Causes of the American Revolution

Miss SpringbornTeam 6

Purpose of the English Colonies…

1. Mercantilism- When there is a balance of trade between England and its colonies

Mercantilism looks like this…

More purposes…

2. Colonies supply raw materials like lumber, fish, and crops such as tobacco and indigo

3. Colonies will buy the manufactured goods from England like tools, furniture, and tea

4. Having colonies helps to increase the overall wealth of England and gives them more power

Think about it question…

Have you ever felt like someone was taking advantage of you?

How does this make your feel?

Why might the colonist think they were being taken advantage of?

According to this map, who seems to gain the most out of Mercantilism?

Trying to keep control… England tried to keep control over the

colonies through different laws…

Problem: England wants to make money from the colonies

Solution- Law #1- Navigation ActsThis says that the colonies can only

trade with England. Colonial Reaction: They ignore the

law and continue to trade with the other countries.

England is neglecting the colonist and doesn’t enforce the law

Who colonist were trading with…

Think about it question… Why would colonist

want to trade with other countries???

Problem: Colonists and Natives are fighting over land

Solution: Law #2- Proclamation of 1763

England says that the colonist cannot move WEST of the Appalachian Mountains

This angers colonist because the land in the Ohio River Valley is valuable for farming and trading

Proclamation line looks like this…

Think about it question…

Why would colonist want to live in the Ohio River Valley???

Problem: Big debt from the French and Indian War

Wars are very expensive!!! The King of England needs help

paying the debt and decides to tax the colonist.

The King and Parliament start passing new tax laws on the colonist.

Think about it question…

Why do you think the colonist get so angry with the King over the taxes???

They start passing new tax laws such as…

Sugar Act- 1764, taxed sugar and molasses

Stamp Act- 1765, required special stamps to be put on all legal documents and publications

Quartering Act- 1765, made the colonist house and feed British soldiers

And continue passing… Townsend Acts- 1767m

again taxed tea, glass, and paper products along with allowing British troops to search colonist homes for any reason

Tea Act- 1773, British tell the colonist they can ONLY buy tea from the British East India Company. Colonist are upset even though the tea is cheaper

Colonist React Angrily to British Laws…

Colonist feel they are not represented in Parliament (British Lawmaking group)

Reaction continued…

The slogan “No Taxation without Representation” becomes a battle cry for the colonist

They harass British tax collectors in Boston

This leads to the Boston Massacre

On March 5th, 1770, between colonist and British soldiers

Boston Massacre facts…

Five colonist die from gunfire Debate about who started it, colonist

say they were just standing there, British say they had rocks thrown at them

Crispus Attucks first casualty of the fighting

Colonist versus the British at the Boston Massacre

This drawings is done by Paul Revere. Whose side do you thin he is on?

Who looks like the bad guy in this picture?

What do you think really happened?

Still angry…

Angry colonists form a group called the Son’s of Liberty to protest British laws and organize BOYCOTTS (when a group or individual stops buying certain goods)

Boston Tea Party

The Son’s of Liberty help to organize the Boston Tea Party on December 16th, 1773 to protest the Tea Act

What happened at this party??? Men dressed like natives, boarded the boats in the harbor and through all the tea overboard, destroying lots cargo

What does this protest say to the King and Parliament???

Britain's reaction: The Intolerable Acts

The King wants to punish the colonist for their rebellious behavior.

England and the king say…1. Port of Boston closed for trade2. Massachusetts must pay for the tea3. Legislature in Massachusetts not allowed to

meet4. Colonist had to pay cost of housing British

soldiers

Think about it question… If you were a

colonist in 1774 and got to meet with the king, what would you say to him about all the problems?

Colonist organize and fight back…

1774- First Continental Congress

They say… Colonist from all colonies except Georgia

meet in Philadelphia to discuss the problems

Goal of the group was to get back their rights as Englishmen from the King and Parliament

Also… Agreed to boycott English goods to

send a message Sent Declaration of Rights and

Grievances to the King agreeing to obey his laws IF he stopped taxing them

Please note…This group did NOT seek war or independence, only to be treated fairly by the King

3 Viewpoints of the Colonists…

1. Patriots- wanted to break awa from the King and England, Wanted independence

2. Moderates- were in the middle. Wanted to stay with England but not happy with the taxes

3. Loyalists- loyal to the king and wanted to stay with England, followed all the laws in the colonies

Think about it question…

If you lived in the colonies at this time which group would you have belonged to???

The end for now…

To be continued…