THE SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE 1763-1776

CHAPTER 5 SECTION 1TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATIONTHE SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE1763-1776TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATIONMAIN IDEA:AFTER THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR, GREAT BRITIAN PASSED LAWS TO PROTECT BRITISH INTERESTS IN THE COLONIES.

HISTORY AND YOUHOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN SOMONE TREATS YOU UNFAIRLY? YOU WILL LEARN HOW THE COLONIST FELT ABOUT BRITISH LAWS THAT IMPACTED THEM.

CONTENT VOCABULARYREVENUE- incoming money $WRITS OF ASSISTANCE-legal document that enabled officers to search homes and warehouses for goods that may be smuggledRESOULATION- a formal expression of an opinionBOYCOTT- to refuse to buy items from a particular countryREPEAL-to cancel an act or lawNONIMPORTATION- the act of not importing or using certain goodsEFFIGY-rag figure representing an unpopular figureACADEMIC VOCABULARYPROHIBIT- stop; disallow

VIOLATE- disturb or disregard

RELATIONS WITH BRITIANWith victory in the French & Indian War, the British gained control of a vast territory in North America.

With the Proclamation of 1763, the British government set up new provinces & prohibited, or prevented, colonists from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains.

RELATIONS WITH BRITIANLimiting western settlement provided several advantages for Britain:Allowed British government to control westward movement & avoid conflict with Native AmericansKeeping colonists on the east coast made a market for British goodsTrade flourishedAllowed Britain to control the fur trade

Britain planned to station 10,000 troops in the colonies to protect these interests.

RELATIONS WITH BRITIANBritain planned to station 10,000 troops in the colonies to protect these interests.

Britain needed new revenue, or incoming money, to pay for troop expenses.

Britain also had debt from the French and Indian War.

The King and Parliament thought that the colonists should pay part of the cost and issued new taxes on colonies and began to enforce existing taxes more strictly.

Britains Trade LawsIn 1763- George Grenville, Prime Minister of Britain decided to act against smuggling.

Colonists smuggled goods to avoid taxes and Britain lost revenue or money.American juries often found smugglers innocent because they did not like the taxes.In 1767 Parliament authorized Writs of Assistance which allowed customs to enter any location to search for smuggled goods.

The Sugar ActIn 1763 Parliament passed the Sugar Act, which lowered taxes on imported molasses. They hoped the lower tax would convince colonists to pay the tax instead of smuggle.

It also allowed officers to seize good from smugglers without going to court.

The Colonists were angered by the Sugar Act and new laws.

The Sugar ActColonist believed that the Sugar Act and Writs of Assistance violated, or interfered with, their rights as English citizens.They could not be secure in their own homes.Writs of Assistance violated their right to a jury trail.Also in vice-admiralty courts, defendants had to prove their innocence.This went against the British law stating Innocent until proven guilty.

New TaxesMain Idea:As the British government passed new tax laws, resistance by the colonists grew.

History and You:Suppose everyone in your community refused to buy from a certain store. How would this decision affect the store? Read to learn how boycotts by the colonists affected British merchants.

Stamp ActIn 1765 Parliament passed the Stamp Act.This new law placed a tax on almost all printed materials including newspapers, wills and playing cards. All printed material had to have a stamp on it.

Opposition to the Stamp Tax centered on two points.Parliament had interfered in colonist affairs by taxing them directly.2. It taxed colonists without their permission.

Protesting the Stamp ActVirginia:Patrick Henry,, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, persuaded the Virginia assembly to pass a resolution- a formal and written expression of opinion-declaring it had the only and sole exclusive right and power to lay taxes on its citizens.Boston:Sam Adams helped to organize the Sons of Liberty vs. the Stamp Act. (people in other cities organized the same)Sons of Liberty burned effigies-rag dolls- representing tax collectors and destroyed houses belonging to royal officials.

Protesting the Stamp ActPetitions were drafted declaring that colonies could not be taxed except by their own assemblies.

In colonial cities, people refused to use stamps. They urged merchants to boycott-refuse to buy-British and European goods in protest.Thousands of merchants signed non-importation agreements-pledges to not buy or use good imported from Britain.

Protesting the Stamp ActAs the boycott spread, British merchants lost so much business that they begged Parliament to repeal, or cancel, the Stamp Act.In 1766, Parliament repealed the law, however, the same day it passed a law that stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions for the British colonies in all cases.

The Townshend ActsThe 1767 Parliament passed a set of laws that came to be known as the Townshend Acts.

This act added new taxes that would apply only to imported goods such as glass, tea, and paper with the tax being paid at the port when entering.

ANY British tax angered colonists. They organized another boycott to buy only goods made at home rather than British goods.Reading ChecksCheck # 1

Why did George Grenville want smugglers sent to vice-admiralty courts?

Check # 2

How did the Sons of Liberty attempt to influence British policy?

Reading ChecksANSWERSCheck # 1American juries often found smugglers innocent. Vice-admiralty courts were run by officers and did not have juries.

Check # 2 The Sons of Liberty tried to frighten tax collectors and royal officials into not collecting the taxes and enforcing the law. They burned effigies that represented tax collectors and destroyed the house of royal officials.