The American Revolution – The War of Independence

1. The American Revolution –The War of Independence

2. American Revolution • Before 1776, Britain had 13 colonies on the East Coast of what is now known as the United States...

3. American Revolution (Cont’d) • After the Seven Years’ War, Britain experienced large debts. The British imposed a series of taxes (called the “Intolerable Acts”) on the colonies in order to raise money to maintain the colonies.

4. The colonists objected to paying British taxes because they were not given an opportunity to choose how the money would be spent (“Taxation without Representation”).

5. The colonists wanted some say in how they were governed.

6. As a result…

7. American Revolution (Cont’d) • In 1776 the 13 colonies declared their independence from Britain. • The “Canadian” colonies remained loyal to Britain. • The Treaty of Paris (1783) ended the American Revolution.

9. The Loyalists

10. The Loyalists • One-third of American colonists did not want independence from Britain during the American Revolution. In other words, these people wanted to stay “loyal” to Britain.

11. The Loyalists • Called “Loyalists”, these people were forced to leave the United States and they fled to Britain, the Caribbean, and British North America (Quebec, the Maritimes and the Lake Ontario area).

12. The Loyalists who migrated to British North America wanted the legal system and government institutions they had enjoyed in pre-Revolutionary America.

13. Britain was happy to oblige. Most colonies were granted the right to have their own elected assemblies. • In Quebec, the English speaking Loyalists were given land but were frustrated with French laws and the lack of an elected assembly. The British government was reluctant to risk offending the French majority.

14. The Constitutional Act of 1791

15. The Constitutional Act of 1791 • Aimed to recognize bicultural nature of Quebec • Divided Quebec into two colonies: Upper Canada and Lower Canada (today’s Ontario and Quebec) • Upper Canada – British civil and criminal law • Lower Canada – French civil law and British criminal law

16. The Constitutional Act of 1791(Cont’d) • Both colonies given elected assemblies • Elected assemblies given limited power to avoid another American Revolution • Only male landowners allowed to vote.

17. “Canada remained British because it was French.” Explain. (This quote is used in the video Parting of Ways and describes the outcomes of the American Revolution)

18. War of 1812 U.S. declared war on Britain in 1812

19. Causes • War between Britain and France created trade blockages. This angered the Americans who held a neutral position • Britain stopped American merchant ships to search for British navy deserters (U.S. thought Britain not accepting them as equals, as sovereign nation) • Americans believed the Natives were getting guns from British when they tried to expand westward into Native land.

20. Results: • Treaty of Ghent 1814 ended the war, no winner • American immigrants were discouraged from coming to British North America • Border between U.S. and BNA set at the 49th parallel • Britain began to respect U.S. as a separate nation • U.S. turned attention away from BNA and looked southward and westward for expansion • Small feeling of unity between French and British because they had fought against the Americans