Tensions Build Part 2

Review Sugar Act Stamp Act – 1st direct tax on the colonists Guilty until proven innocent for smugglers Stamp Act – 1st direct tax on the colonists Boycott of British goods NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION Declaratory Act England has the power to tax the colonies w/o representation Quartering Act Townshend Acts – general search warrants

Protest Groups The Sons of Liberty The Daughters of Liberty Form in protest of new British laws and acts Held outdoor meetings Intimidated stamp distributors The Daughters of Liberty B/g spinning their own rough cloth called “homespun” Wearing homespun b/c a sign of patriotism B/g drinking herbal tea.

The Boston Massacre March 5, 1770 - British soldier guarding the customhouse in Boston Angry colonists surround the soldier B/g taunting and throwing snowballs at them Soldier calls for help Captain Thomas Preston and a squad of soldiers come to his aid The troops b/g firing into the crowd 5 colonists were killed, 6 wounded

Colonists React Colonists used the event to their advantage Colonial newspapers portrayed the British as tyrants who were willing to kill those who stood up for their rights Named the event the Boston Massacre To provoke fear and anger among the colonies Only five colonists died The Sons of Liberty claimed that this incident showed the danger of having British troops stationed among colonial citizens.

Colonies Unite! March 1773 – Committee of Correspondence Communicate w/ other colonies about British activities Unify the colonies and shape public opinion Helped colonial leaders coordinate their plans for resisting the British

The Tea Act Made East India Company tea cheaper in the colonies than smuggled Dutch tea, but… The act allowed the British East India Company to arrive at the harbor in its own ships and sell directly to shopkeepers This cut out American shippers and merchants who normally distributed the tea Enraged colonial shippers and merchants They feared it was the first step to putting them out of business

The Boston Tea Party December 1773 – East India Company tea ships arrived in Boston Harbor About 150 men boarded the ship The men dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor A crowd of several thousand colonists stood on the shore and cheered as they dumped the tea The Boston Tea Party was the last straw for King George III He responded with the Coercive Acts (the Intolerable Acts)

The Coercive Acts To punish Massachusetts and end colonial challenges to British authority Closed the port of Boston until colonists paid for the tea All council members, judges, and sheriffs in Mass. to be appointed by the royal governor Allowed British officials accused of crimes to stand trial in Britain rather than in the colonies Allowed British commanders to quarter (house) troops in private homes

The Coercive Acts To enforce the Coercive Acts Britain moved 2,000 troops to New England Appointed General Thomas Gage as the new governor of Mass. In effect, the colony was under military rule

Colonists React Virginia House of Burgesses protest… Urged the colonies to suspend trade w/ Britain and send delegates to a colonial congress to discuss more action The House was dissolved by the royal governor of Virginia Committees of Correspondence Sent food and money to Boston to help support the city while its port was closed Coordinated a meeting – September 5, 1774 the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia