The American Revolution-Why We Wanted Our Independence Great Britain needed revenue to pay for the French and Indian War Great Britain’s plan was to tax the colonists to pay for their part of the war debt.

Writs of Assistance Allowed British to search colonists homes for smuggled goods Smuggled goods= no taxes for the British

The Sugar Act Imposed by the British in 1764 to put a duty (import tax) on several products Included molasses Gave harsh punishments to smugglers

The Stamp Act Imposed a tax on all printed materials requiring a stamp Included: 1) Newspapers 2) Wills 3) Licenses 4) Insurance policies 5) Land titles 6) Contracts

The Stamp Act passed without even consulting the colonial legislatures “Taxation without representation is tyranny!” -James Otis (Boston lawyer) The Stamp Act passed without even consulting the colonial legislatures

The Boston Massacre Came about as the result of a “Tea Tax” that the British refused to get rid of Wanted to demonstrate that Britain could tax the colonists

The Boston Massacre…Continued March 5, 1770 in Boston, an angry mob surrounded the British soldiers Colonists threw rocks and snowballs at the soldiers Soldiers fired into the crowd and killed 5 people and wounded 6. Crispus Attucks, African American sailor. Was among the dead

From Protest to Rebellion A Dispute Over Tea The duty on tea still remained (colonists were being taxed without their consent every time they drank a cup of tea) A. The Tea Act Passed to help the British East India Company Lowered the price of tea but the East India Company had a “Monopoly” on selling tea to the colonies 3. Monopoly- Total control of a market for a certain product

From Protest to Rebellion…Continued II. The Boston Tea Party “Sons of Liberty” organized to stop East India Company from delivering tea in port cities No tea delivered in New York and Philadelphia 1. Tea was unloaded in Boston 2. Governor Hutchinson refused to sign papers so the ships could return to England 3. December 16, 1773, men disguised as Native Americans threw 342 cases of tea into the Boston Harbor (90,000 ponds of tea destroyed)

The Intolerable Acts-The Last Straw for the Colonists New Laws (from King George III) Closed the Boston Port Increased powers of the Royal Governor Abolished Massachusetts Upper House Strengthened the 1765 Quartering Act

America’s Reaction to the Intolerable Acts Food and supplies were sent from all other colonies into Boston Committee of Correspondence was formed First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in September and October of 1774 Delegates from 12 colonies (except Georgia) attended the Congress Demanded an end to the Intolerable Acts Colonies could begin training militias to stand up to the British if needed Congress voted to boycott all British goods

The Shot Heard Round the World In Lexington, 77 minutemen were waiting for the British. The colonists were told to go home but they refused. Someone (no one knows who) fired a shot and it was the first shot fired in the American Revolution. The British opened fire and killed 8 colonists.

…And the Fight for Freedom Begins The Second Continental Congress 1) Many colonists did not favor independence from Great Britain 2) Congress came together in Philadelphia in 1775 a) New England colonies wanted independence b) Middle Colonies wanted less drastic action 3) George Washington became the leader of the Continental Army a) Congress printed its own money to pay for the army

The Fight for Freedom…Continued B. Patriots Against Loyalists 1) Patriots-Colonists wanting independence who were willing to fight 2) Loyalists-Colonists remaining loyal to Great Britain and the King a) included merchants and large landowners b) feared change in government would = loss of property 3) African Americans sided with the British in hopes of getting their freedom from slavery

A Nation Declares Independence C. Declaration of Independence Was built on ideas of the Enlightenment period of why colonists want to break away from the British 1) “We hold these truths to be self evident” 2) “Everyone is endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights” 3) From John Locke’s idea about “Natural Rights”

Violations of King George III (According to the Colonists) Trial by Jury Taxing the Colonists without their consent All petitions for change were ignored by the King