American Revolution

Causes, effects, battles

Road to the Revolution

• Most Americans are proud to be British • Salutary Neglect – Wapole 1713-1763 • Whig and Prime Minister – believed in leaving the

colonies alone • Why • Produce more wealth, commerce and less friction • Brits job was to provide peace, protection

commerce and send more immigrants• Left to protect themselves against Natives

Road to the Revolution

• Had to effectively organize and become self=reliant

• 13 separate governments emerged –undermine the authority of parliament

• Why • Local government able to deal with local needs • Get used to dealing with our own affairs w/out

Brits interfering

Road to the RevolutionProtests

• Paxton Boys – 1764 • Revolt against Quaker leniency regarding

Natives Policy • 20 peaceful Natives are killed, march on

Philadelphia demanding better representation, protection against the Natives on the frontier and funds for internal improvements

Road to Revolution Protests

• Regulator Movement 1771• Eastern farmers in N Carolina frustrated with

Brits taxes, inadequate representation of western farmers in assembly, legislation favors wealthy planters

• Lasted 3 years

Road to the Revolution

• Mercantilists System – colonies existed for benefit of the mother country

• Colonies add to wealth • Provide ships, sailors, trade• Raw materials—tobacco ,indigo ,lumber fish• Eliminates need Brits to buy supplies other

countries

Road to the Revolution First Law

• Navigation Law-- • Purpose was to enforce mercantilism • Motive: restricted commerce to and from

colonies “enumerated” articles like tobacco had to go to England –ONLY!!!!!!!!!

• Even if price higher somewhere else • All goods going to American had to go to

England first

Road to Revolution restrictions

• Molasses Act 1773– heavy taxes on molasses ,rum, sugar imported from French Caribbean

• Colonists traded with French West Indies • Some Rum was produced in American and traded for

slaves –New England heavily involved in slave trade • Until 1763 mercantilism did not impact colonial

economy• Colonies protected by Brits free of charge • Colonies profit from manufacturing and trading

Road to the Revolution

• Mercantilism hinder colonies manufacturing• South has a major problem—(enumerated) • VA - --poor economic conditions leads to

unrest • NE mad because Southern colonies get better

treatment ---why?

Road to the RevolutionRegulation

• Writs of Assistance – search warrants harass colonial shippers

• Aimed to smuggling – (illegal triangular trade)

• 1761– James Otis –demands repeal • Parliament refuses –efforts spread throughout

colonies – “no taxation without representation”

Road to Revolution End of Salutary Neglect

• 1763– George Greenville enforces Navigation Acts

• Ability to try smugglers, tax evaders, ship owners, --no trial by jury

• Debts from Seven Years War enormous • Half the debt due to protecting the colonies • Brits want colonists to pay for maintaining

British troops

Road to the Revolution

• King George III –wanted to increase control over colonies

• Proclamation of 1763--- colonials cant move West of Appalachians

• Prevent future uprisings from Natives • Colonists react: veterans fought in French and

Indian war betrayed, land speculators believed should be able to access land, colonists ignore it

Road to the Revolution

• Currency Act 1764--- printing colonial paper money restricted

• Want the colonists to pay back debt with gold and silver • Sugar Acts – 1764– First Act Passed to raise revenue for

the colonies • Regulate illegal triangular trade by collecting duties that

the colonists had not paid for many years • Reduced taxes on Molasses but taxes all of it not • Not enforced effectively –duties lowered after Stamp Act

Road to the Revolution

• Quartering Act – 1765– certain colonies required to provide food and quarters for British troops

3 Main Crises American Revolution

• Stamp Act– purpose was to raise revenue to support new military force in the colonies

• Official stamps serve proof of payment • Greenville– (local authority for the King) • Stamp Act was reasonable • Required them to pay fair share for colonial

defense

Causes of the American Revolution

• Virginia Resolves– (lead by Patrick Henry)• VA leaders –stamp act attacked colonists rights

as Englishmen • 5 of 7 were adapted by House of Burgesses • VA could only be taxed by VA --- • No taxation without Representation • 8 other colonial assemblies passed similar

resolutions

Causes of the American Revolution

• Difference between Legislation and Taxation • Legislation =external taxes which of right of

parliament –tariffs • Taxation – internal taxes right of the local

government • Greenville--- responds with “virtual

representation”

