Presented By: Tammy Pittman

KING GEORGE III George III became King of Great

Britain in 1760 during the Seven Years' War

He saw the loss of the American colonies in the War of Independence

George III took the throne at the age of 22.

His abilities were limited and he was poorly suited for the rigorous demands of being the king.

It is believed that he suffered from a hereditary disease which would cause long periods of insanity which lasted until his death in 1820.

FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS May 18, 1756, the British

declare war on the French Was the source of much

resentment and controversy between England and the American colonists.

England's debt was greatly enlarged by the war.

England set plans in motion to gain more control over the American colonists.

PROCLAMATION OF 1763 Provided an end to the French and Indian War in 1763. The Proclamation closed off the western frontier for colonial

expansion. The Proclamation was presented by the King and his council

as a measure to calm the fears of the Indians. The colonists felt a strong sense of resentment. They felt as

though they were trapped and they thought they could be controlled more easily and regulated by England.

The Proclamation provided that all of the lands west of the heads of all rivers which flowed into the Atlantic Ocean from the west or northwest were off-limits to the American colonists.

This meant that the rich Ohio Valley and all territory from the Ohio to the Mississippi Rivers from settlement.

THE STAMP ACT Passed on March 22, 1765 This act would grant and apply stamp duties both in the British

colonies and plantation of America. These duties were to help compensate for the expenses that

were incurred by defending, protecting and securing the colonists.

This Act required that the colonists had to purchase printed documents such as: Deeds Legal Documents Marriage License (Licenses in general) Newspapers Bills Almanacs Pamphlets Dice and Playing Cards

These items would be issued on specially stamped paper that had to be purchased from stamp distributors.

The colonist were outraged by the imposition of this tax. Colonists reactions were on occasion riotous. This was seen

in a popular tactic used by the colonists in which they would threaten or attack the court appointed stamp commissioners (collectors).

Many were also threatened to be tarred and feathered, but none of the collectors were ever harmed in this way.

By November 1, 1765, the day the Stamp Act was to go into effect, there were no stamp commissioners left in the colonies.

SUGAR ACT Passed by Parliament in 1764. To be used to offset the war debt brought on by the French

and Indian War. Also would be used for expenses of running the new

colonies. The Sugar Act would increase duties on the following

items: Imported Sugar Coffee Wines Textiles Indigo (Dye)

It also doubled duties on foreign goods. It also forbid the import of foreign rum and French wines.

CURRENCY ACT

In 1764, the Currency Act prohibited the colonists from issuing any legal tender paper money.

This Act unified the industrial North with the agricultural South once again.

The Currency Act threatened to destabilize the colonial economy.

QUARTERING ACT In May 1765, the Quartering Act

went into effect. This Act required that the

colonists had to house British troops and supply them with food.

SONS OF LIBERTY Formed in July 1765. Underground organization formed by a

number of colonial towns in opposition to the Stamp Act.

Violence and intimidation was used by its members to force the British stamp agents to resign and stop American merchants from ordering British goods.

STAMP ACT CONGRESS Covens in New York City in October 1765. Congress prepares resolution to be sent to King

George III and Parliament. Petition requests repeal of the Stamp Act and Acts

of 1764. The Petition asserted that only colonial legislation

could tax colonial residents and taxation without representation was a violation of the colonists basic civil rights.

STAMP ACT - REPEALED March 18, 1766, the Stamp Act is

repealed.

DECLATORY ACT March 18, 1776, Parliament passes

the Declaratory Act. This Act stated that British

government had power to legislate laws governing the colonies.

TOWNSHEND REVENUE ACTS June 1767, Parliament passes the Townshend

Revenue Acts. Imposition of a new series of taxes or the colonists

to offset costs of administering and protecting the American colonies.

Taxed items included: Paper Glass Paints Tea Lead

THE BOSTON MASSACRE Occurred on March 5, 1770. Mob harassed soldiers. Soldiers fired muskets point blank into

the crowd. (3) were killed instantly (2) mortally wounded (6) injured

Captain Thomas Preston was arrested along with eight (8) of his men.

TOWNSHEND ACTS - REPEALED

Repealed in April 1770. Duties on imports were eliminated

on everything except for tea.

THE TEA ACT Went into effect on May 10,

1773. A 3 penny per pound import tax

on tax was imposed. British East India Company had a

tea monopoly and were underselling American merchants.

THE BOSTON TEA PARTY Occurred on December 16, 1773. Colonial activists dresses as Mohawk

Indians and boarded the ships docked in Boston Harbor.

All 342 tea containers were dumped into the Boston Harbor.

COERCIVE ACTS (INTOLERABLE ACTS) March 1774, Parliament passes the

Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts). The Coercive Acts were in response to the

Boston Tea Party. The Boston Port Bill closed all commercial

shipping in the Boston Harbor until Massachusetts agreed to pay taxes on the tea that was dumped into Boston Harbor.

The Coercive Act also required reimbursement to the East India Company for the loss of the tea.

FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS Met in Philadelphia from September 5,

1774, until October 26, 1774. All colonies were represented at the First

Continental Congress but Georgia.

CONFLICT ARISES April 14, 1775, England secretly orders

Massachusetts Governor Gage to enforce the Coercive Acts and suppress rebellion among the colonists.

April 18, 1775, General Gage orders British soldiers to go to Concord and destroy the weapons depot of the colonists.

Paul Revere and William Dawes are sent to warn the colonists.