Events leading to RevolutionAmerican Identity

Ch. 5 - 6

Main events before USA

Founding of USA

Development of

government

Our government

today…

Standard

Essential Question

What events created tension between Britain & the colonies, leading to Revolution ( independence)? –Relationship –Conflict–Change

Why did the American colonists have the rights of Englishmen?

• American Colonists = British subjects living in America

• Brought ideas from Great Britain

• The colonists experiences with British government influenced what they thought about limited government.

• The colonists expected their government to preserve their rights as English subjects.

Salutary Neglect

• Colonies were far away• Great Britain paying little attention &

interfering little with the colonies• Colonists used to act on their own = ruling

themselves

British or American??• to far away ( Salutary

Neglect)• As the years past, the

colonial government took on more power and responsibility.

• The British colonists were living as Americans

• They were building: Towns / Churches / Roads / schools / their own government

• Colonies formed own elected assemblies/ representatives ( similar to House of Commons)– House of Burgesses

( Virginia)• Imposed taxes • Managed colonies

• Colonies governed themselves, but England still had authority over them

British or American??2. At first the British government was content at leaving the colonies alone. ( Salutary neglect)

3. But as the colonies grew more successful, Great Britain saw them as a source of great wealth. ( Mercantilism)

4. In the mid-1700s the action of Parliament led to a series of events that made some colonists see themselves as real Americans.

1. They built a thriving economy and learned they could settle their own problems without the help of Britain.

Events leading to revolutionRevolution = changes by force….. CONFLICT

1. Money in the Colonies

• During the late 1600s and 1700s, the government of Great Britain followed a policy of mercantilism.

1. Mercantilism • The theory that a country should sell more goods to other countries than it buys.

• The British thought this would bring wealth.

• This wealth would then be used to develop the nation’s industry and navy.

• For the policy to work, Britain needed a source of cheap materials with which to manufacture goods.

• So after ignoring the American colonies for many years, the British government began to realize the value of the colonies.

1. Mercantilism & Navigation ActsNavigation Acts

– Tighter British control– 1650-1696– By British Parliament– Laws – limiting & controlling trade within

colonies• British policy was to squeeze as much wealth

as possible out of America.• Supported system of Mercantilism• Parliament passed a series of laws

that required the colonies to sell raw materials to Britain at low prices.

• The colonists also had to buy British goods at higher prices.

• English ships only• English ports• certain products sold only to England

2. Great Awakening

• 1730’s & 1740’s in America

• Religious movement • Questioning• Individual worth• Thoughts of Equality

– Religious / spiritual– Social

• Right to challenge authority

• Started changing ideas of colonists & led to social fervor - prepare them to break away from England

3.French & Indian War : New land – debts & taxes

• The situation became worse.

• After 1763 Britain fought a long, expensive war with France and had gone into debt.

• To pay its heavy war debts, Britain began to place heavy taxes on the American colonies.

3. Problems with France

• England VS. France• Problems over land &

fur trade

Albany Plan – “Join or Die”

• During problems w/ France

• Plan by colonists – “Albany Plan”

• Meeting in Albany, NY• Invite Colonists to join to

fight against a common enemy (French)

• Political Cartoon• By Ben Franklin

3. French & Indian War• What? French & Indian War• When? 1754-1763• Who?

British / Colonists/ Native American Allies

VS French / colonists/ Native American Allies • Why? (Cause)

– Land ( Ohio River Valley )– power/ trade

• Winner? British

French & Indian War - Consequences

• Consequences? Outcomes or Effects – Treaty of Paris of 1763

• End of war – England won

• France lost their land: England obtain new land in America: Britain claimed all land east of Mississippi River

4. After the French & Indian WarProclamation Act of 1763

• Problems with Native Americans – Colonists moving across mountains into

Native American lands

• Proclamation Act of 1763– Prohibits colonist to settle / move west

to Appalachian Mountains

Official declaration by King of England & Parliament

1763 – after French & Indian War Banned British settlers west of

Appalachian Mountains Why? To avoid problems with Indians Colonists were angry / will ignored it

VISUAL – Reading NOTES Read Ch. 6 : Workbook pages 53-56 or textbook pages 159- 171

Create visual notes explaining the events that created conflict between the British & colonists, and some tools of protest used by the colonists

Event:___________________________________Explanation:

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After the French & Indian War:Tighter British Control

New land New debts New taxes in the colonies

Opposition to British policiesColonists complaints

• Colonists … “Britain threatening our rights”– “ We are British subjects”

“ We have rights”

• No taxation without consent– “NO TAXATION WITHOUT

REPRESENTATION”– Colonists didn’t have

representatives in Parliament

• Taxes take away their freedoms & rights

• Against their rights as British citizens

Colonial Resistance

• Protests– Tea Party

• Boycotts- refuse to buy • Committees of Correspondence

– Communication within colonies ( letters)• Petition to the King

– Asking the King what they wanted• Secret Societies ( “underground” groups)

– Sons of Liberty– Daughters of Liberty

Boston Massacre - 1770

Protest – went wrongTension between troops

& colonistsViolent eventSoldiers fire 5 colonists dead 1st time that British troops

had killed colonists Used as propagandaAnti-British feelings • Video Clip

Conflicts Continue

• Problems between Britain and its colonies continue….

• Day of Boston Massacre a proposal to repeal the Townshend Acts

• All taxes except one were eventually repealed• Tax on Tea – Tea Act ( new law)

Tea Act - 1773

• Continuation of taxation• To show who

is boss!• Tax on tea

Boston Tea Party:Colonial Response to Tea Act

• Protest ( Sons of Liberty)

• Disguised as Native Americans

• Dumped British tea in the Boston harbor

British response to the Boston Tea Party: Intolerable or Coercive Acts

• This did not help the situation. Parliament passed a new series of laws, which the American called the Intolerable Acts

• 1774– Series of laws to punish

Boston, Massachusetts– Mass. Must pay tea– A warning to other colonies1. Closed port of Boston2. Banned committees of

correspondence3. Took other rights from

colonists (no trial by jury)4. Force colonists to house

British troops (Quartering Act - AGAIN!!!)

Colonists response to the Intolerable Acts: 1st Continental Congress

The colonies will join, and offer their support to Massachusetts , sending food, clothing, etc.

Communication & Unity within the colonies – Committees of Correspondence

Called a meeting to discuss what to do next- First Continental Congress