Causes of the Revolutionary War

1. Causes of the Revolutionary War The why behind the war

2. New Western Lands • Indian Troubles • Settlers moving west • Limited amount of trade • Pontiac’s Rebellion (Ottawa Chief) • 1763, 2,000 settlers killed • Forts & homes burned • Ended with winter

3. Proclamation of 1763 • Way for England to save money • No settlers to protect • Fur trappers had to have royal permission to go there • England did not believe it would be a permanent law • Veterans of F&I War felt they had fought for right to move west – so instantly angered

4. George Grenville • Enforced Navigation Acts • Ended policy of salutary neglect – intentionally not enforcing certain laws • Made laws to raise money • Sugar Act • Currency Act • Stamp Act

5. First American Protests • Against Stamp Act • Was a direct tax – we directly pay it • Indirect tax just effects price • Boston’s stamp tax collector, Andrew Oliver “hanged in effigy” – Meaning??? • James Otis, Boston lawyer • Wrote pamphlet • “No taxation without representation!” • Became rallying cry of the war

6. Sons of Liberty • Secret group in Boston • Originally only protested Stamp Act • Samuel Adams & John Hancock - key leaders • Methods of Protest • Speakers • Propaganda • Boycotts • Violence – vandalism & …

7. Tarring & Feathering Very painful!

8. Stamp Act Congress • New York City- Oct 1765 • 9 colonies attended • Sent a polite letter to England • It was another gathering of the colonies! • Parliament’s response • Repealed the Stamp Act • But quietly passed the Declaratory Act • Only the educated understood this • To most Americans, Parliament had listened

9. Charles Townshend • Passed Townshend Acts • Included writs of assistance • Quartering Act • Protests increased by S of L • Daughters of Liberty • Made own paper, paints, teas • Held the now fashionable herbal tea parties

10. Boston “Massacre” • Crowd provoked shooting by soldiers in March 1770 • 5 colonists killed • including Crispus Attucks, former slave • Used as propaganda • Paul Revere’s engraving

12. British Soldiers’ trial • John Adams – served as defense attorney • Kept it from being a circus or a lynching • 6 were found not guilty of murder • 2 were guilty of manslaughter- branded & sent home • Established the principle of the right to have a lawyer

13. Lord North • New Prime Minister • Repealed Townshend Acts • Kept tax on tea • Quartering Act allowed to expire • results = calm for a while

14. Gaspee Affair • June 1772, Gaspee Point, RI • British revenue ship ran aground chasing a colonial ship • 64 colonists attacked & burned ship • They were never caught • British officials were furious & sent more troops to America

15. Committees of Correspondence • 1st started in Boston in 1772 • By Samuel Adams • To share info of patriot activities between colonies with letters • Sway public opinion to be anti-British • Patrick Henry & Jefferson started it in VA • 1st news shared: 1772 law change – governors to be paid by Britain not assemblies • Made them more loyal to the Crown

16. Tea Act of 1773 • Passed to save the British East India Co. from bankruptcy • Members of Parliament owned stock in that company • Created a monopoly of the tea trade • Colonists were furious • Another law passed w/o representation • What monopoly would be created next?

17. Reactions to law • Charleston- tea allowed to sit & rot in warehouses • Annapolis – tea warehouse “caught on fire” • Philly & NYC- refused to allow ships to dock

18. Boston “Tea Party” • Sons of Liberty planned it • Disguised as Mohawk Indians • Very orderly- it took 3 hours to do this • Dumped 342 chests of tea • British Navy & citizens watched it all happen

20. Coercive Acts • Closed port of Boston until tea paid for • Annulled Mass Charter • Prohibited town meetings • Reinstated Quartering Act • Royal Officials have trials in England • Making them “above the law”

21. Quebec Act • Extended boundary of Canada to Ohio River • Allowed French Catholics free use of their religion • All to keep them loyal

22. Patriots response • Ben Franklin offered to pay for tea • Called laws “Intolerable Acts” • 12 other colonies voiced support for Mass • Some sent supplies, etc • Decided to hold a meeting

23. First Continental Congress • Sept 1774- 56 delegates • 12 colonies (no Georgia) • Philadelphia’s Carpenter’s Hall • VA’s Peyton Randolph = President of mtg • PA’s Charles Thomson = Secretary • Each colony = one vote

24. Actions of 1st CC • Wrote resolutions to support Boston & have sanctions • Sent to Britain • Denounced Intolerable & Quebec Acts, 13 other laws • Agreed to “meet again if necessary” in May 1775

25. Winter to Spring 1775 • Waited for news that Britain agreed with Colonies • Never came, more troops did (Hessians) • Colonial assemblies then debated to return to Philly? • March- Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech in VA

27. Tensions continue to grow • Undecided Americans trying to pick a side • Patriot • Loyalist (Tory) • (remember still not using word- Independence)

28. April 1775 • General Gage learned of ammunition stored in Concord • Planned to seize it & hopefully arrest Sam Adams & John Hancock • S of L leaders flee Boston • Dr. Joseph Warren left to signal the others – “one if by land, two if by sea” • The perfect spy!

29. The “Midnight Ride” • Paul Revere & William Dawes waited for the signal (2 lanterns from the Old North Church) • Rode to warn the towns • Joined in Lexington by Dr. Samuel Prescott • Poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow written years later

30. “Shot heard ‘round the World” • April 19, 1775 – Lexington, Mass • Minutemen waited for the Redcoats • Guns were un-cocked • Mystery shot started it all • 8 dead, the rest fled • British went on to Concord

31. Concord was ready • Ammo & leaders already left town • British took sacks of flour • At the North Bridge, minutemen opened fire and British turned back to Boston • Pelted them all the way back

33. Results… • 90 Americans died • 250 British dead & wounded • Beginning of American Revolution • ***Blood has now been shed by time 2nd CC meets in Philadelphia***