The Road to Revolution
Was it inevitable?
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• QUESTION: Are the colonists
ungrateful whiners or are they
standing up for their rights?
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• SALUTARY NEGLECT
• FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR—
WAR—ENDS 1763
• France gives up all territory in N. Am, Spain weak,
England becomes the most powerful country in N.
America
--ENGLAND
--ENGLAND BROKE
MOLASSES ACT
--PROCLAMATION
--PROCLAMATION OF 1763
1763—
— Kept colonists from
settling west of the Appalachian Mts. to keep the
colonists from attacking/killing the Native Am.
Mercantilism--DEFINE
Mercantilism
• A COUNTRY MUST EXPORT MORE THAN IT
IMPORTS-- REASON FOR COLONIES
IMPORTS
• ECONOMIC WEALTH IS MEASURED BY GOLD
AND SILVER
• NAVIGATION ACTS—
ACTS—WHAT IS THE PURPOSE
• CONTROL TRADE WITH THE COLONIES,
FIRST NAV. LAWS PASSED AGAINST THE
NETHERLANDS--1650
NETHERLANDS
Ben Franklin said
• We have an old mother that peevish is grown;
• She snubs like children that scarce walk alone;
• She forgets we’re grown up and have sense to
our own.
• Revolution will come because Britain did not
recognize this
REPUBLICANISM
• The idea that citizens gave up their selfish
interests for the common good of the country
• Citizens are selfself-sufficient, have courage, and are
involved civically.
• Against the monarchy and corruption
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• PRIME MINISTER GEORGE GREENVILLE
ENFORCES THE NAVIGATION ACTS
• SUGAR ACT—
ACT—1764FIRST LAW TO RAISE TAX
REVENUE—
REVENUE
—DUTY (TAX) ON SUGAR
IMPORTED
• COLONISTS COMPLAIN—
COMPLAIN—DUTIES LOWERED
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• QUARTERING ACT OF 1765
1765—
—CERTAIN COLONIES
HAVE TO PROVIDE FOOD AND QUARTERS TO
BRITISH TROOPS
• COLONIST COMPLAIN–
COMPLAIN– SOME COLONIAL
ASSEMBLIES REFUSE TO PAY
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• STAMP ACT OF 1765
1765—
—STAMPS WERE ATTACHED TO
PAPER PRODUCTS TO CERTIFY PAYMENT OF TAX
---NEWSPAPERS,
NEWSPAPERS, PLAYING CARDS, LEGAL
DOCUMENTS, MARRIAGE LICENSES
---OFFENDERS
OFFENDERS TRIED IN ADMIRALTY COURTS—
COURTS—NO
JURIES—
JURIES
—”GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT”
---COLONISTS
COLONISTS SAY “NO TAXATION WITHOUT
REPRESENTATION”
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• GREENVILLE CLAIMED “VIRTUAL
REPRESENTATION”–
REPRESENTATION”
– EVERY MEMBER OF
PARILIAMENT REPRESENTED ALL BRITISH SUBJECT
-----SMART
SMART COLONITS DON’T WANT “NTWR” (WHY)
American representatives would be out numbered in
Parliament (what would that lead to?)
Have to pay higher taxes
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• NINE COLONIES MEETMEET-27 DELEGATES
CALLED THE STAMP ACT CONGRESS
---ORGANIZED
ORGANIZED BOYCOTT OF BRITISH
GOODS
---SOME
SOME VIOLENCE, SONS OF LIBERTY,
DAUGHTERS OF LIBERTY
---TAR
TAR AND FEATHERS, RANSACKED
HOMES, STOLE MONEY, HUNG
EFFIGIES OF THE STAMP AGENTS
Tar and Feathering
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• 7.5 MILLION BRITONS PAY TAXES TO
PROTECT THE COLONIESCOLONIES- 2 MIL
COLONISTS WON’T PAY 1/3 OF THE
COST OF DEFENSE
• ALL TAX AGENTS RESIGN—
RESIGN—NO ONE TO
COLLECT TAX
• 1766 PARLIAMENT REPEALS THE STAMP
ACT
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• PARLIAMENT IMMEDIATELY PASSES
THE DECLARATORY ACT-ACT--1766
1766
• PARLIAMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO “TO
BIND” THE COLONIES “IN ALL CASES
WHAT SO EVER”
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• 1767 PARLIAMENT PASSES THE
TOWNSEND ACT
• TAX ON LEAD, PAPER, TEA, AND PAINT
• INDIRECT TAX—
TAX—TAX INCLUDED IN
THE PRICE
• PARLIAMENT SUSPENDS THE
LEGISLATURE OF NEW YORK FOR NOT
COMPLYING WITH THE QUARTERING
ACT--1767
ACT
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• COLONISTS SMUGGLE GOODS,
ESPECIALLY IN MASSACHUSETTS
• ENGLAND SENDS TROOPS TO BOSTON
IN 1768
• BOSTON MASSACRE-MASSACRE--1770
1770
TWO VIEWS OF THE BOSTON
MASSACRE
PROPAGANDA
CRISPUS ATTUCKS AS AN AMERICAN MARTYR
JOHN ADAMS REPRESENTS THE SOLDIERS IN COURT AND ONLY
2 FOUND GUILTY
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• TOWNSEND ACTS DON’T PRODUCE
REVUENUE ---WHY?
