American lands, which
might risk war.
From the American colonists perspective, though,
there were two major objections.
1. They had helped to fight the French and Indian
War, and were entitled to its spoils.
2. The English policy also happened to restrict
American colonists to areas which were more
readily accessible for the purposes of taxation.
THE SUGAR ACT - 1764
• Like many of the acts proposed during the Colonial
Period in order to raise revenues, the Sugar Act actually
lowered the tax on imported sugar. But it also gave
customs officials greater power to enforce the rules –
authorizing them to gain warrants, or writs of assistance –
to search ships and warehouses throughout the colonies
in order to seize and tax the goods.
• The law also stipulated that those accused of
transgressions would be put on trial before viceadmiralty courts instead of before juries. The appointed
judges would presumably be far less sympathetic to the
smugglers.
• The Parliament frequently attempted to raise greater
revenues by simply encouraging compliance with the
taxes, rather than attempting to raise the taxes.
THE STAMP ACT OF 1765
• If the Sugar Act went by without provoking any major
emergencies, the Stamp Act of 1765 did not.
• The major difference, in the mind of the colonists, was
that this was an “internal” tax – one which applied to
domestic activities in the colonies themselves – as a
opposed to an “external” tax governing trade between
nations.
• Taxing merchants or import/export specialists was not
considered as invasive – first, that class of individual had
more income to tax; secondly, they could pass taxes on
to consumers without suffering egregious losses.
• The ₤160,000 Parliament believed would be raised by the
tax would not cover even 20% of the taxes needed to
support the army abroad; hence, to Parliament, this tax
seemed more than reasonable.
JOHN LOCKE ON TAXATION
“It is true, governments cannot be supported without
great charge, and it is fit every one who enjoys his
share of the protection, should pay out of his estate
his proportion for the maintenance of it. But still it must
be with his own consent, i.e. the consent of the
majority, giving it either by themselves, or their
representatives chosen by them: for if any one shall
claim a power to lay and levy taxes on the people,
by his own authority, and without such consent of the
people, he thereby invades the fundamental law of
property, and subverts the end of government: for
what property have I in that, which another may by
right take, when he pleases, to himself?”
VIRTUAL REPRESENTATION
Members of Parliament and Englishmen in general,
however, did not agree with this interpretation of the
events unfolding. They believed the colonists were
very much represented. The English answer concerns
over “Taxation Without Representation” concerns
was that Americans were indeed represented in
Parliament. Although no American members were in
Parliament, and there were no representatives in the
Parliament devoted to the promotion of Americanspecific demands, all Englishmen were represented
by the members of the House of Commons. Virtual
Representation – for the good of the commonweal,
was a basic tenet of good government in England.
REACTION TO THE STAMP ACT
The response to the Stamp Act
was enormous. The Sons of
Liberty were founded in Boston,
and they hung in effigy tax
collectors who would dare
collect funds from the Parliament
issued stamps. The use of
physical intimidation – literally
roughing up the tax collectors,
vandalizing homes, or
threatening anyone who
considered accepting the
position as a tax collector – was
largely successful. Indeed, no
American born colonist would
take the position in
Massachusetts – for fear of what
might happen to them if they
attempted to take up the tax.
BOYCOTTS AND NON-IMPORTATION
In protest, the American
colonists refused to buy
English products. Nonimportation treaties and
boycotts against English
goods were enforced strictly
by vigilante groups like the
Sons of Liberty – who
protected smugglers from
customs agents, and
punished those who violated
the boycotts! Merchants
were not permitted to import
goods from England and sell
them. Consumers were
banned from purchasing
English goods – and held to
their commitments by force
when necessary.
THE STAMP ACT CONGRESS
• Americans “are entitled to all the inherent rights
and liberties of his natural born subjects within the
kingdom of Great-Britain.”
• The Stamp Act has “a manifest tendency to subvert
the rights and liberties of the colonists.”
THE DEATH OF THE STAMP ACT
DECLARATORY ACT
• The British were forced to repeal the Stamp Act due
to the popular revolt which took place in the
Colonies. Although repealing the Act, the
Parliament also insisted that they had the right to
tax the colonists at any time.
• While Americans celebrated a great victory over
the Parliament, England was shocked by the
suggestion that they could not tax their subjects,
and viewed it as essential to clarify their right!
THE QUARTERING ACTS
In 1766, the Parliament
required that
Americans provide
“candles, firing, beds,
utensils, salt, vinegar,
beer, cider, and rum”
for British Soldiers. This
declaration, which
forces Americans to
pick up the bill for
soldiers who they got
along with so poorly, is
condemned.
