Ideas Behind the
Revolution Chapter 4 Section 2
New Era
•  In 1760, George III
becomes King of England
at the age of 22. •  Promises to bring a
quick end to the
French and Indian
War (7 Years War)
•  An expensive war
More Land, More Problems
•  With the Treaty of Paris, The British gained almost all of
France s land in North America. •  English presented a huge threat to the way of life for Native
Americans. •  End of flow of goods that Native Americans came to
depend under the French. Pontiac s Rebellion
•  1763 Pontiac s Rebellion: Rebellion against
British rule by the Ottawa, Huron,
Powatomi, and other Indians in the Great
Lakes region. •  all but two
British forts west of the
Appalachian Mountains destroyed. •  Kill and capture 2,000 colonists •  People retreat back to the east in
search of safety. Pontiac s Rebellion
Proclamation of 1763
•  To restore peace, King George issues the
Proclamation of 1763 - Closes the region
west of the Appalachian Mountains to all
settlements by colonists. •  Fails to stop colonists
migration west:
undermines British authority. Financial Problems
•  Growing debt from cost of governing and
protecting the colonies. •  Grenville, Prime Minister, aimed to reduce
burden on British citizens by making
colonists contribute more for the cost of
defense and rule of the colonies. New Policy •  Leads to several new forms of taxes and
duties and enforcing older taxes/duties in
response to the growing debt. •  British ignore colonists
grievances and
colonists ignore the reality position of
the government. • 
Directions
Using a computer, open the Comic Life application. • 
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Use the following links, to research your given topic. In comic life, you will create a comic that explains the
issue through commentary and pictures. You may use the Photo Booth application to take
pictures and upload them to the computer.
Why was the act passed? What did the act do? (Explain the act.) How did the colonists react to the act? Use at least 3 pictures. British Actions and
Colonial Response • 
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Sugar Act (http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/sugaract.htm) Stamp Act (http://www.history.com/topics/stamp-act) Quartering Act (
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/parliament-passes-thequartering-act) Townshend Acts (
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/wwww/us/townshendactsdef.htm) Tea Act (http://www.history.com/topics/tea-act) Intolerable Acts (http://www.ushistory.org/us/9g.asp) Sugar Act 1764
•  Stamp Act: Created to raise more income
from the colonies.
•  The duty on Molasses is cut in half to
encourage the colonists to buy imported
Molasses (Cheaper). Sugar Act of 1764
•  Navy allowed to seize ships that
forgot
to pay their duties. •  Smuggling cases tried in Britain not in
colonial courts. •  Decision by Judge not jury
•  Judge receives commission on fines and
seizures
Quartering Act
• Requires colonies to provide
housing and supplies for
British troops in the colonies. • Colonists complain but
mostly follow the act. Stamp Act •  Tax on newspapers, pamphlets, legal
documents, and other printed
material. •  Used to raise money to finance the
cost of troops in the colonies. •  Affected the powerful: printers,
merchants, and lawyers. Stamp Act: Response
•  Merchants boycott British goods. •  Stamp Act Congress: “No taxation without
representation.” •  Boston Sons of Liberty: Attack and threaten
stamp distributors •  Everyone resigns or flees •  Parliament repeals the Stamp Act in 1765 . Townshend Act
•  Replaced the Stamp Act. •  Show Britain s authority over the
colonies. •  Aim to raise money through duties not
taxes for colonial government . Townshend Act: Response
•  Colonists:
No taxation without
representation •  Salaries of Royal governors paid with
money collected from the duties. •  Influence of the Colonial legislatures and
self-government weakened by the act
•  Boycott consumption of British goods. Boston Massacre •  British send troops to the colonies to put
down violent resistance against the
Townshend Act.
•  March 5, 1770: Crowd of colonists
threatened a squad of British Troops
•  Open fire killing and wounding five
colonists. Aftermath
•  Parliament canceled the Townshend taxes
except those on tea (served as a reminder
of Britain s authority). •  Period of relative calmness: hope for a
return to political tranquility. The Tea Act • Purpose: To help the East India
Company (EIC) sell their tea
without paying regular taxes. • EIC takes business away from
colonists
Boston Tea Party • Dec. 16, 1773:
Colonists dressed
as Native
Americans board 3
tea ships and dump
the tea into the
harbor. Coercive Acts •  Punished Massachusetts for the Boston Tea
Party. •  Boston harbor closed until Boston paid
for the dumped tea. •  Town meeting limited to once a year •  Massachusetts general court disbanded. First Continental Congress
• First Continental Congress:
1774 - Renewed boycott on
British goods. • Colonists encouraged to arm
themselves and form militias. Lexington
•  1775: British forces sent to Concord to
seize colonists weapons
•  British forces reach Lexington and met
by 70 minutemen (militia).
•  Minutemen ordered to surrender, but a
shot is fired and 8 minutemen are killed. Concord
•  British continue to Concord to seize
weapons •  4,000 armed colonists ambush the British
on the way back to Boston.
•  140 British casualties •  Marked the begging of the Revolutionary
War