1. The Road to the American Revolution
Chapters 4.1 – 4.2: Power-Point Notes

2. The Colonies Organize to Resist Britain
The huge debt the British faced from the French and Indian War caused them to enact many new policies in the Colonies
The Stamp Act
The Townshend Acts
The Tea Act
The Intolerable Acts

3. The Stamp Act March 1765, the Stamp Act is passed
Samuel Adams helped found the Sons of Liberty
October 1765, Delegates from 9 colonies met and created a Declaration of Rights and Grievances
Colonial Merchants boycotted goods being imported from Britain
March 1766, Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, but issued the Declaratory Act

4. The Townshend Acts 1767, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts
The colonists reacted with rage and well organized resistance:
Protested “Taxation without Representation”
Samuel Adams called for another Boycott on British goods
American women in every rank organized in protest
June 1768, British seized The Liberty

5. The Boston Massacre
Colonists and British soldiers often battled over jobs
March 5, 1770 – one of these fights erupts, killing 5 colonists
Samuel Adams labeled the event, The Boston Massacre
The Committees of Correspondence were set up to communicate with each other about threats to colonial liberties

6. The Boston “Massacre”

7. The Boston Tea Party 1773, the Tea Act is passed
This cut colonial merchants entirely out of the tea trade
December 16, 1773 – The Boston Tea Party
Dumped 1800, pounds of the East India Company’s tea into the Boston Harbor

8. The Intolerable Acts
King George III was infuriated by the Boston Tea Party
1774, Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts:
Shut down Boston Harbor
Quartering Act
Placed Boston under martial law
1774, the Committees of Correspondence quickly set up the First Continental Congress

9. Fighting Erupts at Lexington and Concord
After the First Continental Congress, many colonists declared themselves minutemen
General Gage gave orders to march along the Lexington Road to Concord
April 18, 1775: “Paul Revere’s Ride”
Battle of Lexington lasts only 15 minutes
Battle at Concord becomes a bloodbath

10. The Colonies Hover between Peace & War
Delegates had heated debates at the Second Continental Congress
Congress agreed to recognize the minutemen as the Continental Army and authorized the printing of paper money
June 17, 1775 – Battle of Bunker Hill
July 8, 1775 – Olive Branch Petition is sent to the king
King George rejected the petition

11. The Patriots Declare Independence
Common Sense by Thomas Paine became very influential in promoting a revolutionary spirit
By summer 1776, Congress urged each colony to form its own government
Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write a formal declaration
Declaration of Independence adopted on July 4, 1776

12. Americans Choose Sides
Colonists divided over the idea of independence
Patriots drew their numbers from people who saw economic opportunity in an independent America
Patriots made up about half of the population
Many colonists remained loyalists
Colonies were plunged into two wars