Beginnings of the American Revolution

Rivalry between the British and the French

This rivalry led to the French and Indian War

French were driven out of Canada and territories west of the Appalachian Mountains

British actions following the war that angered the colonists:

Proclamation of 1763

Prohibited settlement west of the Appalachian MountainsThis region was too costly for the British to defendAmerican colonists had fought a war with France to open this area for settlement

New taxes places on colonists

Taxes to pay for the war and to defend the colonists

Stamp Act – tax on legal documents and publications

Tea and sugar taxes

Resistance to British rule

Boston Tea Party

First Continental Congress called

Boston Massacre

Battle of Lexington and Concord

The Boston Massacre

Boston Tea Party and Intolerable Acts

Lexington and Concord

March Back to Boston

Battle of Bunker Hill

Three camps of colonists

Patriots

Loyalists

Neutrals

Patriots

Believed in complete independence from England

Inspired by the ideas of Locke and Paine and the words of Patrick Henry

Provided the troops for the Continental Army

Loyalists (Tories)

Remained loyal to Britain because of cultural and economic ties

Believed that taxation was justified

Neutrals

Those who tried to stay as uninvolved as possible

Military Victories

Saratoga

Proved to the French that the American could win the war.

As a result, the French became more involved on the side of the Americans.

Yorktown

British general Cornwallis surrendered his army ending the hostilities.