The American RevolutionThe Colonists Unite

Review

0Parliament decided to repeal the Stamp act in response to the colonists being angry about the tax on paper goods.09000 Soldiers were sent to the colonies

to police the colonists0Many fights broke out0The worst fight the occurred was The

Boston Massacre

Sugar Act01764 Act that put a three-cent tax on foreign sugar

and increased taxes on coffee, indigo, and certain kinds of wine.

0It banned importation of rum and French wines. These taxes affected only a certain part of the population, but the affected merchants were very vocal.

0Besides, the taxes were raised without the consent of the colonists. This was one of the first instances in which colonists wanted a say in how much they were taxed.

Townshend Acts0Once the Stamp act had been repealed (canceled), Parliament decided to evoke some new laws on the colonists.0The Townshend Acts were a series of taxes on

glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea. 0Colonial reaction to these taxes was the same as

to the Sugar Act and Stamp Act 0Britain eventually repealed all the taxes except

the one on tea.

The Boston Tea Party0In 1773 passed a new law that allowed a

British company to sell tea for a very low price to the colonists.0This hurt colonial merchants and they

would still have to pay a tax on the tea0Soon colonists decided to boycott all

British Tea0In PA and NY, ships carrying British tea

were not allowed to enter ports

The Boston Tea Party

0In MA however, the ships’ captains refused to be turned away and the colonists responded in anger.0One late December night in 1773,

British ships carrying tea entered the Boston Harbor. Members of The Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians.

The Sons of Who?0Secret organization of American colonists

formed initially to protest the Stamp Act. The idea found success in many colonies.0After the Stamp Act was repealed a year

after it was passed, the Sons of Liberty broke apart.0But the patriotic spirit and the name

remained. Groups of men, such as the ones who were called sons of liberty.

Anyway, back to the party…

0The Sons of Liberty disguised as Indians boarded the ships0They then proceeded to dump the tea in

to the harbor0As they did so they sang:0“Rally Mohawks! Bring out your axes! And

Tell King George we’ll pay no taxes!”

Uh ohhhh…0Parliament responded by punishing the

Colony of MA0A law was passed stating that no ship

carrying colonial goods could leave Boston Harbor until all of the tea that was destroyed was paid for.0The Royal Navy blocked the harbor0Parliament also ordered the colonists to

quarter British Soldiers (pay for their housing, give them food and a place to sleep)

AND!0Parliament appointed the Head of the British

Army in North America the new Governor of MA. (General Thomas Gage)0“Intolerable Acts!” colonists responded!

0Penelope Baker, a woman in Edenton NC, led a group of 51 women to conduct their own tea party0This is one of the

first political demonstrations by women in the American Colonies

Continental Congress0In Sept. 1774 a meeting of representatives from all

of the colonies (except GA) met in Philadelphia0The members of the Continental Congress decided

to stop all trade with Britain.0Imports would stop immediately and exports

would stop in one year.0The Continental Congress informed Parliament that

they would no longer follow any laws that took away their rights as citizens

0And, if their demands were not met, they would meet again in May of 1775 to decide what to do next.

People of the Revolution

0Paul Revere0Samuel Adams0Patrick Henry0James Otis0John Adams0George Washington0John Hancock0Abigail Adams

0Thomas Pain0Ethan Allen0Mary Draper0Benedict Arnold0Molly Pitcher0Martha Washington0Thomas Jefferson0Betsy Ross

Battle at Lexington and Concord

0By the end of the Continental Congress, members of the colonies militia became Minutemen fighters0They could be ready at a moments notice to

defend MA0The British soldiers also stood ready to

defend themselves if needed

Battle at Lexington and Concord

0The colonial Patriots were storing weapons in the town of Concord near Boston0General Gage heard that John Hancock and

Samuel Adams were staying near by (They were two leaders of the Sons of Liberty)0Gage sent 700 British soldiers to find the

Patriot weapons and arrest Adams and Hancock.

https://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=Paul+Revere&N=18340&N=18341

But…0Paul revere and William Dawes heard

about the raid and went on a midnight ride to warn the two men0On April 19, the British soldiers found

Minutemen of all ages waiting for them0Many were working men, at least 5 Africans,

and several were slaves0Shots were fired and 8 Minutemen were

killed and several wounded

Ha!0The British soldiers marched on

Concord, however the weapons they hoped to find had been moved.0As they marched back to Boston,

Minutemen were hiding in the woods and fields by the road.073 were killed and 174 were wounded.0Of the 4000 Minutemen at Lexington

and Concord, 93 died or were wounded

0And this marked the beginning of the battle for liberty by the colonists!

0A long and bitter battle between the British and the American Colonies has

begun.