VUS 4.c The Road to Revolution

Aftermath of the War Following the French and Indian War, Britain has MASSIVE debt Over 122 million pounds ($220 million) Britain felt the colonists should help pay off the debt… Why? Taxes/Duties are enacted, making the colonists very upset

Mercantilism In order for a country to be strengthened economically, exports need to be greater than imports Britain achieved this through the enactment of the Navigation Acts

Navigation Acts No country could trade with the colonies unless the goods were shipped in British vessels The vessels had to be operated by crew that was at least ¾ British or colonial Colonies could only export certain products only to Britain Almost all goods traded between colonies and Europe had to go through Britain first

The Navigation Acts were around since the mid-1600s, however, because of salutary neglect, they were not enforced Only AFTER the French and Indian War did Britain begin policing the Navigation Act rules again.

The Sugar Act Replaced the existing Molasses Act and cut the tax in half, hoping to have colonists pay the lower tax as opposed to smuggling Specific goods could ONLY be shipped to Britain Forced colonists to raise their prices on goods and created fear they would be out-priced

Colonist’s Reaction? They resented the act, but it was not as widely protested or upsetting as the Stamp Act WHY? Sugar Act = indirect tax, Stamp Act = Direct tax Direct taxes are paid directly to the government Indirect taxes tax a product (like a sales tax) Sugar act was designed to regulate trade, and mainly effected New England colonies

The Stamp Act Required colonists to purchase special stamped paper on: Newspapers/Magazines Almanacs Playing Cards Any legal document This tax dug into practically every colonist’s pockets

Colonists Reaction? Formation of the Sons of Liberty! Harassed customs workers, stamp agents, royal governors Protested enough that it prevented stamps from being sold Stamp Act Congress – Parliament cannot tax us because we are not represented

The Tea Act Colonists had already been boycotting British tea British East India Company had huge surplus of tea (17 million lbs) The act allowed the company to sell the tea directly to colonists without having to pay the taxes they normally would pay to a colonial seller (essentially, it cut down on the colonists own businesses)

Colonist’s Reaction? Boston Tea Party Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty dressed as Native Americans and in a stage of protest, dumped 342 chests of tea overboard (18,000 lbs of tea)

Who are these “Sons of Liberty”?? Many familiar names : John Adams, Samuel Adams, Benedict Arnold, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, Paul Revere, and many more Secret resistance group whose main goal is to protect the rights of colonists Their motto? “No taxation without representation” Highly effective in staging boycotts against British goods due to their means of communication

The Revolution Begins… Boston Tea Party consequence? Intolerable Acts Boston Harbor shut down Quartering Act Martial law Committees of Correspondence was a system created to allow the different colonies to communicate with each other First Continental Congress: September 1774, a declaration of rights is organized by ALL 13 colonies… the FIRST time they all acted together

Boston Massacre The colonists did not like the British soldiers being in Boston March 1770, snowball fight gets out of hand. A riot ensued, British call for backup, they fired into the crowd (without orders) and killed 5 people

Lexington and Concord Minuteman (civilian soldiers) began to stockpile weapons General Gage (British) heard reports of this weapons stockpile and sent some men to scope it out Gage orders his men to march along Lexington Road into Concord to destroy all weaponry found

The “Regulars” are Coming! Minutemen see the British troops arriving, and Paul Revere is sent to warn the colonists that they are arriving. Church bells and gunshots ring out, the prearranged warning that the regulars were coming The Minutemen assemble, someone fires, and 8 minutemen are killed (1 British) Entire battle at Lexington = 15 minutes

Lexington and Concord In Concord, 3,000-4,000 minutemen are waiting for the troops British soldiers were humiliated and defeated, forced to retreat C0jaDs

Differences Among the Colonists Patriots Believed in complete independence from England Inspired by the ideas of Locke, Paine, and Patrick Henry: “Give me liberty, or give me death!” Provided the troops for the American army, led by Washington Loyalists (Tories) Neutrals : Many colonists who tried to stay as uninvolved in the war as possible!