Steps that led to The Declaration of Independence

1. Steps that led to The Declaration of Independence King of England (King George) vs. The Colonies

2. Jamestown Colony • First permanent settlement established in 1607 • Pretty much ran itself with little royal involvement until 1754 (150 years)

3. French Indian War1754-1763 • Known as the 7 Years War between France and England over the land in North America. • The British won the war but at a huge financial expense.

4. Taxation without Represenation • To pay for the war King George started to enforce taxes on the colonist. • The colonist responded stating that there should be “No Taxation without Representation!”

5. Events of Taxation • The King enforces taxes on all goods to help pay for the cost of war • Colonist responded by smuggling in and out taxed goods • The king declares a Writ of Assistance, blank search warrants to search any colonist quarters anytime

6. Taxation Continued • The King also enforces the Stamp Act • A tax on all paper goods. • All documents must be written on paper purchased through England and the paper must carry a stamp or seal made of silver from the King • Documents such as: newspapers, diplomas, wills, marriage licenses, liquor licenses, deeds, playing cards • Colonist (Sons of Liberty) responded by burning down warehouses that had the paper stored in them.

7. Taxation Continued • The King responded by enforcing the Townshend Acts • Tax on many goods such as: paper, glass, paint, lead and tea. • Colonists responded by boycotting all English goods. • King put Redcoats on the ports forcing trade. • Boston Massacre: snowball fight gone bad (5 colonists dead)

8. Taxation Continued • The King backed off and removed all taxes on everything but tea • Boston Tea Party, on December 16th 1773 colonists split open and dumped 342 crates of tea into the Boston Harbor dressed as Native Americans.

9. Taxation Continued • The Kings response to the Boston Tea Party was the Intolerable Acts • The King closed the Boston Harbor until the tea was paid for • All representative government was revoked in the Massachusetts colony

10. First Continental Congress

11. The First Continental Congress was a convention set up by twelve of the thirteen colonies (56 delegates) in response to the Intolerable Acts (aka: Coercive Acts) • They wrote a list of rights and grevences to the King which eventually through changes became The Declaration of Independence • They also created a 2nd Continental Congress

12. Declaration of Independence

13. 2nd Continental Congress • The 2nd Continental Congress created the specific document called Declaration of Independence