How will the colonists deal

• Stamp Act Congress – 1765—27 delegates from 9 colonies

• Draw up statement of rights and grievances and demanded it be rescinded

• Ignored in England –did not really matter in colonies

• What is the significance --- • Non-importation agreement against British

Goods – hurt brits but did not change

Dealing with the Brits

• Sons of Liberty – Sam Adams • Violently enforce non importation agreements• Tarring and feathering, vandalized, • Forced agents to resign • 1766 Stamp Act will be repealed

Brits Get Even

• Declaratory act – • To say “we still have power” • Parliament has the right to tax in the future • Sugar tax lowered • Townsend Acts – 1767 – • Punish for uprising • Duty placed on glass, paper, paint, silk, tea

Colonial Reaction

• Raise Revenue ! ---NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!• John Dickinson –Letters From A Pennsylvania

Farmer • Cant raise revenue off of our taxes • Massachusetts Circular Letter • Try to get colonies together to repeal

What is Next!!!!!!!!!!

• Brits send troops • Threaten to dissolve legislature • Anyone who supported it –dissolve legislature • VA, MS MA DE SC – all support • Boston Massacre

Boston Massacre

• Peaceful arrival of troops in Boston• Colonists are fearful of standing armies • Thought they were there to suppress liberties• March 5 1770– Brits fire on crowd (provoked) • Crispus Attucks –first to die in revolution • Propaganda exaggerated event • Spreads throughout colonies

Now What!!!!!!

• Townsend Acts repealed• Why • Pressure from colonies• Non importation agreements hurting British

manufacturing • Did keep tea tax • Half troops are removed

Gaspee Incident --1771

• British warship ran aground near RI pursing smugglers

• Ship had reputation for stealing from colonists • Sons of Liberty– dress as Indians take crew off

and set it on fire • Gaspee Commission --- seeks retribution • Cant find them

Committees of Correspondence

• Colonial discontent –Brits try to enforce Navigation Laws

• Sam Adams – get people angry • Organizes committees –Nov 1772• Function was to spread propaganda • Interchange letters in order to keep opposition

alive • Inter colonial groups that emerge will be First

American congresses

Angry Colonists

• Tea Act 1773 • British East India Tea Co--- granted monopoly• Price of tea will be lower even with the

existing tax • Colonists see it as a trick • Trick is to get the colonists to accept tax

through cheaper tea ---• Boston Tea Party --- 1773

INTOLERABLE

• Intolerable/Coerecive Acts – 1774 passed to punish Boston

• Boston Port Act ---harbor closed until damages paid

• Massachusetts charter revoked --- • Forbade town meetings • Quartering Act

What do the French have to do with it

• Quebec Act 1774– not meant to punish colonies

• Allows for French in Canada to keep “frenchness” –

• Colonies --- view it as attempt to create a French threat

• View it as attack on Protestants

First Continental Congress

• 1774 Committees of Correspondence –act quickly against Intolerable Acts

• Bostonians –end all trade with Brits invites other colonies

• First CC – 12 of 13 colonies are there • Adams, (Sam and john) Washington and Patrick

Henry • Suffolk Resolves– denounce intolerable acts, want

colonists organize militia, want all trade suspended

First Continental Congress

• Main purpose it to redress grievances • Declaration of Rights • Gave them legal right to assemble • Bill of Rights – established the structure for the

Declaration of Independence (preamble, list of grievances, mutual pledge

• Called for no importation, no exportation, no consuming

• Restated allegiance to the King –just want things fixed • Declare to meet again!!!!!

