THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE

Chapter 3, Section 3 Chapter 4, Sections 1-4

Chapter 3, Section 3

MAIN IDEA: During the 1600s,

England put in place several economic laws to increase trade make the colonies more profitable for Britain

Mercantilism

Definition: The power your country has on the world’s

stage is directly connected to the amount of gold and silver you have

You should be self-sufficient for raw materials In order for Britain to do this, they needed the

raw materials from the colonies

Impact on Colonies

BENEFITS DRAWBACKS

Steady source of goods for them to buy

A market to sell their raw materials

Limited who they could trade with

Prices were higher than needed (monopoly)

Increased the amount of illegal trade colonists were doing

The New King

King Charles II wanted to make even more profit off of their system of mercantilism

Implemented the Navigation Acts

The Navigation Acts

A series of laws regulated who, when, and where the colonists to trade with

Colonists complained- this made prices too high to afford and reduced the profit of the colonists

In 1663, the Staple Act required ALL imports came from England This act upset the colonists Hard to enforce- not enough British in colonies

to regulate it

A War Breaks Out

The French and Indian War British AGAINST

the French (back by Indians)

Why Did the War Start?

Both England and France wanted land west of the Appalachian Mountains to be their land

In the Ohio River Valley, TONS of farmland

George Washington

Young officer from Virginia

Lost horribly in his first battle

Learned several lessons from this failed attempt

The Albany Conference

Britian wanted the colonists to start working together

The Albany Congress met to work on this Nothing came out of this group, but steps

were taken to have the colonies start working together

British Win

Fighting moved to Europe (called Seven Years’ War)

The British defeat the French in Quebec

British are the victors of the French and Indian War

Treaty of Paris, 1763

French are out of North America

Some land given to Spain

Most of the French land becomes British land

Change in Possession

Colonies are NOT Happy

Upset by Proclamation Line of 1763

Were expected by British to help pay for the war

New taxes were unfair to colonists

THE UNFAIR ACTS

Sugar Act, 1764

Also known as American Revenue Act New higher tax rates on sugar, molassas,

silk, coffee, indigo The British could seize possession of goods

without a reason (without due process) Colonists started publishing pamphlets

rejecting the Sugar Act

Stamp Act, 1765

To raise more money, the British put a tax on paper products

It required a stamp to be placed on the object

This was the first tax directly placed on the colonists

Quartering Act, 1765

This act forced the colonists to pay for their own defense

Either the colony had to build barracks for the British troops OR the troops were allowed to stay anywhere they wanted

Problem with the Stamp Act

Colonists felt it was unfair They felt their rights as British citizens

were being taken away Hard to enforce- no colonists bought the

stamps “Taxation without Representation” Led to boycott of buying British Goods Really hurt British economy

The British repealed the act in 1766

Townshend Acts, 1767

Tax on paper, paint, and tea

If you did not pay the tax, you could be arrested

This really infuriated the colonists

Sons and Daughters of Liberty

Groups that promoted boycotts for British goods

A group to vent frustrations to

The Boston “Massacre”

Tensions was high in Boston

March 1770: Colonists and British

troops met up Shots were fired Became known as

Boston Massacre

Blown out of proportion by journalists- stir up hatred towards British

Response to Massacre

British repealed most of the Townshend Acts

BUT, kept the tax on TEA

Committee of Correspondence

1773 Thomas Jefferson

proposed that the colonies start communicating with each other

Would help coordinate plans for resisting Britain

Tea Act, 1773

British implement Tea Act The Act bypassed American merchants

Thought the British were trying to eliminate the merchant class in America

The Boston Tea Party, 1773 A shipment of tea arrived in Boston

Harbor Spurred on by the Sons and Daughters of

Liberty, men snuck on the ship at night They dumped the tea overboard

The Coercive Acts, 1774

Boston Tea Party was last straw for King George III

The Coercive Acts were meant to punish the colonies, specifically Massachusetts

Also called the Intolerable Acts: Boston’s port was closed Massachusetts charter was revoked All political offices were now appointed by

England Forced to house British troops (Quartering Act)

The First Continental Congress

September 1774 12 of the 13 colonies were present (Georgia

absent). The congress did not desire independence,

but did draw up a list of grievances wrote a Declaration of Rights.

Plans were made to convene again in 1775 if the situation didn't change.

The Revolution Begins

Massachusetts formed militia- went against British law

April 1775, British march to Concord to take supplies from colonists

Ran into the “minutemen” outside of Lexington

“The Shot Heard Around the World” British retreat- know they need to

reorganize before they continue to fight

Difference of Opinion

LOYALISTS PATRIOTS

Aka Tories Some Americans still

backed the British Did not want to

separate from England

Aka Whigs Lower classes Wanted more rights Felt the king would

not give them the rights they wanted/deserved

Would tar and feather Loyalists

2nd Continental Congress

Adopted a militia army Named George Washington as general

and commander in chief Still not sure they want independence

Battle of Bunker Hill

British, under General Gage, attack hills in Boston

Colonial militia fight a good fight, but end up losing

Proved to all that colonists were going to put up a good fight

Bunker Hill

Olive Branch Petition

2nd Continental Congress One final attempt to make peace with

King Written by John Dickinson King refused, declaring “Proclamation for

Suppressing Rebellion”

Common Sense

Written by Thomas Paine

Written to convince colonists that independence was necessary and logical

Declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776 Written by Thomas

Jefferson Continental

Congress declares themselves independent from England

British Strengths and Weaknesses

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Large population Powerful navy More wealth Hired Hessians

(Germans) Had a large

Loyalist population

France was just waiting for a chance to get back at England.

Many British didn't wish to fight and kill the Americans.

British officers were not the best, the men were mistreated

the war was to be fought an ocean away

supplies would often run low.

Americans Strengths and Weaknesses

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Strong Leaders French assistance On the defense Better prepared for

guerilla fighting Fighting for a cause Geography

Not a unified people Lack of money Military with little

leadership training No navy

The ChartPHASE LOCATION DATES BATTLES DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS

Phase One:Protest       

New England

April 1775-Spring 1776

   

Phase Two:Opposition        

Middle Atlantic

Summer 1776-Summer 1778

   

Phase Three:Rebellion          

Southern Dec 29 1778-Oct 19 1781

   

War is Over

After the British lose at Yorktown in 1781, the war stops

Need a peace treaty

Treaty of Paris, 1783

Takes close to two years to actually end the war America is independent from England Florida goes back to Spanish control America given all land to Mississippi River

Treaty of Paris, 1783

WHAT NEXT???

The New American Culture

Ch 4, sec 4 Impact of the Revolution

New Political Ideas

State Constitutions

Voting Rights

Freedom of Religion

Women’s Rights

African Americans

Loyalists

Arts