Chapter 6 The Road to the Revolution

Essential Question What drove the colonists to declare

independence from Great Britain?

Section 1Tighter British Control

The Colonies and Britain Grow Apart King George II – British monarch Issued Proclamation of 1763: British

Proclamation that forbade the colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.

colonists who hoped to speculate or buy western land became angry.

King decided to keep 10,000 soldiers in the colonies to enforce proclamation “ Housing was very expensive.

Passed the Quartering Acts- Colonists had to house soldiers.

New laws were used to control and restrict freedom of colonists

Parliament Taxes the Colonists

Had debt from French and Indian War Also had to pay the soldiers

Taxed colonists for▪ Frontier defense▪Colonial government

Sugar Act- (1765) placed a tax on sugar, molasses, and other products shipped to colonies.

Stamp Act- (1766) required all legal and commercial documents to carry an official stamp showing that the tax has been paid.

Such as: wills, contracts, newspapers, diplomas

Colonists Defy Parliment

Battle Cry of Colonists “No Taxation without Representation”

Patrick Henry- member of House of Burgesses. He demanded resistance. Some said that this was treason.

Colonist Organize 1765 delegates from 9 colonies formed

the Stamp Act Congress. They drafted a petition to the King

protesting the Stamp Act

Sons of Liberty: Secret Society that opposed British

Colonists Threaten British Profits Boycott- Widespread refusal to buy

British Goods Refused to buy British Goods hoped

to hurt merchants and merchants would go to Parliament to get Stamp Act repealed.

The Boycott worked and the Stamp Act was repealed.

At the same time, the Stamp Act was repealed, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act- It stated that Parliament had supreme authority over colonists.

Section 2

Crispus Attacks- sailor of African American and Native American ancestry who died at the Boston Massacre.

Tension spread throughout colonies over Great Britain.

Tightening British Control

How to control unruly colonists without taxing them.

Declaratory Act- Gave Parliament right to legislate for the colonies

Colonists did not feel threatened by the Declaratory Act

Colonists ignored the act and went on about their normal lives

Since the Stamp Act was gone, Britain still needed to raise money.

Charles Townshend – Finance ministers of Great Britain raise revenue in America.

1767- Townshend Acts- placed duties on numerous imports to the colonies such as: Glass Paper Paint Lead tea

Writs of Assistance: search warrants – to enter homes and businesses to search for smuggled or illegal goods

Passes laws without consent of colonists

Colonist Protest Boston merchants organized boycott

“colonies all united”

Political Activism Spreads

Daughters of Liberty: women who organized against Great Britain. They sewed their own clothes, so they would not have to buy from Britain.

Samuel Adams: Leader of the Sons of Liberty

Boston Massacre Boston Massacre: Fall of 1768 1000 additional soldiers arrived in Boston

under command of General Thomas Gage. Group of colonists were verbally attacking

red coats. The crowd grew and the soldiers feared for their lives. Five people were killed.

Boston colonists were outraged. Flooded Colonists with Anti-British

Propaganda; newspapers, pamphlets, and Political posters.

John Adams Lawyer defended the soldiers in court He sided with the colonists but believed

that everyone was entitled to a fair trial. He said soldiers acted in self defense. They were acquitted .

Economic Interference

1770-repealed Townshend Act- Colonial Boycott worked.

Kept the tea tax- to show colonist still had some rights

Tea increase anger Colonists were smuggling tea from

Holland. British tea companies lost money in

America and tea went unsold and rotted in ports.

East India Company: Exclusive right to sell tea to the colonies

Committees of correspondence – Communicate with their neighboring towns and colonial leaders.

The Boston Tea Party

December 16, 1773 A group of men disguised as Native

Americans boarded three tea ships that were docked in Boston Harbor.

They destroyed 342 chests of tea to protest the tea act.

Colonial leaders would pay for tea if Britain repealed Tea Act. Britain ruled out compromise. Pushed Colonists to open rebellion.

Section 3 The Road to Lexington and Concord

Captain Parker – Militia – Force of armed civilians pledged to defend their community.

1/3 of militia were minutemen: colonists ready to fight within minutes of notice.

