The Road To Revolution

1763-1775

Currency Act

• Dire financial need colonies print paper money– Depreciates

• British merchants & creditors squawk

• Parliament prohibits colonies from printing paper money or passing bankruptcy laws

Mercantilism

• Merits– First huge fortunes

made on smuggling– England gave

monopoly to VA tobacco planters

– E. pd bounties to colonial builders of ship parts

– Colonies enjoy free protection from navy, army

• Problems– No economic initiative

allowed– Dependency on British

agents/ creditors– Restrictions prevent

economic growth, diversity

Why Grenville wants to raise taxes

• Cost of defending the colonies from French doubled national debt

• Yearly losses in customs fees v. salaries 6k £

General Colonial response

• We always respected king

• He always looked after us

• Parliament is trying to deny us rights as Englishmen!

Molasses Act 1733

• Duty: 6 pence per gallon– Too high! – Wd raise cost of rum; kill industry!

Sugar Act 1764

• Lowers duty to 3 p. per gallon (4n- English= duty free)– Also adds duties on sugar, indigo, coffee,

pimento, wine, textiles– Req’d more paperwork on all shipping

• Violators charged in Admiralty Ct– No jury!

Purpose of Sugar Act

• Pay cost of defense

• Stricter enforcement of nav acts– Stop smuggling

Quartering Act 1765

• Colonies must provide shelter,– Food– Vinegar– Salt– Drink

• For British soldiers stationed here– Why do we need soldiers here? – French are gone; no Indians!

Stamp Act 1765

• Long used in England

• Revenue stamps put on – Paper items– Legal docs– Newspapers, pamphlets, advertisements– Cards, etc

• 1st direct tax!

Indirect Taxes v Direct taxes

• Indirect taxes paid by merchants

• Direct taxes paid by consumer– Violates rights because not levied by local

assemblies (no representation)• The power to tax = power to take away property• Right to property is guaranteed!

– No man is free who is taxed w/o consent!

Protests

• VA: Patrick Henry, house of Burgesses– Called for King to recognize rights of

Englishmen

• MA: James Otis– Called for uniform action

• STAMP ACT CONGRESS– Reps from 9 colonies NY 65

» Resolved: only their own reps can tax

Protests (2)

• Violence:– Sons & Daughters of Liberty formed to

intimidate tax collectors• some tarred & feathered revenue agents• Destroyed stamps

• Boycotts:– Most effective

• Fashionable to boycott Br made goods 65-66• London Merchants force repeal of Stamp Act

Yeah, but….

• Repeal followed by Declaratory Act 1766– We have the right to tax and make laws for

colonies IN ALL CASES WHATSOEVER

Phase II: 1767-73

• Townshend Acts 67:– Duties on

• Glass• Tea• Paper

– $$ to pay crown officials

» No longer dependent upon assemblies

– Writ of Assistance• General license to search anywhere w/o warrant

– NY Assembly suspended• For violating Quartering Acts

Reaction

• Slow to start bcs indirect taxes– John Dickenson “Letters from a Farmer”

• Parl can regulate commerce but not levy tax w/o consent

– James Otis, Sam Adams: “MA Circular letter”• To all assemblies• Urge petitions for repeal

– British order letter retracted; threaten to dissolve MA legislature & ↑ # troops in Boston

• Colonists renew boycotts• Merchants ↑↑ smuggling

Repeal of Townshend Acts

• New PM: Lord North– Wants repeal; bad for trade

• Leaves small tax on tea: symbol of right to tax• Boycott ended

Boston Massacre

• Troops in Boston to protect revenue agents– Mar. 1770: snowy day; huge crowds

• Harassed troops near customs house• Guards fired• 5 dead

– Crispus Attucks

• John Adams defends soldiers; acquitted• Event inflames anti-British feeling

Phase III: conflict renews

• Period of peace: 1770-02– Sam Adams starts Committees of

Correspondence• Keep feelings hot

– Brits conspire against our liberties!– Post all suspicious, threatening activities!

Gaspee Incident

• Infamous British customs ship- caught many smugglers– 1772 ran aground RI– “Indians” sent crew ashore; burned ship– Guilty never found

Boston Tea Party 1773

• 1773 tea act lowered price of Br E. India Co tea below Dutch tea– Still had small tax

• Boycotted rather than recognize P’s right to tax• Shipment to Boston harbor dumped• By “Indians” 1773

– Reaction mixed: destruction of private property

Intolerable (Coercive) Acts

• Retaliation for tea party 74– Port Bill: port closed till all tea paid for– MA gov act: reduced power of MA legislature

• ↑↑power of royal governor

– Admin of Justice Act: royal officials tried in England– Quartering Act expanded: to private homes– Quebec Act: organized Fr Canadian land

• Can stay Catholic• Quebec boundary: OH River

– Took land promised to several colonies

– No rep gov allowed there (bad precedent)

Reaction

• Committees of correspondence busy

• Colonies send gifts & $$ to Boston

• First Continental Congress to meet Sept 74 Phillie

1st Continental Congress

• 55 delegates- 12 colonies (no GA)– Support MA sanctions:

• Suffolk Resolves: resistance– Also: The Association sets up new boycott

» All trade w/ WI, GB, IRE» Violators’ names will be published

Galloway’s Plan

• New grand council (like Albany Plan) – Acts subject to veto of Parl

• Delegates refuse to subordinate to Parl• Plan defeated

Parliament’s response to Conciliation

• Promise to w/d taxation of colonies who tax selves 4 defense

• Banned shipments of arms to colonies– Congress denies Parliament’s authority

except to regulate trade

England readies for conflict

• Thought enemy was MA– Gen Gage calls for 20K troops– King G sent 3500

War

• Gage knew militia stockpiled arms– Apr 19 1775: sent 700 Concord to seize

arms• Alarms, fire-bells• Militia waiting at Lexington

– Village Green– Gun goes off– Brits open fire; kill 8, wound 10– Brits burn gun carriages, challenge militia

» 2 colonials, 3 Br killed

Gauntlet

• Br troops Boston– 700 regulars ran thru fire by 3k -4k Colonials– 73 Br killed; 192 wounded, 22 captured– 49 Amers killed, 39 wounded

• Rout– Militia comes from all NE to Boston– Siege by people w/o army, commander or gov– June: King tried to break siege:

Bunker Hill

• Re enforced by 1100 troops by sea

• Marched 1200 up Breeds Hill- repulsed

Provisional Gov

• Colonial assemblies = extra legal congresses– Indep govs– Raised troops, issued paper $$ to pay them– 2nd cont congress to meet in Phillie May 75

• took responsibility for siege of Boston• Transformed into Continental Army

– Washington: commander

Independence

• Repudiated Parliament not England

• Loyal to king– Olive branch petition:

• Ask King to repeal oppressive measures; blame P• Issued: Declaration of the Causes & Necessity of

Taking up Arms– Explained choice between submission to tyranny of

irritated ministers or resistance– Promised to lay down arms when King agrees to rights

King’s response:

• Geo III & Lord North want to teach a lesson– Sent 25k troops, declared state of rebellion– Jan 76: new view: King = Tyrant

Common Sense- Paine

• Feeling for indep grows

• Congress authorized privatizing– Opened trade w/ all world EXCEPT England– Rumor: England might carve us up btwn F &

S– Cont Congress declares Indep w/ Jefferson’s

words• Rejects P, King & Monarchy!