The Road to Revolution.ppt...Title Microsoft PowerPoint - The Road to Revolution.ppt [Compatibility...
Transcript of The Road to Revolution.ppt...Title Microsoft PowerPoint - The Road to Revolution.ppt [Compatibility...
10/10/2013
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England tightens control over the colonies
� After the French and Indian War, Britain wanted to govern all its landholdings in North America equally
� Parliament began to impose new laws and restrictions on colonists
� After the period of Salutary Neglect, many colonists felt their freedoms were being limited
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� Forbade colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains
� Prevent further conflict with the Natives, � After Pontiac’s Rebellion
� Colonists wanted to move into the fertile valley of the Ohio River � Many felt they had earned
the right by helping to win the war
� Must enforce the Proclamation and needed troops in the colonies.
� Quartering Act (1765) –Required colonists to house British soldiers and provide them with supplies
� Most of the troops were stationed in New York with General Thomas Gage
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� England had a huge debt from the war, and the quartering act required even more money.
� Colonial assemblies had been responsible for creating taxes to support the colonial military
� Sugar Act – tax on sugar, molasses and other products shipped to colonies; included a harsh punishment for smuggling
� Many colonial merchants had been trading smuggled goods and reacted angrily to the new enforcement
� Colonial leaders criticized the direct taxation by Parliament
� James Otis argued that Parliament had no right to tax the colonies because they had no direct representation in Parliament
� England argued that colonists benefited from English laws they were subject to be taxed.
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� Required that all legal and commercial documents have an official stamp showing a tax had been paid for them
� New type of tax – not on imported goods, but applied to items within the colonies.� It was a tax directly on
colonists
� Colonial leaders continued to question the legality of being taxed without representation
� Met in New York City; first time colonies met to act together in protest
� Created petition to King protesting the act
� Declared right to tax the colonies rested with colonial legislatures
� Colonial merchants boycotted British goods
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� Colonists formed secret societies to oppose British policies
� Most were people whose businesses were most affected by the tax
� Many groups staged protests against the taxes; some were violent with fires set and tax collectors tarred and feathered
• The protests had an effect on British Merchants. They were scared their trade with the colonies would be hurt
• William Pitt agreed with colonists about taxation and representation and criticized the Stamp Act
• Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766
• Declaratory Act (1766) –Parliament declared it had supreme power over the colonies