Descent into Revolution

Navigation Acts

• Acts of Parliament that governed the imperial economic system.

• Limit free trade.• Limit economic actions of the colonies.• Before 1763 frequently ignored by

Englishmen in America.• Before 1763 not aggressively enforced.

Results of the Seven Years’ War

• British government nearly broke.• British see the war having been fought

largely for the American colonists.• General feeling that Americans should pay

their fair share.• Government now understands it has an

empire.

Proclamation of 1763• London assumes control of colonial Indian

policy.• British believe that Indians have a right to

their own territory.• Settlement and trade prohibited beyond the

mountains.• Policy largely ignored by colonists.

Grenville Acts• Sugar Act of 1764

– Designed to raise revenue

• Currency Act of 1764• Stamp Act of 1765

– First act aimed directly at the colonies– Violations to be tried in Admiralty Courts

• Quartering Act– Americans should pay for their protection

American reactions . . .• Stamp Act Congress, October 1765• Non-importation

British response . . .• Stamp Act repealed

• Declaratory Act, 1766

“Townshend Acts”

• Light taxes on a variety of goods, 1767.• Non-importation renewed.• British troops stationed in Boston, 1768.• 5 March, 1770: Lord North moves repeal . . .• 5 March, 1770: “Boston Massacre”

• April 1770: Townshend Acts repealed except tax on tea.

• June 1772: Gaspee burned.• May 1772: “Regulating Act”

– Designed to help East India Company– 3 penny tax on tea

• Dec. 1772: Boston “Tea Party”– also in Philadelphia, Charleston, and New York

“Coercive Acts” Mar-May 1774

• Boston Port Act• Massachusetts Government Act• Administration of Justice Act

• Quebec Act

• Sept.-Oct. 1774: First Continental Congress.

• April 1775: Lexington and Concord.

• Colonial militia besiege Boston.

• 10 May: Ethan Allen takes Ft. Ticonderoga.

• 10 May: Second Continental Congress meets.

• 15 June: Washington appointed commanding general of colonial forces.

• 17 June: Battle of Bunker Hill.

• 23 Aug: George III declares colonies in rebellion

• 10 Jan. 1776: Tom Paine, Common Sense.

• 17 Mar: British evacuate Boston.

4 July, 1776: Declaration of Independence.