During the 1760s, why did the British government develop a new colonial policy? Why were colonists inclined to oppose the new policy? How did the new policy and the colonial reaction to it lead to the Revolution? Why did colonists divide into Patriots, Loyalists, and moderates?

American Revolution

p. 103-105 The Great War for the Empirep. 106-107 Burdens of Empirep. 107-108 The British and the Tribesp. 108-111 The Colonial Responsep. 111-119 Stirrings of Revoltp. 126-127 Defining American War Aimsp. 127 The Decision for Independence

American Revolution

I. Reasons for a new colonial policy

A. Vast empire to administer requiring more revenue• Size: 7 Years War and Treaty of

1763• Problems: Pontiac and Indian

resistanceB.

Mercantilism and Navigation

Acts versus the French

How was mercantilism used

to justify the existence of England’s American colonies?

How did the Navigation Acts affect

colonial trade?

Navigation Acts leads to duties on

colonies

Sugar Act 1733: designed to create revenue following French/Indian War;

only creates tension

Sugar Act 1764: designed specifically

to STOP colonies from trading with foreign countries

(not revenue based) (mainly France and

Spain

American Revolution

II. Reasons for colonial

distrust

A. Colonists had liked the way the imperial system worked• 1. It worked like federalism• 2. Tradition of how the

system had worked – the British unwritten constitution

B. Country opposition thought• 1. Power corrupts – continuous

growth of wealth and power at the center

• 2. Conspiracy at the center to take from the country

C. Colonial indebtedness

American Revolution

III. British policy

A. Regulation• 1. Proclamation

Line• 2. Sugar Act• 3. Tea Act

B. Revenue• 1. External taxes:

Sugar Act, Townshend Duties

• 2. Internal Tax: Stamp Act C. Law

• 1. Admirality Law• 2. Coercive Acts• 3. Quebec Act

American Revolution

IV. Colonial reaction

escalates

A. Resolutions and petitions•1. Patrick Henry’s Virginia Resolution vs. the Stamp Act

•2. Stamp Act Congress Resolutions

•3. Continental Congress, Resolutions vs. the Coercive Acts

B. Action taken in resistance•1. Smuggling•2. Boycotts (non-importation)

•3. Sons of Liberty

C. Pamphlets, propaganda•John Dickinson, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania

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V. Division among the colonists

A. Patriots

B. Loyalist

sC. Moderates

American Revolution

VI. Rebellion or War of

Independence

A. George III’ s Declaration of

Rebellion

B. Patriots chose independence• Thomas Paine,

Common Sense• 2. Congress votes

for independence• 3. Declaration of

Independence

During the 1760s, why did the British government develop a new colonial policy? Why were colonists inclined to oppose the new policy? How did the new policy and the colonial reaction to it lead to the Revolution? Why did colonists divide into Patriots, Loyalists, and moderates?

American Revolution

French and Indian War – a timeline1754 – 1763

1754 – Fort Necessity (British) lost to French and Indian forces; Col. George Washington’s first defeat in battle (attack on French Fort Duquesne)1755 – Gen. Edward Braddock, KIA trying to retake Fort Necessity1755 – colonial forces defend against Indian attacks along the Ohio Valley; 1756 – France and England declare war on each other in Europe1757 – William Pitt takes over war effort in colonies; forced service (impressment); farmers supplies seized, British troops quartered in colonialhomes with no compensation; violent protest by colonials (NY)1758 – Pitt relaxes many of the policies; return war effort to colonial control;Enlistments increase dramatically; Fort Duquesne falls to British regulars1759 – Battle of Quebec; Gen. James Wolfe finds an unknown trail to takethe “impregnable” fort1760 – fighting ends; atrocities carried out against natives; French/Indiansretaliate1763 – Treaty signed

(movie reference: Last of the Mohicans; parts of The Patriot)

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1763 Treaty of Paris signedColonists see newly acquired land as ripe for the takingNative Americans (in general) ie. Ottawa tribe, led by Chief Pontiac, sees differentlyEncroaching settlers attackedTo keep the peace Parliament passes the Proclamation of 1763: designed to keep settlers from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains; it only angers the colonists.Benefits to Proclamation (in Britain’s eyes):1. London controls western movement, not

colonies2. Slowers western settlement means

slower eastern population decline which means larger population for workforce in coastal industries

Native Americans not happy with Proclamation - - really? Cannot imagine why…

1768 a new agreement is reached because London cannot keep colonists from moving west, but this time they promised the western boundary of the colonies would not change…

(La La La, whatever…)

IMPERIAL SYSTEM WORKS LIKE FEDERALISM

The conflict/tension over the Navigation Acts and various duties attracted more public attention than any other 18th century affair

(Anglo)American were accustomed to broad powers of self-government Keys to self-government:

Provincial assemblies Colonial right to give or withhold power to those assemblies

Parliamentary actions such as overriding provincial assemblies, raising taxes on the public, providing salaries to royal officials in America were all attempts (in the colonists eyes) to control colonial political power Home rule was not something new the colonists were trying to

obtain, rather is was something old and familiar which they desired to keep!

