Revolutionary War Causes Unit

Causes 1 and 2 Lesson Summary

Proclamation Line and Sugar Act

• Students will know the Proclamation Line and Sugar Act do

• Students will know why Britain passed these laws

• Students will know how colonists react to these laws

Lesson Goals

• Colonists and Great Britain win the French and Indian War

• What will colonists want to do?• Move into Ohio River Valley

• Many of them are attacked and killed by Native Americans

We WON the War!!

• Colonists call on King George III for help.

• He passes Proclamation Line of 1763- British soldiers will be stationed along Proclamation Line to protect colonists but also to keep colonists form crossing into Ohio River Valley

• Colonists become angry because they cannot get to “their” land

What happens next…

2 different Viewpoints…- British View?- Colonist View?

Britain has large National Debt due to the French and Indian War

National Debt- Amount of money that a country owes

Who will help pay the war debt?

- The Colonists

Good or Bad Move??

o The Sugar Act- Tax on foreign sugar in hopes colonists will buy British sugar

o Law created by George Grenville (Prime Minister) that taxed foreign sugar

o Law passed by Parliament- British law making group

o Tariff- Tax on foreign good (in this case sugar)

How will they repay them?

The idea was that foreign sugar would now be expensive and the colonists would buy British sugar to help the economy and pay off war debt.

Sugar Act

British Sugar$.05

Foreign Sugar$.03

New Tax (.05), Sugar=$.08

Sam AdamsJohn Hancock

Sons of Liberty

Colonists protested by boycott- refusing to buy British sugar and by smuggling- illegally sneaking foreign sugar into colonies without paying tax

John Hancock and Sam Adams were 2 of the leading smugglers in a group known as Sons of Liberty - group of colonists protesting against British taxes and laws

Trouble….

• Students will know the Proclamation Line and Sugar Act do

• Students will know why Britain passed these laws

• Students will know how colonists react to these laws

Lesson Goals

Proclamation Line (1763)- Britain put this line along the Appalachian Mountains prohibiting the colonists from moving into the Ohio River Valley, but also to protect them from Indians. Colonists who had moved into the Valley had been attacked by Indians and asked Britain for help in protecting them.

 

British Perspective- The colonists called on us for help. We are in major debt caused by the war we fought to protect the colonists. We now have thousands of soldiers still in the colonies who are to guard the line to make sure no Indians cross into the colonies. These soldiers are protecting the colonists. We do not have enough money or soldiers to protect colonists who would move into the Ohio River Valley so we want them to stay on their side of the line.

 

Colonists Perspective- The British soldiers are not allowing us to cross the mountains and go settle in this land we just fought a war to obtain. They are keeping us from our land in the Ohio River Valley. This is depriving us of our right to property, and they are overusing their power.

Answers to Viewpoint

Sugar Act (1764)- This act taxed foreign sugar, as well as wine, coffee, molasses, and calico. These taxes made the once cheaper sugar from places like Holland more expensive than British sugar. Britain hoped that colonists would purchase their sugar as a result. The money made from the British sugar was designed to pay for the war debt, but colonists responded by boycotting British sugar or smuggling in foreign sugar.

 

British Perspective- We are in serious debt caused by the war we fought for the colonists. All we are asking is that colonists pay to buy our own sugar so we can use the money to pay for the debt. We are not taxing our own sugar so colonists do not have to pay a tax. The colonists are boycotting (refusing to buy as a form of protest) British sugar and smuggling (illegally sneaking into the country) foreign sugar in so this isn’t helping us in any way.

 

Colonist Perspective- The British taxed the cheap foreign sugar that some of us use so much. They are forcing us to buy their more expensive sugar. They have no right to tax us since we are not represented. We had no say in how much the tax was or what items would be taxed on. Plus, we should have a say in what we are allowed to buy. Although this law mainly only impacts wealthy colonists who can afford these taxes, we all think it is unfair! They are our parent country and it is their duty to protect us and take care of us, not burden us.

Answers to Viewpoint