Unit 1 Colonial Era and American Beginnings CHAPTER 4 The War for Independence (Part A)

The Stirrings of Rebellion  At the end of the French and Indian War, Parliament turned to the colonies to help pay off the war debts.  Stamp Act This was the first tax levied directly on the colonist’s goods and services.  The Stamp Act required colonists to purchase special stamped paper for every legal document, license, newspaper, pamphlet, almanac, and even cards and dice.

 Those who disobeyed the Stamp Act were usually tried in the vice-admiralty court.  Several Stamp Act protests took place.  The Sons of Liberty became the leading group of protestors against the Stamp Act. This group was led by Samuel Adams.  Many colonies adopted resolutions stating that only the colonial governments could levy taxes.  Daughters of Liberty-participated in boycotts of tea and manufactured goods from England, made homespun clothing, helped the war effort, etc.

 The Stamp Act Congress passed a resolution stating that the colonies could not be taxed unless they were represented in Parliament. (This is the first time that the colonies acted as a body)  Merchants started a boycott against British goods. It was so successful that Parliament was forced to repeal the Stamp Act in 1766.

 Mostly all of the colonial citizens joined in a boycott of British goods. This boycott was started by Samuel Adams.  After a riot in Boston over the merchant ship, Liberty, 4000 British troops were placed in Boston.  The Boston Massacre……

 The Boston Massacre occurred because of tension over jobs in Boston. Fist fights sprang up often between civilians and off-duty soldiers who were looking for extra work.  One such confrontation led to gunfire, killing a local dockworker, Crispus Attucks.  This led Parliament to repeal most of the Townshend duties, except for that on tea.

 Committees of Correspondence were created as a way to communicate between the colonies.  The East India Company was hit hard by the boycotts. They had millions of pounds of tea stored in Boston, but no where to sell it and no one to buy it.

 Parliament passed the Tea Act, which allowed the East India Co to sell tea to the colonists with no tax. This forced the colonists to buy their tea (because it was cheaper) instead of other teas.  A group of rebels dressed as Indians took charge of some ships and dumped 15,000 pounds of tea into the Boston harbor.

 King George III of England was infuriated with the colonists and had Parliament pass the Intolerable Acts.  These acts did several different things: 1.Shut down Boston harbor until the tea was paid for by the colonists. 2.Passed the Quartering Act which said the British could take over any house they wished and quarter (or house) their troops there. 3.Boston was placed under martial law.

 Colonists were greatly upset and threatened by these new Intolerable Acts.  They started to stock-pile weapons and ammunition.  General Gage sent a British detachment to collect all guns from Concord.  Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode throughout the countryside warning people of the approaching British Army.

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Listen my children and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy- five; Hardly a man is now alive Who remembers that famous day and year. He said to his friend, "If the British march By land or sea from the town to-night, Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch Of the North Church tower as a signal light,-- One if by land, and two if by sea; And I on the opposite shore will be, Ready to ride and spread the alarm Through every Middlesex village and farm, For the country folk to be up and to arm."

 The British met 70 minutemen at Lexington and ordered them to leave the area. As the militia marched away, a shot rang out…  The British Army opened fire at the retreating militia, killing and wounding several men.

 At Concord, the British found the local munitions arsenal empty and came under attack of the constantly growing militia.  The American Revolution had begun. 

Test tomorrow:  You are responsible for all info contained in the guided notes, as well as the vocabulary, and anything that is found in the chapters in the book. (READ!)  The test will be Multiple Choice and short answer that will be from your review/vocab sheet.