Resistance of British policies was a movement to conserve liberties Americans believed they already possessed

DEBT Officials in England had contempt for the colonies

The believed the colonies did little to help themselves financially in the war; a war that was fought to preserve the colonies

Not only were colonists unwilling to pay taxes to England, they were unwilling to even tax themselves

Pressure in England from landlords and merchants about the ever rising taxes on already high rates They argued the colonies should be paying more in taxes

Stationing of more troops in the colonies to prevent indian attacks raise additional gov’t. spending

England sees a system of taxation as the only alternative to force the colonies to raise the revenue paid to England

PROCLAMATION LINE (1763Established a line east of the Appalachian Mountains as a boundary in which no colonist could crossThe Crown stated it was for the colonist’s protection from native AmericanThe colonists felt as if the King (George III) was trying to keep them confined

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KING GEORGE III•Assumed the throne in 1760 at age 22•Changed the monarchy – active and responsible•Removed the Whig coalition (those who managed the colonies since their establishment)

• Replaced them with people he bribed and gave patronage to

• Allowed him to gain control of Parliament

•Psychological and intellectual limitations

• “bouts of insanity”

• Confined to the castle

• “painfully” immature•Appointed George Greenville to Prime Minister

• Does not share American point of view (with William Pitt)

• Colonists should be “compelled” to obey laws and pay a part of the cost of defending the colonies

• Instantly began imposing a new system of control on the colonies

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SUGAR ACT An amendment to the Sugar (and

Molasses) Act of 1733 Lowered rate of tax on molasses Increased the number of goods that will

be taxed, including sugar Enforcement of this tax drastically

reduced the rum business, limited colonial trade partners and reduced the amount of English currency with which the colonies needed to purchase English manufactured goods

TEA ACT 1773 England had thought this act would be the least

controversial but rather it inflamed the revolutionary spirit of “no taxation without representation”

Act was not designed to raise money to pay the existing debt from the war; was designed to keep a failing company afloat (British East India Company)

18 million pounds of unsold tea; cannot sell it in England (no market demand)

Parliament gave special exemption to the Company to export the tea to the colonies and pay no navigation taxes (today, we call those tax breaks for government sponsored businesses)

Allowed the Company to undersell American tea merchants

The Company granted franchises to specific colonial merchants to sell their tea which resulted in resentment among businessmen

TEA ACT, CON’T. England hoped that the act would gain

support as it lowered the price of tea The Act only increased resentment as

the colonists saw this as yet another way in which parliament was using unconstitutional means to control the colonies

Resulted in the largest boycott of the colonies; connected the colonies in a commonly shared experience; women become leaders of the boycott as they were the largest consumers of tea in the colonies

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TAR AND FEATHERIn a typical tar-and-feathers attack, the subject of a crowd's anger was stripped to his waist. Hot tar was either poured or painted onto the person while he was immobilized. Then the victim either had feathers thrown on him or was rolled around on a pile of feathers so that they stuck to the tar. Often the victim was then paraded around town on a cart or wooden rail. The aim was to inflict enough pain and humiliation on a person to make him either reform his behavior or leave town. The practice was never an official punishment in the United States, but rather a form of vigilante justice.

EXTERNAL TAXES:EX: SUGAR ACT, TOWNSEND DUTIES

Taxes levied on all goods coming into (the colonies)SugarMolassesForeign goods (glass, paper, paint, lead,

tea) Although they (colonists) had no say in

how the tax revenue was spent, they generally considered Parliament had the right to levy this tax

INTERNAL TAXES:EX: STAMP ACT Taxes levied on all good produced within

(the colonies)NewspapersOfficial documents (death notices, court

papers)Other goods and servicesFor the purpose of raising revenue

Colonists had no say in how this money (tax revenue) was spent, as they had no “representation” in ParliamentThis causes the thought that the right to tax

the colonies should rest with the colonies

ADMIRALTY LAW A distinct body of law which governs

maritime questions and offensesAlso covers many commercial activities

which could be land based or wholly occurring on land that are “maritime” in nature

No trial by jury in these courts Given jurisdiction (by Parliament) over

cases as they arose, as with the Stamp ActNo colonial trial jury would find a colonist

guilty of violating the Stamp Act, therefore Parliament changed the jurisdiction…

COERCIVE ACTS A.K.A. “INTOLERABLE ACTS” Applied only against Massachusetts

Center of resistance movementResulted from the Boston Tea Party

1. closed the port of Boston (until East India Tea was paid for)

2. Reduced power of self-government in the colony

3. Allowed for royal officers to be tried in other colonies or England when accused of crimes

4. Quarter of English troops mandatory

AND IF THAT WASN’T ENOUGH… Parliament follows up with the Quebec

Act:Objective was to provide a civil government

for French-Speaking Roman Catholic inhabitants of Canada and the Illinois territory

