The Road to Revolution, 1763-1775. How did the various English colonists come to see themselves as “Americans”?

The Road to Revolution,

1763-1775

How did the various English colonists come to see themselves as

“Americans”?

English : Colonials1700 - 20:1 1775 - 3:1

1775 • 2.5 million people in 13 colonies• 90% pop. is rural• VA, MA, PA, NC, MD are most populous• 6% are Germans• 7% Scots-Irish• 20% African• ???? Native American• Middle Colonies most multi-ethnic

Stamp Act protestA Boston crowd burns bundles of the special watermarked paper intended for use as stamps. (Library of Congress)

Stamp Act protest

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

• Sugar Act of 1764 – control trade b/w colonies and West Indies (threatened to increase price of Rum!)

• Stamp Act of 1765 A DIRECT TAX

Quartering Act of 1765 – troops from Fr&Ind War• Townsend Acts of 1767- INDIRECT duty tax, esp.on tea• March 5, 1770 – “Boston Massacre”

– John Adams Role / result

• “Intolerable Acts” of 1774 – targeted Boston (4,000 troops return to Boston

• April 1775, Lexington and Concord

Impending Storm

Growing Conflict

STAMP ACT

SUGAR ACT

NOTEWORTHY:

The Townshend Act only collected £259 for the Crown, while it cost the

Crown £170,000 to enforce it.

Britain suspended all the taxes, except for the tax on tea.

Boston MassacreShortly after this incident, one Bostonian observed that "unless there is some great alteration in the state of things, the era of the independence of the colonies is much nearer than I once thought it, or now wish it." (Library of Congress)

Boston Massacre


Colonial Resistance

• Stamp Act Congress of 1765 – attempt at colonial unity– Sons of Liberty (Sam Adams)

• 1772 – Sam Adams forms first Committee of Correspondence

• “non-importation” and “tar and feathers”• Dec. 16, 1773 – Boston Tea Party• Continental Congress called in 1774-complete boycott• April 1775 Colonial Militia fight at Lexington & Concord

Boston Tea PartyIn this 1775 drawing of the Boston Tea Party, bare-chested Americans, their hair pulled back Indian-fashion, pour tea into the harbor. The British lion appears as the figurehead of the tea ship, in case the true object of the protest was in doubt. The artist also added a large crowd of colonists content to watch rather than do anything to prevent this destruction of private property. (Library of Congress)

Boston Tea Party


The Alternative of Williamsburg by Philip Dawe, 1775In this cartoon, drawn by Philip Dawe in 1775, armed patriots in Williamsburg, Virginia, obtain a merchant's written agreement not to import British goods. The "alternative" is the containers of tar and feathers hanging in the background. (Library of Congress )

The Alternative of Williamsburg by Philip Dawe, 1775


A View of the Town of Concord, 1775In 1775 an unknown artist painted the redcoats entering Concord. The fighting at North Bridge, which occurred just a few hours after this triumphal entry, signaled the start of open warfare between Britain and the colonies. (Courtesy of Concord Museum, Concord, Massachusetts)

A View of the Town of Concord, 1775


Advantage? Disadvantage?p108

GREAT BRITAIN• Pop. of 7.5 million• Prof. Army of 50,000• Hessian mercenaries• Royal treasury• Royal navy • Divided parliament• Long lines of supply• Poor generalship• More cannon, arms, &powder• Many Colonials remain loyal• Emancipated slaves join GB

COLONIALS• Pop. Of 2.5 million• Small, untrained militia• No centralized govt.• No treasury• No navy• Angry France, Irish problem for

GB• Defending homes• Washington, Franklin• Few armories, little powder

Map: The War in the North

The War in the NorthThe early phase of the Revolutionary War was dominated by British troop movements in the Boston area, the redcoats' evacuation to Nova Scotia in the spring of 1776, and the subsequent British invasion of New York and New Jersey. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

How did the various English colonists come to see themselves as

“Americans”?Stamp act Congress (Oct 1765)

Non Importation (boycotts, tar and feather)1767Committees of Correspondence (1773)First Continental Congress (Sept 1774)

Second Continental Congress (May 1775)

Documents

The Road to Revolution, 1763-1775. How did the various English colonists come to see themselves as “Americans”?