Intolerable Acts King George III- was upset by the Boston Tea Party Master them or treat them like aliens – Choose to

Master. 1774 Parliament passed laws to punish

Massachusetts Colony

Coercive Acts

Also called the Intolerable Acts This was a direct attack on the

colonies 1. closed the port of Boston until the tea

was paid for 2. banned town meetings 3. replaced elected council with an

appointed one 4. increased Governor’s power over the

colonists 5. protected British officials accused of

crimes being tried by colonists

Allowed British officers to house troops in private dwellings

Appointed Gage governor of Massachusetts

Intolerable Acts: other colonies helped support of Massachusetts.

First Continental Congress

Met in Philly (1774) Voted to ban all trade with Britain

until intolerable acts was repealed Started training troops Not ready for independence but

wanted to keep rights. Didn’t repeal intolerable acts- Just

made More restrictions Sent more troops to colonies

Forced unelected official to resign. Provincial Congress with power to collect

taxes and raise money for own army.

John Hancock: Committee of Safety- Call of Militia.

Patrick Henry: Give me Liberty, or give me death. Thought fight would be short with Britain-show

of Force. British Parliament would change policies.

Revolution Begins

Spies Samuel Adams: Had information

network of British activities. General Gage- Had information about

militia storing supplies and ammunition in Concord.

In 1775 – Gage ordered troops to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock and destroy supplies

Sons of Liberty were ready sent Paul Revere (The Midnight Ride) and William Dawes

Harbor of Charleston : One lantern by land Two by water. In the Old North Church In Lexington Joined by Dr. Samuel Prescott

continued when British patrol stopped Dawes and Revere

700 British troops were in Lexington Capitan john Parker – 70 militia men

waiting Nearly 4000 minutemen and milita men

arrived and peppered retreating redcoats

Lexington and Concord -1st battle Ralph Waldo Emerson- “Shot heard

around The World” Americans have to choose sides and

back up political beliefs Loyalists- Tory- supported British Patriots- Rebels- supported

Americans

Section 4

Declaring Independence Margaret Gage- has suspicion she let the

secret out of the bag for the colonist. She was torn between England and

America

The Siege of Boston

British Troops retreated to Boston – over 15,000 militiamen surround Boston

Boston was under seige – encircled by military forces determined to force the British to surrender.

The Continental Army is Formed

Boston was not easily attacked because they were surrounded by water.

They wanted to capture British fort to north.

Fort Ticonderoga – on Lake Champlain

Ethan Allen- led a band backwoods fighters called Green Mountain Boys

Captured the Fort – Large Artillary or Cannon

Agreed on Continental Army- George Washington – Commanding General

Second Continental Congress- meet in Philadelphia This was America’s government during

war Agreed on Continental Army- George

Washington –Commanding General.

Battle of Bunker Hill

Charleston – Militiamen positioned on Bunker Hill and Breeds Hill

General William Howe British 2,200 soldiers Colonial William Prescott- As British

climbed the Breeds Hill “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their

eyes” Forced the militia off the hill Redcoats won Battle of Bunker Hill 1,000

killed or wounded

The Olive Branch Petition

Sent the petition to London- wanted Harmony between colonies and England. (Most people were against ) Rejected the King

England navy blocked the ports Hire German soldiers to fight Washington knew under trained and

poorly equiped

Washington Arrives

Washington – Gain supplies and train troops

Bold Plan Invade Quebec- Hoped to draw

Canadians into the patriots cause one of the leaders Benedict Arnold – officer played a role Fort Ticonderoga

Americans were defeated after several months

British lay trapped in town – Boston crossed the Bay thousands of America troops waited on the Hills

Cannons were being hauled from Fort Ticonderoga

Positioned the cannons on Dorchester Heights over looking Boston

Withdrew Troops General Howe (British General) over

7,000 loaded on ships would never return.

Pamphlet called “Common Sense” Thomas Paine (Political Radical) Convinced Americans it is time to fight for independence.

Declaration of Independence- Ben Franklin John Adams Roger Sherman Robert Livingston Thomas Jefferson- Composed the declaration

Thomas Jefferson

Excellent Writer From Virginia Had to have Virginia Support for

Independence to go through July 4, 1776 – Declaration adopted –

John Hancock- President of Congress