Road to the American Revolution

The French and Indian War The French & the English

both wanted control of the Ohio River Valley. The river lead to Quebec, the Mississippi River, New Orleans (controlled by France), the Louisiana Territory, & was needed for the fur trade

This is known as Anglo-French imperial competition

Anglo= English imperial= Empire

building, as the forceful extension of a nation's authority by territorial conquest establishing economic & political domination of other nations

Anglo-French Competition

Most of the fighting took place in Europe and is known as the 7 Years War

In the 1740’s fighting began in the colonies over the Ohio River Valley territory

Governor of New France built forts along the Ohio River to block English settlement

Ben Franklin came up with the Albany Plan of Union – to unite the colonies against the French

Native Americans become Allies with the French

French & Native Americans fight the English & the colonists. Spain would enter on the French side later

Native Americans see this as a way to gain land back from the English

George Washington emerged as a heroic leader during the war; fighting alongside the British

Ben Franklin draws a political cartoon entitled Join or Die – urging the colonies to unite

The British Triumph The British fleet

sailed up the St. Lawrence River & attacked Quebec

British won the Battle of Quebec in 1759 and it became the turning point in the war

The Treaty of Paris 1763; ended the French & Indian War

Eliminated French power in North Am.

The British gained control over Quebec (New France)

Spain had to give up Florida – but received control over New Orleans & the Louisiana Territory (but not for long ) as compensation for losing Florida

The groundwork is being laid for the American Revolution

WHY? Colonists become more united British & the colonists changed

their opinions of each other during the course of the French & Indian War

Colonists begin to regard the British as weak and disrespectful

Colonists saw themselves as more American than British

Proclamation of 1763 Setters were moving

into Chief Pontiac's territory

British officials did not want the cost of another war or to disrupt trade

King George III drew a line running west of the Appalachian Mountains and declared colonists could not settle that land

Settlers/farmers were enraged and went anyway

Britain Had to Pay for the French and Indian War New taxes were passed British custom agents

were collecting very little money

Merchants were smuggling goods without paying customs duties – taxes on imports and exports

Those accused of smuggling did not have the rights of other British subjects like a speedy trail, jury trial & agents did not have warrants- NO DUE PROCESS OF LAW all British citizens were supposed to have these rights & colonists were British citizens

The Stamp Act Crisis

To raise money Passed by Parliament (the British

legislature) in March of 1765 Tax placed on printed materials

such as paper, pamphlets, wills, posters, mortgages, playing cards & diplomas

This was the first direct tax on the colonies

Virginia House of Burgesses came out against the tax, a huge debate began in newspapers and around the colonies

The Stamp Act Congress

9 colonies sent representatives As British citizens they were being denied

their right for representation in Parliament “No taxation without representation” Colonists ignored the tax Colonists boycotted British goods The tax was repealed (taken back) Parliament passed the Declaratory Acts:

stating that Parliament had the right to make laws for the colonies

Membership grew quickly

Intimidated tax collectors

Organized meetings Demonstrations

Spun their own homegrown cloth

Boycotted British Tea

Promoted American patriotism

Committee of Correspondence

Thomas Jefferson suggested that the colonies create a way to correspond & communicate with one another

Helped unify the colonies & shape public opinion Helped coordinate plans to resist the British

Ideas that Influenced the Revolution

Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense- convinces the colonists to break away from the British. Natural Rights of Life, Liberty and Property – belong to every human being

King George III was tyrant The King seized power from

the people

Enlightenment movement that emphasized science and reason as a way to improve society

1,000 troops were in Boston to maintain control & Were consistently harassed & heckled

A crowd of colonists taunted & threw snowballs at a solider guarding a customs house

The British captain & 7 soldiers came to his aid

They fired in the crowd & when the smoke cleared 5 colonists were killed

Boston Massacre

Boston Tea Party Parliament passed the Tea Act in 1773 to help the British

East India Tea Company to keep from going bankrupt. Portion of the tax was given to the company

British East India Tea Company could sell their tea to the colonies cheaper, plus the company bypassed American merchants

150 people boarded the ship and dumped 342 chests in the Boston Harbor

The King was furious and punished the Boston people by passing the Intolerable Acts. The Boston Port was closed till the tea was paid for,

the citizens had to QUARTER British soldiers, NO more town meetings

Cause Effects1. The British Parliament passed the Proclamation of 1763

1. Colonist resented limits placed on westward expansion

2. Britain had huge debts from protecting the colonists during the French and Indian War

2. In 1764 Parliament passed the Sugar Act to raise more tax money for Britain

3. Britain passed the Stamp Act to raise money; stamp placed on all printed goods

3. Colonists boycotted British goods & claimed no taxation w/out representation

4. British troops occupied Boston & tensions exploded into the Boston Massacre in 1770

4. Committees of Correspondence were formed to coordinate resistance to the British in the colonies

5. Parliament passed the Tea Act 5. Colonists protest by organizing the Boston Tea Party

6. Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts punishing Massachusetts

6. Protest committees elected delegates to the First Continental Congress

5 ACTS of the Revolution

Proclamation Act of 1763

King George drew N-S line closing region west of Appalachians to colonists

Intolerable Acts Punished Mass., closed Boston port, no elected officials

Quartering Act Forced colonists to pay for British troops lodging

Stamp Act Required tax on printed materials, 1st direct tax on colonists

Tea Act Bypassed colonial merchants in tea sales, favored British East India Tea Co.