Chapter 4: revolution

Ch.2 Sects. 1 &2 NotesThe Revolutionary Time Period

1King George III

Comes into power in 1760Focuses on lowering debtHires George Grenville to serve as prime minister because he was a financial expert

2IntroSugar Act:Lowered the duty on molasses, hoping that the lower tax rate would make colonists actually abide by rules and pay it rather than smuggle goods into the countryPlaced taxes on certain imports that had not been taxed beforeAnyone found in violation of these rules would be tried in front of a judge, not within the colonial government in the presence of a jury

3New Taxes upset colonistsStamp Act (1765): Required tax on almost all printed materials (newspapers, books, court documents, contracts, land deeds). Response:Secret resistance group Sons of Liberty organizedColonists argue that they have no real representation in Parliament therefore should not have to pay the taxes imposedMerchants in many states boycott British goods until the Stamp Act was repealed, By March 1766 Parliament had repealed the Stamp Act

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Patrick Henry Gave a fiery speech in the Virginia House of Burgesses about the Stamp Act and ended his speech with these wordsGive me Liberty or Give me Death!He was hoping to convince the House to send soldiers to fight the British in the war that was breaking out in New England

5Townshend ActsThe British passed the Townshend Acts in 1767 in order to indirectly tax items like glass, paint, lead and teaColonists responded by refusing to pay, organizing a boycott of British imports and protesting using the slogan of No taxation without representationIn response to the Townshend Acts riots broke out in Boston, in order to suppress these British sent 4,000 troops to Boston. The presence of these soldiers caused tension. Taxation without Representation becomes the anti-British slogan of the Patriots

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Two Groups to know aboutPatriotsAmerican colonists who wanted independence from BritainLoyalistsAmerican colonists who supported the British during the American Revolution

7Samuel Adams

Cousin to John AdamsLeader of the Patriot rebel group the Sons of Liberty

8Boston Massacre

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Engraving by Paul Revere

What do you think is the intended message behind this engraving?10Colonist riot in protestMarch 5, 1770 Boston Massacre, British troops fire into a crowd. Crispus Attucks is the first to be shot and killed. Five die total.

11One exciting parteaThe British Parliament passed the Tea Act 1773 in order to save the nearly bankrupt British East India Company, granting the company the right to sell tea to the colonies without paying taxes. Making their tea significantly cheaper than other colonial companies.Colonists responded to the act by rebelling and dumping 18,000 pounds of East India Company tea into the Boston harborSam Adams leads the charge

ONE CRAZY PARTEA12Boston Tea Party

13Intolerable Acts/Coercive ActsThe British Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts 1774 in order to punish the colonies for the Boston Tea Party.Closed port until Bostonians paid for destroyed teaForced colonists to house troops in vacant homes and other private buildings (barns, inn)Allowed British officials to be tried in Britain instead of AmericaBritish General Thomas Gage, commander-in-chief of British forces in North America is appointed the new governor of Massachusetts, he places Boston under martial lawColonists responded to the act by creating the First Continental Congress.Meet in Philadelphia to draw up a declaration of colonial rights and discuss what to do if Britain continued to abuse their rights.What do you think King George III set out to achieve when he disciplined Boston?14Continental Congress

15Number 8 on your notesHow did the 1st Continental Congress prepare the way for an armed uprising again Britain?They began military preparations. Men begin volunteering to fight, weapons are secretly stockpiled. Minutemencivilian soldiers who pledged to be ready to fight against the British on a minute's noticeGage finds out about these activities and orders troops to march from Boston to Concord, Massachusetts

16War BeginsFighting at Lexington and ConcordLexington (5 miles from Concord)700 British troops sent to arrest rebels and seize Patriot weapons stockpiled in ConcordLocal patriots tipped off by Paul Revere that Redcoats were comingLocal patriots rallied to drive troops back to BostonRedcoats marched onto lawn where 70 patriots had gathered, told them to disperse, someone fired a shot (Shot heard around the world)Fighting breaks out8 Patriots dead in the end, 1 RedcoatConcordBritish leave Concord empty handed, arsenal is emptyOn the march back to Boston they find thousands of Minutemen (Patriot militia) lining the roadsOver 125 Redcoats killed, get back to Boston surprised by patriots ability to fight

17The 2nd Continental Congress

May, 1775Argue over what the next step issome want to remain loyal, others argue for independenceWhat can they agree on? The fact that the colonial militia established up to that point would be recognized as the Continental Army and that George Washington would be its commander.

18The Battle of Bunker Hill

June 17, 1775Thomas Gage sends 2400 British troops to take Breeds Hill (near Bunker Hill)Militia are waiting, mow soldiers down. British take Hill after three frontal assaults. (showed British we would put up a good fight)In the end the colonists had 450 casualties and the British had over 1,000Made mistake of not taking colonists seriously

19Second Continental Congress continuedBy the July the Congress is preparing for warMany colonists still felt loyalty for the King and England, the delegates agree to make one last attempt for peace with the King They send the Olive Branch Petitionasking for harmony to be restored between Britain and the coloniesThe King promptly rejects this and says that the colonies are in a state of rebellion and prepares for warDo you think that the Olive Branch Petition was too little too late?

20Would you have been a loyalist or a patriot?

Loyalist Arguments: Doubted colonists could actually defeat BritishScared of what a Patriot-ran society and government may look likeShared culture and traditions with EnglandLife was decent for manyWealthyNative Americans wanted help in keeping colonists out of western territories Slavessought freedom with British

Patriot Arguments:Britain was an ocean away, didnt know their needsAlready set up somewhat-autonomous governments within coloniesNot allowed to be part of British Parliament

21Opinion swings towards IndependenceIdeas behind the revolution become more popular:John Lockes Social Contract TheoryOther Enlightenment ideas related to natural rightsJanuary 1776Thomas Paines pamphlet Common SenseSwung popular support for complete independence from BritainWas accessible to common people

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Colonists declare independenceThomas Jefferson chosen to draft it. Voted and approved on July 2nd, 1776Adopted, July 4th 1776Formal declaration of Independence from BritainThere are two main components to the Declaration: the most studied, though much shorter, preamble, outlining a theoretical justification of revolution and the second, a far longer list of grievances that justify the actions of the colonies and the revolution itself

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