What Laid the Foundations for the American Revolution?

Explaining Key Events

Interpreting the Stamp Act:

British war debt: 137 million pounds, w/ annual budget of 8 million

George Grenville’s solution

Colonial Tax Burdens, 1765

AreaPer capita tax burden, 1765

Great Britain $5.76

Ireland $1.47

Massachusetts $0.22

Pennsylvania $0.22

Maryland $0.22

New York $0.15

Connecticut $0.13

Virginia $0.10

Interpreting the Stamp Act: Through the lens of colonial ideology Joseph Warren: “If the only real motive of the

minister was to raise money from the colonies, that method should undoubtedly have been adopted which was least grievous to the people.”

John Adams : it stripped the colonists “in a great measure of the means of knowledge, by loading the press, the colleges, and even the almanac and newspaper with restraints and duties.”

Interpreting Reaction to the Stamp Act: Ideology Resolutions by local Assemblies

Sons of liberty harass stamp collectors; nullify act

Stamp Act Congress: Resolutions reiterate idea of “no taxation

without representation” Non-importation agreement coordinated

Interpreting Reaction to the Stamp Act: Ideology

Interpretive thrust:

A constitutional crisis

Chain of influence from top down

Interpreting Reaction to the Stamp Act: An Alternative The Loyal Nine in Boston

Approach Ebenezer McIntosh and Henry Smith to lead north and South End gangs

Interpreting Reaction to the Stamp Act: An Alternative

Boston Pope’s Day Effigies

Interpreting Reaction to the Stamp Act: An Alternative Riots; attacks on homes of Andrew

Oliver and Thomas Hutchinson

“It was now a war of plunder; of general leveling and taking away the distinction of rich and poor.”

Boston Town Meeting: “utter detestation” of the riots

Reaction to the Boston Massacre, 1770

Reaction to the Boston Massacre John Adams and Josiah Quincy

defend Capt. Thomas Preston acting in self defense

John Adams’ defense:“a motley rabble of saucy boys, negroes and mulattos, Irish teagues and outlandish jack tarrs[sailors]. “

Crisis reemerges, 1767

TOWNSHEND DUTIES Import duties on key goods colonists

import:House paint leads, glass, tea(Regulating trade an accepted Crown function over colonies – yet this designed to generate revenue)

JOHN WILKES ELECTED TO PARLIAMENT, 1768

Colonial reaction to Duties Sam Adams’ Circular Letter –

United colonial front, and non-importation

Crown: repudiate, or have assemblies dissolved

Massachusetts refuses, and Assembly dissolved

Standing army sent to maintain order in Boston

“THE BOSTONIANS PAYING THE EXCISE MAN, OR “TARRING AND FEATHERING,” BRITISH CARTOON, 1774(CONTENT: TARRING AND FEATHERING OF CUSTOMS COMMISSIONER JOHN MALCOLM, WITH BOSTON TEA PARTY IN BACKGROUND)

Détente Ends, 1773

Tea Act: 1772 British East India company on

verge of bankruptcy, threatening imperial economy

Allows one time sale directly to consumers

Does NOT exempt from paying tea tax

Coincides with publication of Hutchinson-Whateley correspondence: I never think of the measures necessary for the

peace and good order of the colonies without pain. There must be an abridgement of what are called English liberties. . . I doubt whether it is possible to project a system of government in which a colony 3000 miles distant from the parent state should enjoy all of the liberty of the parent state. I wish the good of the colony when I wish to see some further restraint of liberty rather than that the connection with the parent state should be broken; for I am sure that such a breach must prove to the ruin of the colony.

Final Crisis . . .

Destruction of Tea, Boston, December 1773

Coercive Acts, 1774Boston Port Act

MA regulatory Act

Justice Act

Quartering Act

(Quebec Act)

Final Crisis . . . Colonial reaction: Hamilton: “the system of slavery fabricated

against America . . . is the offspring of mature deliberation. “ There was “a settled, fixed plan for enslaving the colonies, or bringing them under arbitrary government, and indeed the nation too.”

Jefferson: “though single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day . . . a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate and systematical plan of reducing us to slavery.”

Final Crisis . . .

Committees of Correspondence propose boycott agreement

Coordination via First Continental Congress, September, 1774Compact to enforce boycott, called “Continental Association,” via local committees (middle-class)Pledge to support Boston in case of attack

Conspiracy theories . .

Was there a conspiracy to destroy American liberties?

British perception:1768, “House of Lords resolved “wicked and

designing men” were “evidently manifesting a design to set up a new and unconstitutional authority independent of the Crown of England.”

Recalled under Grenville, ““every expression of discontent was imputed to a desire in those colonies to dissolve all connection with Britain; every tumult was inflamed[in their minds] to rebellion.”

Conspiracy theories . . .

Explains punitive response to destruction of tea Even radical whigs offer little opposition

King’s Response to Continental Congress:

“the New England governments are in a state of rebellion, blows must decide whether they are to be subject to this country or independent.”