Road to Revolution

The Events Leading to the American Revolution

French and Indian War (Seven Years’ War) 1755-1763• Fought between the France

(with the help of the Indians and Spain) vs. England (with the help of the colonists)

• Treaty of Paris of 1763 ended war

• ·England gains Canada and French lands east of the Mississippi River

• As a result of war England is in huge debt and feels colonists should pay for the war

 

Proclamation of 1763

• King George III declared all newly won territory west of the Appalachians off limits to all colonists.

• England believed they were protecting the colonists from Indians who would want revenge after the Seven Years’ War.

• This enraged colonial farmers who wanted to move into the territory. They believed that since they helped defeat the French they should be entitled to some of the benefits of victory

Quartering Act (1765)

• In order to defend colonies British left English troops in the colonies

• This act required that colonial cities give food, clothing, and house British troops

Stamp Act (1765)• This act required

colonists to buy a stamp each time they registered a legal document, bought newspapers, pamphlets, and almanacs.

• Sons of Liberty formed to protest

• Act was repealed

Townshend Acts (1767)

• Taxed paint, glass, lead, paper, and tea.

• Allowed customs officials to enter anyone house without probable cause to look for smuggled goods.

• Colonists boycotted goods. • They came together to make these

products themselves (Daughters of Liberty-came together to make cloth)

Boston Massacre (March 5, 1770)• Unemployed laborers attacked

Boston’s Custom House with snowballs.• Five rioters killed (Crispus Attucks-

black man)• Samuel Adams (Sons of Liberty)

wrote inflammatory article to the newspaper about the event.

Tea Act (1773)

• Put a tax on tea.• Colonists’ response was

immediate• Tea locked in warehouses (N.

Carolina)• Tea burned publicly• Colonists prevented ships

from landing 

Boston Tea Party (Dec. 17, 1773)

• Sons of Liberty boarded tea ship and threw shipment of tea overboard.

• King George was furious

• Implemented intolerable acts 

Intolerable Acts (1774)

• Punishment to colonists for Boston Tea Party

• Closed Port of Boston until city repaid for tea

• Increased governors powers• New Quartering Act allowed

British commanders to station troops in people’s homes

First Continental Congress (Oct. 26, 1774)• All 13 colonies represented

except Georgia• Decided to declare Intolerable

Acts null and void• Set up an association to enforce

an embargo on British trade• It called on each colony to begin

training soldiers

Second Continental Congress (July 1, 1776)•  12 of 13 colonies voted in favor of

independence.• Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration

of Independence• On July 4, 1776 the Declaration if

Independence was officially adopted.• An army is established! 

Create a Political Cartoon

• Choose one of the Notes Leading to American Revolution topics and create a full page Cartoon demonstrating your understanding of the event.

• Black and White artwork• List Event Name on the page with the

date• Put your name on the bottom right