The Stirrings of Rebellion

Chapter 4 Section 1 Pgs. 94-98

The Colonies Organize to Resist Britain

• The Stamp Act:• First tax that affected colonists directly because it was levied on

goods and services.

• Required colonists to purchase special stamped paper for every legal document, license, newspaper, pamphlet, and almanac, and imposed special “stamp duties” on packages of playing cards and dice.

• Colonists who disobeyed the law were to be tried in vice-admiralty courts, where no juries were present and convictions were probable.

Stamp Act Protests

• Boston shopkeepers, artisans, and laborers organized a secret resistance group called the Sons of Liberty.• Samuel Adams was one of the founders.

• Facing mob threats and demonstrations, stamp agents all over the colonies resigned.• Stamp Act was to become effective on November 1, 1765, but

colonial protest prevented any stamps from being sold.

Stamp Act Protests

• During 1765 and early 1766, the individual colonial assemblies confronted the Stamp Act measure.• Virginia’s lower house adopted laws saying Virgians could only be taxed by

the Virginia Assembly

• These were put forth by Patrick Henry (lawyer)

• October 1765 delegates from 9 colonies met in New York City (Stamp Act Congress)• Issued a Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which stated that Parliament

lacked the power to impose taxes on the colonies because the colonists were not represented in Parliament.

Stamp Act Protests

• In October 1765, about 200 new York traders agreed to a nonimportation policy – a boycott of British goods – until the Stamp Act was repealed.• Hurt Britain’s policy of mercantilism

• Boycott worked and in March 1766, Parliament repealed the Stamp Act• But the SAME day Parliament issued the Declaratory Act

• Asserted parliament’s full right to make laws “to bind the colonies and people of America…in all cases whatsoever.”

The Townshend Acts

• Indirect taxes, or duties levied on imports – glass, lead, paint, and paper – as they came into the colonies from Britain.

• Imposed a three-penny tax on tea • Most popular drink in the colonies.

• Colonists reacted with rage• “taxation without representation”

• Women joined the protest – stopped buying lavish goods from Britain

Liberty

• British agents seized John Hancock’s ship Liberty.• Customs agents claimed Hancock had smuggled in a shipment of

wine from madeira and had failed to pay the customs taxes.

• Caused riots and British stationed 4,000 troops in Boston to curb the violence.

• One soldier for every four citizens.

The Boston Massacre

• Competition for jobs between colonists and poorly paid soldiers who looked for extra work in local shipyards during off-duty hours.• Fist fight broke out over jobs.

• Mob gathered in front of the customhouse and taunted the guards.

• When Crispus Attuks and other dockhands appeared on the scene, an armed clash erupted, leaving Attuks and four others dead in the snow.

Townshend Acts

• Repealed when it was found out that it was costing Britain more to enforce then it was bringing in.• Kept tax on tea.

• 1772 a group of Rhode Island colonists attacked a British customs schooner.• King George III wanted them brought to trial in Britain

• Assemblies of Massachusetts and Virginia set up committees of correspondence to communicate with other colonies abut this and other threats to American liberties.

The Boston Tea Party

• Tea Act• Granted British East India Company the right to sell tea to the

colonies free of the taxes that colonial tea sellers had to pay.

• This action cut colonial merchants out of the tea trade, because the East India Company could sell its tea directly to consumers fo rless.

• Lord North hoped American colonists would buy cheaper tea

• Colonists protested

The Boston Tea Party

• December 16, 1773, a large group of Boston rebels disguised themselves as native Americans and dumped 15,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor.

• Intolerable Acts were passed• One law shut down Boston Harbor because the colonists refused to pay for the damaged

tea.

• Quartering Act – authorized British commanders to house soldiers in vacant private homes and other buildings.

• Boston put under martial law - rule imposed by military forces.

• General Thomas Gage incharge

• King George hoped to single Massachusetts out, but colonies strengthened unity.

Boston Tea Party

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-9pDZMRCpQ

First Continental Congress

• September 1774, 56 delegates met in Philadelphia and drew up a declaration of colonial rights.• Defended the colonies’ right to run their own affairs

• Supported protests in Massachusetts and stated if the British used force against the colonies the colonies should fight back

• Said would reconvene in May 1775 if demands were not met.

Fighting Erupts at Lexington and Concord

• Military preparations stepped up.• Minutemen (civilian soldiers) stockpiled firearms and gunpowder.

• General Gage ordered troops to march from Boston to Concord, Massachusetts, and seize illegal weapons.

• Colonists were watching • April 18, 1775 Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott

rode out to spread word that 700 British troops were heading for Concord.

• Church bells and gunshots spread the alarm

Fighting Erupts at Lexington and Concord

• Kings troops reached Lexington, Massachusetts• British commander ordered minutemen to leave

• Someone fired and British soldiers sent shots into departing militia

• 8 men were killed and 9 wounded

• Battle lasted 15 minutes

• British marched to Concord – found empty arsenal• Between 3,000-4,000 minutemen had assembled and fired on marching troops from

behind stone walls and trees

• British soldiers fell by the dozen

• Reinforcements saved them from complete disaster.

• Remaining British soldiers went back to Boston.

Videos

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3PbX5KnXUg

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZfRaWAtBVg

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1fFiUWdGBc

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQqim1NeImg

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG7dH4t4Hrc

• Teaching• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eytc9ZaNWyc