1. The American Revolution CAUSES

2. The Navigation Acts
Passed by England to prevent any country other than England from profiting from the colonial trade.

3. The Proclamation of 1763 Signed by King George III of England
Prohibits any English settlement west of the Appalachian mountains
Those already settled in those regions must return east
Used to ease tensions with Native Americans

4. The Sugar Act (1764)
Passed by the English Parliament to offset the war debt brought on by the French and Indian War.
Taxed molasses, sugar, coffee, wine, iron
Smuggling (sneaking goods into the country without paying taxes) increased.

5. The Stamp Act (1765)
All printed materials are taxed, including; newspapers, pamphlets, bills, legal documents, licenses, almanacs, dice and playing cards.
Stamp showed the tax was paid.

6. “No Taxation, Without Representation!”
The colonists claimed that the British Parliament had no right to tax them since they had no representatives there.

7. Colonists React with Violence
Rioting occurred in colonial cities.
Tax collectors were tarred and feathered.

8. The Sons of Liberty
Sons of Liberty was a secretive organization opposed to the Stamp Act
They used violence and intimidation to protest the stamp act.
They did things like burn tax collectors in effigy (cloth and straw dummies).

9. Daughters of Liberty
The Daughters of Liberty boycotted British cloth and made their own clothing out of wool.

10. The Stamp Act Congress
the Stamp Act Congress met in New York City, with representatives from nine of the colonies.
The Congress prepared a petition to be sent to King George III and the English Parliament.
The petition requests the repeal of the Stamp Act and the Acts of 1764.
England finally repealed, or cancelled, the Stamp Act in 1766.

11. Check-up
How did the colonists protest the British taxes?

12. Ready or not here we come!
Townshend Acts (1767)
British treasurer Charles Townshend proposed new taxes.
Items taxed include imports such as paper, tea, glass, lead and paints.
Writs of Assistance allowed British soldiers to search ships or homes for smuggled goods.
Ready or not here we come!

13. More British Troops
British troops were sent to protect tax collectors.
Colonists despised these troops and harassed them.

14. Sam Adams
Sam Adams of Boston organized the committees of correspondence to spread information.
He used Propaganda – spread rumors or distorted news in order to make the British look bad.

15. John Hancock
John Hancock was a wealthy Boston businessman that financially supported the Revolution.

16. Boston erupts in violence (Boston Massacre)
March 7, 1770
A mob threatens British troops.
British troops fire on the Boston mob killing five.
The other colonies rally around Boston.
Paul Revere’s engraving of the event

17. Boston “Massacre”
How does this picture differ from Revere’s?

18. Crispus Attucks
Crispus Attucks, an African-American who was killed in the Boston Massacre, became known as the first casualty of the American Revolution.

19. John Adams
Sam’s cousin John was a Boston lawyer that defended the British troops at their trial.
Two soldiers were thumb branded, but the rest were acquitted (cleared of all charges).

20. The Boston Tea Party (1773)
Most colonists drank tea which was one of the few imports still taxed.
50-60 Sons of Liberty dressed as Mohawk Indians dumped a large supply of tea into the Boston harbor.
Tea Act: colonists were forced to ONLY buy tea from the British East Company
Colonists boycotted the tea

21. Mind if we stays here tonight?
The Intolerable Acts
Mind if we stays here tonight?
England wanted to punish the colonists for destroying the tea.
Port of Boston ordered closed
Limited town meetings
Quartering Act – colonists must house and feed British troops.

22. Colonies Unite Other colonies support Boston.
Southern colonies send food.
Day of mourning.
First Continental Congress forms – agree to an embargo (no trade) with Britain

23. Lexington & Concord (1775)
Militias or citizen soldiers, form in each colony.
Minutemen
British go to seize Adams, Hancock and stored arms at Concord, Massachusetts.
Paul Revere, and others warn the countryside.
“The British are coming!”

24. Lexington & Concord
The British soldiers are met by minutemen at Lexington.
“The shot heard round the world”
First battle between the colonists and British.
British retreated at Concord after losing more than 70 men.

25. Declaration of Independence
Written by Thomas Jefferson
Explained:
1) natural rights (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness)
2) stated British wrongs
3) Declared independence

26. Common Sense January 1776 Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine
Explained that he didn’t think it made sense for England to rule all of America
Colonists read it and want to separate from Britain

27. Olive Branch Petition
Document written by the colonists to “patch things up” between Britain & America
Colonists attempt to settle the dispute peacefully
King rejected it

28. Purpose of Government Protect humans basic rights
To unite, stand up against British laws and actions
Delegates from the colonies met together to plan next steps