THE TOWNSHEND ACTS
In an effort to reassert themselves, the Townshend
Acts were passed. After the Declaratory Act was
passed by the Parliament, they quickly attempted to
demonstrate the Empires mastery over the islands by
focusing on new revenue collection techniques:
• Glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea were all
targeted.
• Vice-Admiralty Courts were re-established.
• British troops were deployed.
JOHN HANCOCK’S LIBERTY
 When his smuggling vessel, Liberty, was stopped and the
customs officials were attacked physically for attempting
to board the ship, it provoked outrage in England. Acts
of lawlessness were simply impermissible.
 Hancock’s roughs, presumably, were also responsible for
attacking Governor Bernard’s mansion in retaliation.
 This was the last straw, and in 1768, the British sent over
4000 soldiers to Boston to occupy the city. This was one
soldier for every four citizens.
 In retrospect, the probably made escalation of the
conflict inevitable.
THE BOSTON
MASSACRE
March 5, 1770,the
Boston Massacre takes
place. Crispus Attucks,
a free black man, was
killed in the shooting.
John Adams would
defend the soldiers.
THE BOSTON MASSACRE
• Ben Franklin had predicted that the landing of so many
troops in Boston would inevitably lead to some similar
mayhem as unfolded on March 5, 1770.
• The occupation of Boston was, of course, an
exceedingly tense time. But even after the Boston
Massacre, there was more effort at reconciliation than
at escalation. American colonists wanted their rights –
as Englishmen – restored.
• John Adams, who had defended the soldiers who were
charged, probably recognized that there was plenty of
blame to go around as the trial wound down. He
remained loyal to the English, though, throughout this
period.
THE REPEAL OF THE TOWNSHEND ACT
Due to the non-importation treaties and the economic
boycotts put into place by American colonists, the
revenue acts which Townshend had put into place were
largely unsuccessful, and most were repealed .
The tea tax remained in effect, largely as a point of pride
for the Parliament. (This was a lingering piece of legislation
from the former Townshend Act, not the Tea Act of 1773 –
which would cause it’s own concerns.)
Between 1770 an 1773, the American colonies were, for
the most part, less troubled by conflict with England.
STRUCTURAL CONFLICTS REMAIN
The conflicts which remained persistent:
Smugglers
vs.
Customs Agents
Settlers
vs.
Proclamation Line
Colonial
Assemblies
vs.
Parliament
Meanwhile, more zealous groups like the Sons of Liberty
and the Committees of Correspondence – through their
circular letters, attempted to generate greater division.
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY
• A direct response to the Tea Act
THE TEA ACT OF 1773:
1. Lowers the price of tea in the colonies by allowing the
East India Tea Company to cut out the middle man
and sell directly to the colonists.
2. Forbid any purchasing of tea from rivals.
3. Adds a three-penny tax, through Parliament.
Although the act actually lowered the cost of tea in the
colonies, the principle of “Taxation Without
Representation” was not accepted by the colonists.
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY
Dressed as Mohawk Indians, members of the Sons of
Liberty threw 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor.
The total cost of the tea thrown in the harbor was
close to ₤10,000.
Furious, the Parliament responded with the so-called
Intolerable Acts.
THE INTOLERABLE ACTS
• Appointed General Thomas Gage of the English
Army as the colonial governor of Massachusetts,
and gave him enormous powers to make executive
decisions.
• Closes the Boston Harbor completely.
• Established the principle that trials against smugglers
or any person in violation of the law could be held
in England – a prospect which many viewed as not
good for a fair trial.
• Military occupation of the city was imminent.
THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
• All of the colonies save Georgia were in attendance.
• The Continental Congress was dangerously close to
being considered treason; many would have viewed it
as such.
• The Congress demanded the repeal of the Intolerable
Acts.
• They openly encourage non-importation and boycotts
of British goods.
• Great fear of an invasion of Boston prevailed during the
meeting.
• Communiques with the Parliament were nevertheless
sent, in hopes of gaining some reconciliation.
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS AND
GRIEVANCES
• Penned by John Adams,
this was a rather scholarly
rebuttal of Parliament’s
insistence that it had the
right to tax the colonists
however they chose.
• Adams asserted while the
colonists might concede
the right of Parliament to
regulate trade with
England and abroad,
they vehemently
opposed the raising of
taxes for the purposes of
collecting revenues.
THE SUFFOLK RESOLVES
• Passed in September of 1774 in Suffolk Co.,
Massachusetts, these resolutions were just short of a
declaration of war.
• The resolves insisted on the repeal of the Intolerable
Acts and urged disobedience against the royal
government.
