Bell Ringer- 2/8

• Based on what you’ve learned so far, evaluate/ comment on the following statement:

“In a broad sense, the American Revolution was not the same thing as the American War of Independence. The war itself lasted only eight years. But the Revolution lasted over a century and a half.”

The Road to Revolution

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The “Betsy Ross” Flag

England established colonies in North America in the 17th & 18th centuries for the purpose of increasing her empire.

Photo Credit: http://earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/english_colonies/Colonies_1763.jpg

The colonies were part of England.

The colonists were English.

The purpose of establishing colonies is to increase the wealth of the

mother country.

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English mercantilist policies were designed to do just that.

The colonies were to provide raw materials to England, which England would sell to

other countries.

The colonies were to purchase British goods.

Colonial MercantilismColonial MercantilismAmerican ColoniesAmerican Colonies

produce raw produce raw materialsmaterials

(Ex: cotton, sugar, (Ex: cotton, sugar, tobacco)tobacco)

EnglandEnglandControls how it buys Controls how it buys

and makes goods and makes goods to sellto sell

(Ex. Cloth)(Ex. Cloth)

Other countryOther country(Ex. France)(Ex. France)Buys goodsBuys goods(Ex. Cloth)(Ex. Cloth)

Ships and sells raw Ships and sells raw materials to materials to

EnglandEngland

Manufactured goods (ex. Cloth) areManufactured goods (ex. Cloth) aresent back to Americasent back to America

GGooooddss

Gold is Gold is traded for traded for

goods and is goods and is taken to taken to EnglandEngland

The English Navigation Laws (a series of laws starting in 1650), were to ensure the process of mercantilism went smoothly:

• commerce was to take place on English ships

• colonial products were not to compete with English industries

• England collected tariffs (import taxes) on non-English European goods bound for

America

Benefits of mercantilism:

• military protection• guaranteed markets

• price supports

Burdens of mercantilism:

• economic “bondage” (inability to seek the best price)• stifled initiative

Photo Credit: http://www.lesleyannemcleod.homestead.com/files/62214___ship_English_14gun_revenue_cutter_1815small.jpg

England laxly enforced the Navigation Laws (salutary neglect) because …

• England was preoccupied with wars, and

• the people of the colonies were “low class.”

Photo Credit: http://www.internetgraphicsdesign.com/images/money_bags_jpg.jpg

England had incurred “crushing debt” defending North America in numerous wars.

England hoped to resolve the situation via:

• stricter enforcement of the Navigation Laws.

• Sugar Act of 1764 – taxed molasses imported from France

• Quartering Act of 1765 – colonial gov’ts had to provide food and housing for British troops in North America.

These efforts weren’t enough.

Photo Credit: http://www.dukesofbuckingham.org/people/family/grenville/nugent_buckingham.jpg

The series of wars made England aware of the large

colonial population.English Prime Minister

George Grenville suggested taxing the colonies to cover

about 1/3 the cost of the debt.

King George III and Parliament agreed.

Photo Credit: http://dc-mrg.english.ucsb.edu/WarnerTeach/E172/images/George.III.portrait.jpg

Parliament passed the Stamp Act of 1765, taxing legal documents in the colonies.

The revenue would be used to support British troops in the colonies.

The colonists were greatly offended.

The colonists argued that they had been taxed without their

consent as they had no representatives in

Parliament.

(Besides, the wars were over, why didn’t the troops just go home?)

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“Relax!” exclaimed Parliament.

“You are represented by us! You are our colonies! It is in our best interests to see to

your best interests.”

This concept is known as “virtual representation.”

The colonists did not agree.

“Why don’t we have two Parliaments?” asked the Colonies. “One in England and

one here? We’ll tax ourselves.”

“No.” said Parliament

Photo Credit: http://www.parliament.uk/images/hop/lords_pic.jpg

A group hastily convened in New York City to discuss the issue. 27 delegates from 9 colonies participated in this

Stamp Act Congress.

The delegates approved a 14-point Declaration of Rights and Grievances

affirming that colonial taxation could only be carried on by their own assemblies.

The arrival of the stamped paper coincided with the end of the Congress.

Photo Credit: http://www.silasdeaneonline.org/documents_images/revwar/StampAct_sm.jpg

The colonists reacted violently

and began to destroy property.

Merchants organized nonimportation agreements (boycotts of English goods) and

smuggled non-English goods into the colonies.

Photo Credit: http://www.multied.com/Revolt/photos/Boycott.GIF

Colonists formed radical groups, such as the Sons of Liberty, to oppose Parliamentary taxation policies and to make certain uncooperative merchants participated in the boycotts.

Photo Credit: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cabuehner/sonsflag.gif

Sons of Liberty flag

Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, but passed other taxation measures:

• Townshend Acts – taxed goods produced in Britain. The income would be used to pay the salaries of British officials in the colonies.

Photo Credit: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cabuehner/sonsflag.gif

The colonists did not agree that colonial trade in compliance with navigation laws

was subject to taxation.

British officials tightened security against smugglers in Boston and assigned more

soldiers to the city. Soldiers were taunted on a regular basis. One day, things got

out of control.

Photo Credit: http://library.thinkquest.org/11683/media/Massacre.gif

The colonists threw rock-filled snowballs at the soldiers. The soldiers shot into the

crowd, killing five men.

The Boston Massacre

Photo Credit: http://www.britishpensions.org.au/images/quill.gif

Thanks to the Committees of

Correspondence, news of such

activities spread throughout the

colonies.

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The Tea Act, though it would

make tea cheaper for the colonists, was

rejected by the colonists on principle.

Photo Credit: http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312233/Image/tea.gif

To indicate their displeasure at the Tea

Act, the colonists prevented the

unloading of tea at the ports. The resistance

was strongest in Boston, where the tea was dumped into the

harbor.

                       

      

Photo Credit: http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312233/Image/tea.gif

Parliament acted quickly to punish the colonies, passing several Coercive Acts

including closing Boston Harbor, making Massachusetts a royal colony, and allowing

the use of force against the colonists.

The colonists called these “Intolerable Acts.”

56 delegates from 12 colonies sent delegates to the First Continental Congress in

Philadelphia in 1774. The delegates drew up another “Declaration of Rights and Grievances” (addressed to the King) indicating that they agreed with the

regulation of external commerce, but not with taxation without their consent. They

also resolved to continue boycotts of English imports (Suffolk Resolves).

The delegates went home about eight weeks later wondering how King

George III would respond.