1. The Road to Revolution Do Now
What do you think is going to be the biggest reason the colonies will revolt against England and why?
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?

2. Impact of Enlightenment
Spread of Republicanism
Voltaire- civil liberties, freedom of religion
Montesquieu- 3 branches- executive, legislature, judicial
Locke- natural rights of man
Smith- capitalism, free trade, market economy
Hobbes- social contract, submit to sovereign authority. “Leviathan”
Rosseau-social contract, liberal republicanism
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?

3. England’s Policies towards the Colonies
Original policy
Salutory Neglect
As long as colonies provided raw materials and engaged in trade, they were generally left alone
Some taxes, but not much!
Post 1763
Mercantilism
Forced trade imbalance where England’s exports to the colonies are much more than the import value of products from the colonies.
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?

4. Early English Acts Navigation Acts 1650-1673 Molasses Act 1733
Series of laws designed to force the colonies to trade only with England
Molasses Act 1733
Hard to enforce, led to smuggling, England eased up until 1763!!
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?

5. Homework
Make a full page chart showing the positives and negatives in the mercantile relationship between the mother country and the colony.
There are actually + and – for each. Obviously more + for mother and – for colony but think of as many as you can.
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?

6. Mother Country (England) Colony (U.S.)$$
Positive trade balance
Raw Materials
^ land
^ tax base/ ^population
^ worldwide respect
^ paying/skilled jobs
Protection
Automatic trading partner
Some rights/ freedoms
Jobs
technology P o S I T V E s N E G A T I V s
Spreads out military
Possible revolts
Cost of defending territory
Tension with other countries
Depleted resources
Less freedoms/rights
Low paying jobs
Forced to buy English products
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?

7. Effects of French and Indian War
England
Almost total control of N. America
1763- turning point of English policy!!!!
Who was at fault for the war???
Who pays for it???
England in severe debt!!! 60% of their national budget was to pay off the war loan interest!!!
Switch from Salutory Neglect to mercantilism
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?

8. Proclamation of 1763
Prevented colonists from moving west of Appalachian Mts.
Why we pissed??
Why England did it?
Avoid conflict between colonists and natives
“buffer”
War costs $$$
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?

9. Taxing time!!! Sugar Act 1764 Stamp Act 1765 Townshend Acts 1767
Taxed French molasses and sugar products
Actually reduced the English molasses tax in 1/2!!!!
Stamp Act 1765
All printed items
Townshend Acts 1767
Series of acts taxing imports (glass/lead/tea/etc.)
Tea Act 1773
Tax on American tea, but not British!!
Do we have a right to complain about these taxes?????
Reality check!!!!
Colonists paid 1/20th the amount of taxes as the average English citizen!!!
Tea tax $1 year extra if you drank a gallon of tea every day!!
Sugar and tea are indirect taxes!!!!
Basically all the taxes were repealed within a year!!
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?

10. Reactions!!!! Stamp Act Congress 1765 Boycotts Riots Hanging in Effigy
James Otis “no taxation without representation”
14 grievances to England (Declaration of Rights and Grievances)
Unified???
Stamp act repealed a year later, but England made Declaratory Act 1766
England has the right to make laws on its colonists!!!
Boycotts
Riots
Hanging in Effigy
Tar and Feathering
Boston Tea Party 1773
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?

11. Sons of Liberty Formed after Stamp Act Samuel Adams John Hancock
1st to want complete independence
The brains and the muscle of the group
Basically the founder of the Revolution, it was his full time job!
Committee of Correspondence
John Hancock
The $$$/frontman
Liberty Tree/Pole
Aim: Why did the colonists start the American Revolution against England?