Today’s Topics
• American Revolution
•
•
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
https://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/bill-of-rights/
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Problems
• Debt
• Smuggling
– Writs of Assistance
• Colonial legislatures
• Taxation
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King George
III
1760-1820
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• Quartering Act
• Proclamation Act of 1763
• The Sugar Act 1764 (Molasses Act)
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• Stamp Act 1765
– Internal tax on all legal documents.
– Argument over virtual representation versus direct
representation
– British Govt. had not taxed colonies on internal
products in the past.
– Parliament did not have the right to tax the colonies
•
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AlC24AmMh0
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• Whig Ideology in America
– Citizens have the right to revolt if the government
is infringing on people’s rights
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• Colonial Response to Stamp Act 1765
– Loyal 9
• Put pressure on stamp distributors
– Sons of Liberty
• Protect private property
– Stamp Act Congress (NY)
• Deny Parliament right to tax
• Boycott
• Act repealed
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• Declaratory Act 1766
– Parliament has right to pass any law for the
colonies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYAFVDc49tA
• Townshend Revenue Act 1767
– New taxes on imported items
– Non-importation movements: Women’s role
– Act repealed
–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-SwXEifHHo
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Boston Massacre
Boston Massacre 1770
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O05rNWygHF4
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Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
• Tea Act 1773
– A tax to save the British East Indian Company
– Stop smuggling
• Boston Tea Party 1773
– Group dumped tea
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–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-SwXEifHHo
1-20
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Coercive Acts or Intolerable Acts
1774
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•
•
•
•
Boston Port Bill
Administration of Justice Act
Massachusetts Government Act
Quartering Act
Quebec Act
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–1774 First Continental Congress
• Suffolk Resolutions
–Repeal of the intolerable acts
–Reject declaratory act
–Enforce a boycott
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–Battles of Lexington and Concord
• First battles of American Revolution
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Thomas Jefferson 1743-1826
• Virginia gentry
• Man of contradictions
• Influence by John Locke
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• Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
– anti-British propaganda
–Calls for independence
– Links independence with a sense of
religious mission
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