The Road to Revolution

The English colonies, 1763 The French and Indian War is over, and Britain is in deep debt American colonies had been left alone up until now, that’s going to change

The Proclamation of 1763 The colonists are not allowed to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains

The Sugar Act A new tax on molasses and sugar shipped to the colonies This made several colonists angry James Otis says: “Taxation without representation is tyranny”

Remember Parliament? The colonies have no representatives Having to pay taxes without any representatives in Parliament is unfair Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights

Colonial Merchants begin organizing a boycott Boycott- refusal to buy certain products

The Quartering Act British soldiers must be housed and fed by colonists The Army is trying to save $$$

Stamp Act 1766 Colonists must pay an extra tax on printed materials like books, newspapers, letters, playing cards Colonists reacted with boycotts, protests, and even riots

Parliament repeals the Stamp Act in 1766 Instead, they pass the Declatory Act Parliament has supreme authority to govern the colonies

The Townshend Acts New York Assembly suspended until they obey the Quartering Act Taxes on Glass Paper Paint Lead Tea

Enforced by writs of assistance- search warrants to look for smuggled goods

John Locke says: No one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions

Sam Adams and the Sons of Liberty organize another boycott for the Townshend Acts Protests are quickly spinning out of control

Boston Massacre 1770 British soldiers fire into a crowd in Boston, killing 5 men, including Crispus Attucks

John Adams defends the British soldiers at the Boston Massacre

While the Boston Massacre was happening, Parliament repeals the Townshend Acts They take away all taxes, except one, a tax on tea

Tea Act- 1773

Sam Adams and the Sons of Liberty start up committees of correspondence America’s first spy network

The Boston Tea Party The Sons of Liberty (dressed as Indians) dump 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor Protesting the Tea Act

The Intolerable Acts Boston is now closed to trade No more commitees of correspondence Britain can house troops wherever necessary British officials now stand trial in Britain, not in America

Delegates voted to ban all trade with Britain until the Intolerable Acts are repealed Each colony will begin training troops

Most colonial leaders don’t believe there will be a war Patrick Henry does “As for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

April 18, 1775 Gage orders his troops to march to Lexington to arrest John Hancock and Sam Adams The militia has stored weapons in Concord, they must be destroyed

Lexington and Concord The next morning, 70 militiamen are waiting for 700 British troops The British commander orders the militia to drop their weapons

In 10 minutes, 18 militiamen are dead or wounded The British march on to Concord The supplies are gone, and the British retreat after a firefight at Concord bridge

All along the march back to Boston, militiamen snipe at the British These were the first battles of the Revolutionary War “The shot heard round the world”

The colonists would have to choose which side to take Loyalists – support the British Patriots – support the rebels

Just after Lexington and Concord… Militiamen from all over Massachusetts begin to gather all around Boston The British under Gage move away from the city to a better defended area Meanwhile, elsewhere in the colonies…

Second Continental Congress Forms the Continental Army Print money to pay the troops First acts of our government

George Washington will command Virginia Had military experience

Boston, June 1775 Militiamen seize two hills outside of Charlestown The British assault them Don’t fire till you see the whites of their eyes

The British attack with over 2,200 troops Over 1000 casualties Showed people that the Americans would fight

Britain hires mercenaries Now the Hessians are coming Mercenaries

The British retreat from Boston The Continental Army surrounds the British at Boston, but has no cannon to drive them out Washington needs artillery

Henry Knox Sold books before the war Had no military experience

Common Sense and Thomas Paine

Independence Hall

The Declaration of Independence