The Road to Revolution

• 2 ideals leading up to Revolution:

– Republicanism

– “Radical Whigs”

Republicanism

• “just society”

• Citizens submit to common good

• Opposed to hierarchical and authoritarian societies: aristocracy and monarchy

Radical Whigs

• Opposition party in England

• Feared threat to liberty posed by monarchy

• Worried about losing rights

Bolstered attitudes by colonial life:

• No royalty in America

• Property ownership and political participation were relatively accessible

• Accustomed to running own affairs

Mercantilism and sassy colonists

• Wealth = power

• Wealth = silver and gold in treasury

• All about exporting more than importing

• Navigation Laws

Enforcing mercantilism

• Navigation Laws, colonists angry

• British government regulated coinage in Americas (angry)

• Colonists issued paper money which depreciated and caused inflation

• British stopped this, colonists angry

• British gov’t had royal veto which also made colonists angry

Mercantilism

pros• Navigation laws loosely

enforced until 1763

• Britain did lots to help colonists

• Sometimes goods cheaper

cons• Stifled colonial economic

initiative

• Contributed to colonial dependence on Britain

• “econonmic adolescence”

British problems

• French and Indian War left Britain in major debt

George Grenville• British prime

minister

• Most hated man in America

Sugar Act• 1764

• First direct tax ever passed in the colonies

• Tons of protests, taxes lowered

Quartering Act

• Required colonists to provide food/lodging for British troops

• Colonists angry…

Stamp Act• George Grenville

• Meant to raise revenue to pay for war debt

• Grenville thought he was being reasonable

• Colonists disagreed. Hard.

Stamp Act

• Over 50 trade items and documents

• British subjects had already been paying a much higher tax

• Also “called for trying offenders in admiralty courts”- no juries, colonists suspicious

Colonial Reaction

Colonists suspicious and angry

• Also “called for trying offenders in admiralty courts”- no juries, colonists suspicious

• British army still in colonies…..

“No taxation without representation”

• “virtual representation” theory

Repeal of the Stamp Act

• Stamp Act Congress of 1765

• 27 delegates from 9 colonies

• “halting but significant step towards inter-colonial unity”

Colonial Means of Resistance

“Nonimportation acts”

• Basically boycotts

• United American people in common action