1. If This Be Treason

3. Married Martha Dandridge Custis She was a widow with 2 children Very wealthy She and Washington did not have children of their own Washington oversaw the Custis White House Plantation Near Williamsburg Capital of colonial Virginia Life of a farmer Owned slaves Reports say he treated them well

4. Lawmaking body of the Colony of Virginia Met at Williamsburg Washington elected Patrick Henry “Caesar had his Brutus. Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the Third… may profit by their example.” “If this be treason, make the most of it!”

5. Stamp Act (1765): Required colonists to pay tax on all official documents Tax came in form of a stamp/seal Needed for all legal documents, diplomas, licenses, newspapers, etc. Parliament and King George III created the Stamp Act to pay for French and Indian War Parliament figured the war was for America, so Americans should pay for it Parliament could search colonial storehouses in New England for smuggled goods Trials held at “admiralty courts” by the British navy Not at courts with colonial juries

6. Colonists upset Saw themselves as Englishmen Did not feel like they were being treated equally Believed only their local assemblies could tax them Parliament had never directly taxed them before Since they were not represented in Parliament, they believed Parliament shouldn’t tax them Sons of Liberty Led by Samuel Adams More radical protest style Colonial revolutionaries

7. Stamp Act Congress (1765) Representatives from 9 colonies met in NYC Declared that Parliament could not tax them Also declared trial by jury was a right for all Englishmen, and the King and Parliament couldn’t take it away England repealed the Stamp Act in March 1766

8. Most colonists thought life would go back to normal after repeal of the Stamp Act Declaratory Act Parliament had direct control over when and how it taxed the colonies Didn’t upset most Americans Radicals were upset, however

9. Charles Townshend became Chancellor of the Exchequer for England Given the power to tax Wanted to punish colonists for rebellion against Stamp Act Townshend Acts New taxes on English made items sent to colonies Tax on tea imported by the British East India Co. Massachusetts Assembly wrote a letter in protest Letter angered British Secretary for the Colonies Demanded they take it back or he would disband them They didn’t, he took away their authority and ability to meet

10. Mob in Boston attacked a British customs officer British troops sent to Boston Upset radicals more Sam Adams called for revolution Massachusetts decided action would be foolish because British army was too powerful New Prime Minister in England Repealed Townshend Taxes Except the taxation of tea

11. Bostonian mob threw rocks and icy snowballs at British guard outside the customs house 20 British soldiers called in for reinforcement Did not attack One soldier hit with club Fired Rest ordered not to fire Did anyway 3 colonists dead, 2 mortally wounded Sons of Liberty termed it a “massacre” Spread pamphlets and an engraving to fire people up

12. British soldiers put on trial John Adams to defend the British Only lawyer willing to do so Cousin of Sam Adams Adams argued they were provoked by the mob, and the British government was more to blame British were acquitted (found not guilty)

13. Tea expensive East India Co. could only sell tea to British merchants These merchants than sold it to colonists Townshend Acts Smuggled tea cost less Sons of Liberty had ties to these smugglers New law in 1773 allowed East India Co. to sell directly to colonists Cheaper now than smuggled tea Only could sell to merchants with no ties to smugglers Radicals protested Said England was playing favorites

14. NY and Philly stopped East India Co.’s ships from entering harbor Boston allowed ships in still Even though it was a more radical city Dec 16, 1773 Sons of Liberty sent a message to Mass. Gov. Hutchinson demanding he force the ships to leave Governor refused 150 colonials dressed like Mohawk Indians Rowed to tea ships Emptied 343 large boxes of tea into the harbor