• Most importantly, the resolves declared the
Americans should begin to raise a militia for selfdefense, fearing an invasion of Massachusetts.
“BLOWS MUST DECIDE”
If the Continental Congress
was hopeful that the King
would take a more lenient
stance against them than
Parliament and
reconciliation might begin,
they were horrified by this
response. The King, in light
of the posturing of the
Suffolk Resolves, opted to
take the hardline stance
against the colonists. His
rejoinder, the “blows must
decide” the future of his
insubordinate colonies was
interpreted as a promise of
war.
THE BATTLES OF LEXINGTON AND
CONCORD: “THE SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND
THE WORLD”
The onset of war with
England came in April
of 1775, when the it
was ordered that John
Hancock be arrested
and the stockpiles of
military supplies be
seized by the English
military. Minutemen
waited on a signal from
the Old North Church;
Paul Revere and
William Dawes warned
the towns of the
soldiers approach. The
cache of weapons
and ammunition was
reapportioned for the
day.
LEXINGTON AND CONCORD
At Lexington, the British Army
had believed they would
apprehend both John
Hancock and Samuel
Adams – they did not.
Instead, a skirmish between
a few dozen American
militiamen and the regular
British Army ensued. The
British fired “The Shot Heard
‘Round the World” here, and
8 Americans died. Nine
more were injured. The battle
at Concord was more
substantial. The arsenal
there had been emptied by
minutemen, who were
staged at the North Bridge
entry of the town. During this
battle, Americans using
guerrilla tactics were largely
successful against their British
adversaries.
BUNKER HILL
The Battle of Bunker Hill
is perhaps the most
famous misnomer in
American History, for
the fighting actually
took place on Breed’s
Hill. William Prescott’s
untrained Continental
Army, holding
advantageous
ground, was able to
rout the British in the
initial stages of the
battle; however, they
quickly ran out of
ammunition. The
battle ended in
disorder – the British
took the hills.
THE OLIVE BRANCH PETITION
Even as the conflict in the Revolutionary War began in earnest,
American colonists continued to seek reconciliation with their
British allies. The Olive Branch Petition – offered as a final
opportunity to end hostilities between the colonies and Mother
Country, was doomed from the outset. The Continental
Congress offered to end armed hostilities against the English in
exchange for the immediate removal of all British military
personnel and the revocation of the Intolerable Acts. Even
after bloodshed and discord had begun to characterize the
standoff, American colonists still prayed that the King would
intervene:
“We most devoutly implore his divine goodness to protect us
happily through this great conflict, to dispose our adversaries to
reconciliation on reasonable terms, and thereby to relieve the
empire from the calamities of civil war.”
THOMAS PAINE’S COMMON SENSE
Thomas Paine was not in a conciliatory mood, at all,
though. His purpose was to radicalize the movement,
to vilify the Parliament and especially the King, and to
have Americans break ties – completely and finally –
with England. His pamphlet – 46 pages of vitriol and
logic based argumentation against the Crown – was
a best seller almost instantly. It sold over 120,000
copies in the first four months of 1775, and it reached
a much wider audience, since books of the sort were
almost always read aloud in coffeehouses and
taverns across the United States. Paine – who was
not American by birth – wanted independence for
the United States of America.
THOMAS PAINE’S COMMON SENSE
“These are the times that try men’s
souls…” - perhaps Thomas Paine’s
most famous line is not in
Common Sense. That’s from the
sequel to his more famous work,
called The Crisis. In Common
Sense, Paine made a case for
American Independence by force
of arms against the King. His
epistle, which condemned all
hereditary rulers and proposed
that it was foolish for an island to
rule a continent, was the first open
call for hostilities to be circulated
so widely. Washington had the
pamphlet read to all of his troops.
THOMAS PAINE’S COMMON SENSE
“As to government matters, it is not in the power of Britain to do this
continent justice: The business of it will soon be too weighty, and
intricate, to be managed with any tolerable degree of
convenience, by a power, so distant from us, and so very ignorant
of us; for if they cannot conquer us, they cannot govern us. To be
always running three or four thousand miles with a tale or a petition,
waiting four or five months for an answer, which when obtained
requires five or six more to explain it in, will in a few years be looked
upon as folly and childishness There was a time when it was proper,
and there is a proper time for it to cease.
Small islands not capable of protecting themselves, are the proper
objects for kingdoms to take under their care; but there is
something very absurd, in supposing a continent to be perpetually
governed by an island. In no instance hath nature made the
satellite larger than its primary planet, and as England and America,
with respect to each other, reverses the common order of nature, it
is evident they belong to different systems: England to Europe,
America to itself.