European Influences on the American Revolution

2 Issues: Wars and Legislation EUROPEAN WARS EUROPEAN WARS Always involved colonies Always involved colonies Cost money and lives Cost money and lives Put colonists and Native American tribes against each other Put colonists and Native American tribes against each other Let to taxation Let to taxation BRITISH ACTS BRITISH ACTS Taxation without representation Tried to get tight control over colonies Angry responses from colonists led to tougher legislation from British led to angry responses led to, well, you get the idea…

Sugar Act 1764 Increase taxes on sugar and molasses, affected rum market Increase taxes on sugar and molasses, affected rum market Reaction: Smuggled goods from other countries Reaction: Smuggled goods from other countries

Stamp Act 1765 Printed documents issued only on special stamped paper purchased from stamp distributors Printed documents issued only on special stamped paper purchased from stamp distributors Reaction: riots in cities, collectors forced to resign, Stamp Act Congress (Oct. 1765) Reaction: riots in cities, collectors forced to resign, Stamp Act Congress (Oct. 1765)

Quartering Act 1765 Colonists must supply British troops with housing and goods Colonists must supply British troops with housing and goods Reaction: protest in assemblies, N.Y. assembly punished for failure to comply (1767) Reaction: protest in assemblies, N.Y. assembly punished for failure to comply (1767)

Townsend Acts 1767 New taxes on imported goods, which can only come from Britain; punish NY for resisting Quart. Act New taxes on imported goods, which can only come from Britain; punish NY for resisting Quart. Act Reaction: boycotts, protests, smuggled Dutch tea Reaction: boycotts, protests, smuggled Dutch tea

Tea Act 1773 East India Company has right to sell tea directly to Americans, some duties on tea reduced East India Company has right to sell tea directly to Americans, some duties on tea reduced Reaction: protests, Boston Tea Party- dumped tea in harbor (Dec. 1773) Reaction: protests, Boston Tea Party- dumped tea in harbor (Dec. 1773)

Intolerable Acts 1774 Closed port of Boston, restructured Mass. government, restricted town meetings, troops quartered in Boston Closed port of Boston, restructured Mass. government, restricted town meetings, troops quartered in Boston Reaction: boycott British goods, 1 st Continental Congress (Sep. 1774) Reaction: boycott British goods, 1 st Continental Congress (Sep. 1774)

Prohibitory Act 1775 British intended to coerce America into submission, embargo on American goods, seized American ships British intended to coerce America into submission, embargo on American goods, seized American ships Reaction: Olive Branch Petition (one last chance for peace), then moved toward independence Reaction: Olive Branch Petition (one last chance for peace), then moved toward independence

Assignment Write a 1-paragraph letter as a colonist writing to the king of England. You are either supporting his policies or declaring your independence. You must refer to at least 2 items from the notes to support your opinion. Write a 1-paragraph letter as a colonist writing to the king of England. You are either supporting his policies or declaring your independence. You must refer to at least 2 items from the notes to support your opinion.