The Spirit of Independence

Lesson 1 No Taxation Without Representation

Explain the Proclamation of 1763.

Analyze why Britain began to enact harsher trade laws and taxes.

Understand cause and effect relationships as they relate to reaction of the colonists.

Indentify those individuals and groups that began to rebel against British policy.

Objectives

Revenue – incoming money from taxes or other sources

Writ of assistance – court document allowing customs officers to enter any location to search for smuggled goods

Resolution – an official expression of opinion by a group

Effigy – a mocking figure representing an unpopular individual

Boycott – to refuse to buy items in order to show disapproval or force acceptance of one’s terms

Repeal – to cancel an act or law

Vocabulary

King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763

It prohibited colonists from living west of the Appalachian Mountains, on Native American land

Kept peace between colonists and Native Americans

Britain now controlled the fur trade in North America

King George III sent 10,000 troops to the colonies to enforce the Proclamation of 1763

Proclamation of 1763

The king and Parliament felt the colonists should pay for part of the French and Indian War

Britain began issuing new taxes on the colonies

To avoid paying the taxes, colonists began smuggling which led to British revenues to fall

Enforcing Trade Laws

Lowered the tax on molasses the colonists imported hoping they would stop smuggling

Also allowed officers to seize goods from accused smugglers without going to court

Angered colonists; felt it violated their rights

Under British rule they had a right to a trial by jury and were considered innocent until proven guilty

"Smugglin' Sugar“

The Sugar Act 1764

Taxed almost all printed materials

Newspapers, wills, and even playing cards needed a stamp to show that the tax had been paid

Colonists were outraged; began to boycott British goods

British lost so much money and colonists demanded they repeal the Stamp Act

Stamp Act of 1765

The Stamp Act taught the British the colonists would resist paying Britain internal taxes

Townshend Acts taxed imported goods such as glass, tea, and paper

The tax was paid before it was brought into the colonies

Any tax angered the colonists; more protests continued

The Townshend Acts 1767

1. Explain the Proclamation of 1763.

2. How are the Stamp Act and Sugar Act similar? How are they different?

3. Why do you think Samuel Adams and others formed the “Sons of Liberty” instead of just acting alone to express their anger at the British policies?

4. How was the Townshend Act different from the Stamp Act and Sugar Act?

Review

Which changes in British policy would have angered you the most if you had lived in the colonies at that time?

Close and Reflect