And the Battle Begins

• The Shot Heard Round the World • Lexington and Concord • Ordered to arrest General Gage(new gov of Mass) • Arrest leader of rebellion and prepare • April 1775– 700 Redcoats sent • Seize gun powder and arrest Adams and Hancock • Paul Revere warns militia

Shots were Fired

• Minutemen refuse to leave • Concord – Brits forced to retreat by American

reinforcements

British Strengths

• Money and best navy • More people 7.5 million to 2.5 million • 20,000 slaves Carolinas and GA join Brits

(promise of freedom) • Natives (last hope for keeping land hungry

colonists out) • Professional Army –hire hessians to help out • Loyalists in colony

Brits Weakness

• Distance (communication) • America—large and hard to occupy • British Generals –poor leaders • Provisions poor • France ---long time enemy

America

• Outstanding leadership –Washington • Money from France• Strong belief in their cause –moral advantage

American Weakness

• Badly organized • Cont. Congress weak and ineffective • Jealousy among colonies • Little metal money (paper money printed

=worthless)• Soldiers deserted economic difficulties • Military supplies – • Militia men unreliable

May 10, 1775

• Second Continental Congress • 13 • Not interested in Independence • Decided to go to war –MOST SIGNIFICANT• Washington will lead • Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms –T.

Jefferson • Appeal to King • Set plan to raise army • Olive Branch Petition • Reconsider Intolerable

Battles

• June 1775• Bunker Hill --kill 1000 red coats --• Run out of gunpowder and forced to leave hill • Brits lost many men – • Considered victory • Bloodiest battle of war • British will state we are in state of REBELLION • Aug 23 1775 • Hessians

Declaration of Independence

• How does the loyalty shift • Hire hessians • Freedom for slaves if help Brits • Burning of Norfolk • Paine’s –Common Sense

Common Sense

• 1776• Propaganda • Colonial polices are inconsistent• Independence only course • King was “royal brute” • America had a sacred mission –independent

democratic republic • Persuades Congress to go all the way • Could not get aid unless independence

Proposing Independence

• June 7, 1776• Philadelphia – • “Colonies are and of right ought to be free and

independent states” • July 2 1776 motion adopted • Committee on Independence – T Jefferson, B

Franklin, J Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston

Declaration of Independence

• 3 Parts • Preamble – influenced by John Locke• States rights of colonists to break away –• Life liberty pursuit of happiness (property) • All men are equal• 27 grievances• Significance is foreign aid •

Patriots and loyalists

• Adams : 1/3 Patriots 1/3 loyalists 1/3 neutral • Loyalists are Tories 20 percent • Older, wealthier, more educated • Patriots • Whigs • Numerous in New England • Minority movement • Robert Morris “financier of Revolution”

Battle of Saratoga

• Most important battle • Sought to capture New York • Make possible French aid (which will

determine our independence) • Spanish and Dutch will enter as well –England

faced with world war • Saratoga will revive the cause

Valley Forge 1777-1778

• Supplies scarce food clothing

• Baron von Stueben – whip us into shape • Demonstrate American resolve under bad

conditions • Crisis letters read here to encourage moral

Is there a traitor among us

• Yep --- Benedict Arnold • 1780 tremendous blow to American morale • Does not like way he is treated • Washington persuades him to make him head

of West Point • Plots to sell out the strong hold of West Point

(Hudson River)• Plot is discovered

1777—How will we govern

• John Dickinson • 2 CC creates Articles of Confederation • First Constitution last until – 1789 when

Constitution is adapted • Powers: conduct wars, handle foreign

relations, secure loans, borrow money • CAN NOT: regulate trade, conscript troops,

levy taxes

Our Ally

• French • Marquis de Lafayette – helps get aid for us • Declaration will ensure it • Treaty • We would have independence • Wage war until it is won or until both agree to

terms

Southern Colonies

• Savannah is taken in 1778-1779• Charlestown 1780 – 4th largest city • Devastating loss heavy losses • Nathaniel Green – clears GA and S .C of most Brits

troops• Cornwallis forced to abandon • Battle of Yorktown --- last major battle of the war • Chesapeake is blockaded by French, Washington will

march attack Brits by land • 1781 Cornwallis will surrender

Peace of Paris

• United states formally independent• Boundaries stretch to Mississippi River Great

Lakes and Spanish Fl • We Promise: British loyalists will not be

persecuted • Property restored • American had to pay back British creditors • We don’t comply and becomes partial cause of

War of 1812