1

Unit 5: Causes of Am. RevolutionI. French and Indian War (Imperial War)

A. Britain and France both claimed Ohio River Valley for valuable fur trade

B. G. Washington sent to force the French out- he had to surrender Fort Necessity

2

C. AKA Seven Years’ War: Britain wins, signs Treaty of Paris 1763 (French Empire gone

in Am.)

3

D. Conflict on Western Frontier1. Indians rebelled against Br. settlement &

attacked colonists moving west2. To keep settlers safe, King George issued

Proclamation Act: No colonists west of Mtns. (to stop conflicts with Indians

like Pontiac)

4

II. Conflict in ColoniesA. War debt & Br. redcoats protecting settlers leads to new taxes and colonial resistance

1. Sugar Act – taxed sugar & molasses 2. Navigation Acts colonists could ONLY trade with Br. (enforced for 1st time) 3. Br. run courts (guilty until proven innocent)

Britain BIG war debt

5

4. Committees of Correspondence- colonists wrote letters to

encourage protests against Br.5.“No Taxation without Representation” B. Stamp Act: Taxed all papers (required an

official stamp) 1. Colonists Protested

• Sons of Liberty: Secret group that “encouraged” colonists to stop buying the Stamps

• Stamp Act Congress (Patrick Henry)

6

C. Stamp Act repealed (removed): replaced with Townshend Acts: taxed lead, paper, paint,

glass and tea and sent troops to enforceD. Boston Massacre: snowball fight turns into violent event, killing 5 colonists (Crispus Attucks)

Reality Revere’s propaganda

7

E. Townshend Acts repealed, except Tea tax, so colonists protest with Boston Tea Party

8

F. Intolerable Acts passed to punish Boston• Harbor closed• Massachusetts Legislature cancelled

(Martial Law under General Gage)• Quartering Act- colonists had to house Br. soldiers

9

III. Revolution Begins A. First Continental Congress met in response to Intolerable Acts:

continued boycott, sent letter to King George III

B. Lexington & Concord, April 1775, British tried to take colonists’ gun powder

1. Revere and Dawes sounded the alarm

2. “Shot heard round the world” fired at Lexington (8 minutemen killed)

3. Americans used guerrilla tactics and forced Br. retreat

10

C. 2nd Continental Congress 1. Picked George Washington to head

Continental Army 2. Sent Olive Branch Petition, then 3. Wrote Declaration of Independence

Olive Branch Petition

11

D. Early Battles 1. Fort Ticonderoga 1775: Americans

surprised British and won 100 cannons 2. Bunker Hill 1775: British won only because Americans ran out of ammunition 3. Dorchester Heights 1776: Washington

used cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to blast Br.

out of Boston

12

1763 Treaty of Paris ends French and Indian war

Boston Tea PartyIntolerable Acts

Timeline

Lexington & Concord

17731774 1775

ACT LAW SAID COLONISTS PROTEST BR. REACT

Proc.

Stamp

Town.

Tea

Intol.

Quart.

No one west of Mtns.

Hated it,Ignored law Sent soldiers

Tax on all papers

Refused to payStamp Act CongressSons of Liberty

Repealed,Replaced withTownshend Act

Redcoats in your house

BoycottBoston MassacrePropaganda

Sent more soldiers

Tax on paper, paint, lead, glass, tea

Repealed, but kept tea tax

Tax on tea Boston Tea Party Intolerable Acts

Closed port,Martial law

Formed militia (citizen army)

Concord & Lexington

Colonists increasinglyAngry with British