1. The Colonies must now be punished!
King George III…
King George III

2. Britain’s Response to the Boston Tea Party
The Intolerable Acts
In this cartoon, there are several instances of symbolism. Lord North is forcing the “tea” (the Intolerable Acts) down the throat of the colonies, while several other British officials, most notably, Lord Chief Justice Mansfield and Lord Sandwich, are shown in the cartoon as well.
Britain’s Response to the Boston Tea Party

3. Purposes of the Intolerable Acts
Passed in response to the Boston Tea Party
They were designed to punish the colony of Massachusetts.
The British government tried to maintain order by issuing martial law (complete military control)

4. The major laws considered “intolerable”
Boston Port Act: Closed the Port at Boston Harbor.
Quartering Act: Forced the citizens of Massachusetts to house and feed British soldiers in their homes.
Massachusetts Government Act: Suspended the Massachusetts Colonial Legislature
Administration of Justice Act: Guaranteed that British officials would not be tried in colonial courts for capital crimes.

5. 1st Continental Congress
First Meeting in Philadelphia, PA
Planning the Future of the Colonies…1774
Carpenters Hall

6. If you Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail
The first meeting for the Continental Congress was to develop a plan for the future. It is now time for you to plan by creating a formal plan and strategy for the future of the colonies that will be presented to the congress.
You must consider…
Who should be in attendance? Names(if possible) and description of the types of people.
What should be accomplished at this meeting?
What do you expect the outcomes to be?
Be realistic
Refer to the “Things to think about”.
Things to Think About
The colonies are young
Boston, MA is in peril
The Intolerable Acts are handcuffing the colonies
1/3 of the colonies are “Patriots”
The economy depends on the Mother country.
No standing army…only militias
Protests
Loyalty to the Crown
Growing British military presence in Boston
How do you prepare?

7. 1st Continental Congress
Delegates from 12 colonies (all except Georgia) met to the problems in Massachusetts
They met at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia to convince Parliament to repeal the Intolerable Acts.
Delegates included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, George Washington, Richard Henry Lee, and John Jay.
Carpenters Hall

8. 1st Continental Congress’ Resolutions The Non-Importation agreement
The Congress did not intend to declare independence from Britain.
They met specifically to defend the colony of Massachusetts and have the Intolerable Acts repealed
Boycott goods, prepare for war, and meet again.
After the passage of the Intolerable Acts, colonists from 12 of the 13 colonies (all except Georgia) met at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia in what became known as the “First Continental Congress”. Assembling to convince Parliament to repeal the Intolerable Acts, delegates meeting in the Congress included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, George Washington, Richard Henry Lee, and John Jay.
While the Congress was not created in order to declare independence from Britain, the delegates did assert that they were entitled to political and social rights, and that the Intolerable Acts and other laws violated those rights.
At the conclusion of the Congress, the delegates signed non-importation agreements boycotting British goods. In addition, they pledged to meet again in 1775 if the Intolerable Acts were not repealed. However, before the delegates could meet again, the Revolutionary War had begun, and the Second Continental Congress found itself occupied with the conduct of a war rather than repeal of the Intolerable Acts.
The Non-Importation agreement

9. Colonists prepared for combat
In several Massachusetts towns people had begun to stockpile weapons and train openly for combat
General Thomas Gage, British military governor of Massachusetts, learned of colonial military preparations, and ordered British troops to Lexington and Concord to seize weapons
General Thomas Gage

10. “The shot heard round the world”
Lexington and Concord
April 19, 1775
“The shot heard round the world”

11. Map of locations of various battles fought in the first days of the Revolutionary War, April, 1775