Granted political rights to Roman Catholics Recognized the legality of the Roman

Catholic church Long overdue toleration for this practice the

colonies Worried colonists of an attempt to impose

Anglican rule over all religious sects Convinced some that a plot existed in London to

subject the colonies to the tyranny of the Pope

PATRICK HENRY: VIRGINIA RESOLUTIONS VS. THE STAMP ACT “if this be treason, make the most of it”Resolved:1. Americans posfeff the same rightf as English,

efcpecially in matters of taxation by their own representativef

2. Virginians should pay no taxef except those voted on by the Virginia Asfembly

3. Anyone advocating the right of Parliament to tax the colony is deemed an enemy to the colony

House of Burgess votes down the most extreme resolutions

Gives the appearance that Virginia was more militant than it actually was

STAMP ACT CONGRESS RESOLUTIONS New York Delegates from nine colonies Petition the King

Acceptance of colonial subordination to the King

(but) claim taxation should be carried out only through the colonial assemblies

CONTINENTAL CONGRESSRESOLUTIONS VS. THE COERCIVE ACTS

Acts based in MA. but menaced all colonies Congress settles on five decisions:

1. Rejected a plan for colonial union (similar to the Albany Plan of Union)

2. Called for a repeal of all oppressive legislation on the colonies since 1763 (but still recognized the right of Parliament to rule the colonies)

3. Colonies should make military preparations against possible British attack (in Boston)

4. Complete boycott of all British goods (hence the reason for military preparedness!!)

5. Established a time and date for a second meeting indicating they considered the Continental Congress to be a continuous organization

BOYCOTTS A protest unlike any other in the

colonies Involved large segments of the

population Helped link the colonies in a common

experienceBrought the colonies together which was

vital in the success of the (eventual) war Women were particularly important

Largest consumers of tea (“is that a fat joke?”)

Mercy Otis Warren – writer of dissident literature/satirical plays

SONS OF LIBERTYAND DAUGHTERS OF LIBERTY

Vigilante group largest group existed in Boston (Sam

Adams) Encouraged/enforced boycotts and

other forms or resistance Daughters of Liberty

Women’s form of male group“rather than freedom, we will part with our

tea”

LOYALISTS Office holders in the English gov’t. Merchants (business tied to the imperial

system) Colonists who lived in isolation Cultural and ethnic minorities – new

colonial gov’t. might not provide sufficient protections

Colonists who feared social instability Colonists who hoped to gain favor by

staying loyal (in the event of an English win)

MODERATES Probably suffered the worst (rock - *moderates* - hard place) They did not pick a side and as a result

were persecuted by both Patriots and Loyalists

GEORGE III’S DECLARATION Ordered all subjects of the crown as

loyal British citizens to use everything in their power to suppress the rebellion and to give knowledge of anyone involved in the rebellion against the crown

THOMAS PAINE, COMMON SENSE Wanted to expose the folly of the hope

of reconciliation with England Wanted to focus American anger away

from taxes and acts of Parliament and more toward the entire English constitution

Wanted Americans to blame the King not Parliament or ministers

It was simple “common sense” for Americans to break from such a corrupt government“these are the times that try men’s souls”

CONGRESS VOTES FOR INDEPENDENCE Continental Congress was moving slowly

toward a final break with England Entered into contracts with foreign

countries (violation of Navigation Acts) Opened up ports to ships of all foreign

countries (again, violation) Encouraged all colonies to establish

government bodies independent from the British empire (most had already done this)

Appointed a committee to draft a declaration of independence

JOHN DICKINSON: LETTERS FROM A FARMER IN PENNSYLVANNIA:LETTER 2 1. What are Dickinson’s views on the

relationship between the colonies and Great Britain?

2. Why did the colonists view the Stamp Act as unconstitutional?

3. What was the purpose of all acts passed by Parliament (regarding the colonies) prior to the Stamp Act?

4. What is the overall issue with the Townsend Duties?

5. What will be the full (and intended) outcome if the Townsend Duties are allowed to remain unopposed?

1. What is the objection given to Dickinson’s letter #2?

2. What is Dickinson’s reply to the “internal” and “external” debate?

3. What is the reason Dickinson gives for the opposition to the Townsend Duties (as in the Stamp Act)?

JOHN DICKINSON: LETTERS FROM A FARMER IN PENNSYLVANNIA:LETTER 4

1. There is a message in Letter 6. This message was for the colonies in 1770. That message has truth in it for all the generations since then. See if you can pick it out…

JOHN DICKINSON: LETTERS FROM A FARMER IN PENNSYLVANNIA:LETTER 6

1. What is the overwhelming message in Letter 7?

2. Outline the steps Dickinson says are necessary for liberty to be preserved.

(Letter 12)

JOHN DICKINSON: LETTERS FROM A FARMER IN PENNSYLVANNIA:LETTER 7 AND 12