WHY?
• PARLIAMENT REPEALS TOWNSEND
ACTS—
ACTS
—EXCEPT ON TEATEA- WHY?
• 1772 SAMUAL ADAMS DEVELOPS LOCAL
COMMITEES OF CORRESPONDENCE
WHICH LEADS TO
INTERCOLONIAL COMMITTEES OF
CORRESPONDENCE--1773
CORRESPONDENCE
The Gaspe Incident
Providence, RI coast
Burning of the Gaspee
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• 17731773-EAST INDIA COMPANY HAS 17 MIL.
POUNDS OF UNSOLD TEA
• PARLIAMENT GIVES TEA MONOPOLY
TO EIC—
EIC—LOWERS PRICE OF TEA
• AMERICANS ANGRYANGRY-TRICK TO PAY THE
TAX—
TAX
—PRINCIPAL OVER PRICE
• AMERICANS TURN AWAY THE SHIPS
FROM THE PORTS
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• MASS. GOVERNOR ORDERS THE
UNLOADING OF THE TEA SHIPS
• DEC. 16, 17731773- “INDIANS
INDIANS”” DUMP 342
CHESTS OF TEA IN TO THE BOSTON
HARBOR
• WERE THE “INDIANS” TERRORISTS?
WHY OR WHY NOT
• THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• 17741774- PARILIAMENT PASSES THE
“INTOLERABLE ACTS”
• NEW QUARTERING ACT
• CLOSED BOSTON HARBOR UNTIL
DAMAGES PAID
• BRITISH OFFICIALS WHO KILL
COLONISTS WOULD HAVE THEIR TRAIL
IN ENGLAND
QUEBEC ACT
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
FOR 60,000 FRENCH
NO ELECTED
ASSEMBLIES
NO TRIAL BY JURY
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS —
SEPT. 55-OCT. 26 1774 IN PHILADELPHIA
• 12 OF THE 13 COLONIES
• Key Quote: “The distinctions between
Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers and
new Englanders are no more. I am not a
Virginian, but an American.” Patrick Henry
2 different perspectives in Congress
• The moderates (majority)
– Joseph Galloway and John Dickinson (PA)
– John Jay and Philip Livingston (NY)
– This is just another tax crisis: solve it so as to strengthen
our ties with Britain
• The radicals (minority)
– Samuel and John Adams (MA), Charles Thomson (PA),
Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, George Washington
(VA)
– The ultimate political solution is independence
Declarations and Resolves of the
First Continental Congress
• Declaration of rights
– 1: That “they are entitled to life, liberty, and
property, and they have never ceded to any
sovereign power whatever, a right to dispose
of either without their consent.”
• They have found many infringements and
violations in various acts of Parliament
• Resolved: “the repeal of them is essentially”
necessary
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
ADJOURNS TO MEET IN MAY 1775
• PARLIAMENTS IGNORES REQUESTS
• APRIL 1775 BRITISH TROOPS MARCH ON
LEXINGTON AND CONCORD
• AT LEXINGTONLEXINGTON-UNKNOWN SHOT
STARTS SKIRMISHSKIRMISH- 8 AMERICANS DEAD
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• BRITISH TROOPS RETREAT FROM
CONCORD
• AMERICANS “CHEAT”-“CHEAT”--FIGHT
FIGHT GUERRILLA
STYLE
• 70 BRITISH DEAD—
DEAD—230 WOUNDED.
• THE WAR HAS STARTED
Thomas Paine:
Common Sense
Paine background
Paine quotes 1
Paine quotes 2
Rockin Paine
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
• USE YOUR NOTES AND MAKE A TIMELINE OF
THE EVENTS FROM THE FRENCH AND
INDIAN WAR TO THE BATTLES OF
LEXINGTON AND CONCORD
SHOULD THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WR BE
CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MAJOR CAUSES
OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION? WHY OR
WHY NOT?