8/29/2010. Road to the American Revolution

Transcription

1 Road to the American Revolution 1

2 BASIC CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR Mercantilism and British economic control of the colonies Colonies were to only buy from the mother country. Colonies were to sell only to the mother country. Colonies could not manufacture anything. Distance made it very difficult for the British to rule her colonies. Colonies had had a great deal of freedom in the government. They resented Great Britain s trying to impose control again. Many colonist began to see themselves as Americans rather than British. American nationalism was beginning to develop. Natural Rights Theory Political ideas from Europe influenced the colonists. The natural rights and social contract theories espoused by John Locke was used by Americans to just revolution and go against the divine right of kings. 2

3 Taxation without representation is wrong and illegal. Conflict developed between Great Britain and the colonists over representation. Great Britain used the idea of virtual representation in that all members of Parliament are representatives of the British Empire. Colonists believe in geographic or actual representation where the representatives must represent the area in which they live. Imperial Breakdown At the close of the French and Indian War, English debt 130 million pounds Many Britons conclude that Americans should bear more of the cost of running the Empire. English 1/3 income in taxes, Americans only about 5% The Navigation Acts The Molasses Act of 1733 Stated that no trading could be done with the French and Spanish, particularly in the West Indies. The Iron Act and the Hat Act The Iron Act and the Hat Act stipulated that no goods could be manufactured in the colonies. 3

4 Proclamation line of 1763 Proclaimed that no colonists could settle west of the Appalachians This act angered the Southerners and frontiersmen, it threatened to deprive settlers and speculators of new lands The Currency Act (1764) Prevented the colonists from issuing legal tender paper money. Colonial notes often frequently depreciated to only a fraction of their face value in British money. British merchants who accepted them felt cheated and complained Sugar Act (Revenue Act) 1764 Taxes were to be paid on sugar and the tax was to be strictly enforced. Colonists argued that they could not be taxed without representation in Parliament. 4

5 Quartering Act (1765) Required colonists to provide barracks and certain supplies for the troops stationed in America The presence of troops in peacetime alarmed Americans. Were soldiers there to Coercive them or to protect them? Stamp Act (1765) The purpose of this act was to raise revenue to pay for the French and Indian War. Tax stamps were required for all legal documents, newspapers, playing cards The response to the tax included a lot of mob violence and boycotts of British goods. Stamp Act Congress, 1765 Delegates from 9 of 13 colonies met in New York City Adopted the Declaration of Rights which denied Parliaments' right t0 tax the colonies Petitioned the King to repeal the Stamp and Sugar acts 5

6 The Declaratory Act (1766) The Stamp Act was revoked as the result of pressure from British businessmen because of the boycott. (But) Great Britain declared she had the power to pass and enforce tax laws. (Parliament had the right to legislate for the colonies in all cases whatsoever. ) The Townsend Acts (1767) Indirect (external) taxes were place on imports such as tea, glass, paper, and lead. Enforcement would be very strong including writs of assistance. Governors were to paid by taxes rather than by the colonial legislatures. No response to the Townsend Acts (like Stamp Act) because British officials barred assemblies from sending delegates to a meting Reaction to the Townsend Acts omany Americans signed subscription lists binding them to buy only goods made in the colonies and not British exports to the colonies (Non-Importation) owomen work harder to produce homespun cloth and textiles oparliament eventually repealed most of the Act, except it left the duty on tea (Declaratory Act in play) 6

7 The Boston Massacre The Boston Massacre (1770) Occurred on the same day (March 5) that the proposal to rescind most of the Townsend Acts were introduced in Parliament Angry and frightened British soldiers fired on a crowd that was pelting them with sticks and stones 5 men died, including Crispus Attikus (1/2 black, ½ Indian) This episode kept the colonists stirred up Gaspee Incident o Gaspee on patrol in Narragansett Bay seizing smugglers, stealing livestock, cutting down fruit trees for firewood. o Ran aground while chasing some American ships off Rhode Island o Locals boarded the ship, shot its captain, threw crew ashore and burnt down the ship o This incident help to form the Committees of correspondence, colonies to keep one another informed about British actions 7

8 The Tea Act (1773) This act gave a monopoly on tea to the British East India Company to keep it from going bankrupt. Colonists, particularly merchants and smugglers, were outraged even though tea was cheaper than before. The colonists were afraid it would set a precedent. Boston Tea Party December 16, 1773, Sons of Liberty led by Samuel Adams disguised as Mohawk Indians Their destination was Griffin's Wharf and the tea ships harbored there. Ship Dartmouth was boarded, the Sons destroyed 342 crates of British tea, defiantly dumping the cargo into the sea. The Intolerable or Coercive Acts (1774) The acts were in response to the Boston Tea Party. Provisions of the act: The port of Boston was closed until East India Company and crown received payments for tea and taxes Self government in Massachusetts was eliminated and military rule was established. A new Quartering Act was established which declared that troops could be lodged in any uninhabited building. 8

9 Quebec Act (1774) passed the same day as the Coercive Acts enlarged the boundaries of Quebec south of the Ohio River trial of civil cases without a jury recognized the Catholic Church deprived settlers and speculators of homesteads and profits The First Continental Congress Called in response to the Intolerable Acts. Composed of both those who wanted to rebel and those who wanted to peacefully protest. Georgia did not send any delegates. Wrote a list of grievances against the British (Articles of Association) - the deprivation of the right to a jury trial - the prosecution in England for crimes committed in America - and Massachusetts Government Act, which removed all local control over governance and the courts. The decision was made to boycott goods until objectionable measures were repealed (Continental Association) 9