Turmoil Over Taxation

Turmoil Over Taxation George Grenville – Prime Minister – colonists should help pay debt created from French and Indian War. Later on became member of Parliament

Sugar Act of 1764 • Sugar Act of 1764 put a tax on molasses which was a valuable item in the triangular trade.

Sugar Act of 1764 • Replaced a previous tax that had led to colonial traders bribing tax officials to look the other way. • Law made it easier to put smugglers on trial

STAMP ACT OF 1765 • Taxed wills, diplomas, marriage papers, newspapers, almanacs, playing cards, and dice.

REACTION TO STAMP ACT • Colonists protested angrily • No Taxation Without Representation • Colonists united. Delegates met - Stamp Act Congress in NYC.

REACTION TO STAMP ACT • Congress drew up a petition, a formal written request to someone in authority, signed by a group of people. • Boycotted or refused to buy British goods.

British merchants in financial trouble because were not selling goods • Parliament repealed, or cancelled, the Stamp Act in 1766.

Townshend Acts-1767 • Taxed goods such as glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea. • Named after British Treasury official Charles Townshend

Townshend Acts of 1767 • Set up new ways to collect taxes, writs of assistance, legal documents allowed officers to inspect a person’s property without giving a reason.

Custom officials sent to colonies stop smuggling. Writs of Assistance violated rights as British citizens property could not be searched without a good reason if person suspected of committing a crime.

Reaction to Townshend Acts • Colonial merchants (North) and planters (South) signed agreements to stop importing taxed goods.

Sons of Liberty • Formed by angry colonists to protest British policies • They staged mock hangings of cloth or straw effigies dressed as British officials (tax collectors) What would you think if you were a British official?

Sons & Daughters of Liberty • Women paraded, signed petitions, & organized a boycott of British cloth, they made their own cloth • Threatened people who did not boycott.

RESULT • Coincidently, taxes repealed the same day as Boston Massacre with the exception of the tax on tea.

New Colonial Leaders emerge in the colonies as the struggle over taxes continues…

Samuel Adams • A talented organizer from Massachusetts. • He arranged protests and stirred public support.

John Adams • Massachusetts lawyer who had a knowledge of British law that earned him respect. • Sam’s Cousin

Mercy Otis Warren - MA • Wrote plays that made fun of British officials. • Using her pen, she also called for greater rights for women

Abigail Adams – Mass. • Abigail Adams wrote to spur colonists to action. • Friends with Mercy Otis Warren • Wanted greater rights for women

George Washington • Member of Virginia house of Burgesses. Protested the Townshend Acts.

Patrick Henry • Lawyer, member Virginia House of Burgesses • He gave speeches that stirred others to action.

Patrick Henry “Treason… If this be treason, make the most of it” Openly criticized British taxes and Acts

Thomas Jefferson • Also from Virginia • was a 22 year old rising law student.

Boston Massacre • Britain sent soldiers to Boston to protect customs officials. • Bostonians saw the British as bullies trying to collect taxes & insulted or even assaulted British soldiers.

Boston Massacre • On March 5, 1770, Bostonians gathered outside the Boston customs house, shouting insults and throwing things at the British guards.

Boston Massacre Suddenly, panicked soldiers fired into the crowd, killing some colonists. (Crispus Attucks) Colonists protested the incident, calling it the Boston Massacre.

Paul Revere – Boston silversmith made engraving of Boston Massacre showing British soldiers firing on unarmed colonists.

Boston Massacre • The soldiers were tried, but John Adams defended them and was able to win light sentences for them. • Show that colonists give them fair trial.

Committee of Correspondence • Samuel Adams formed a committee of correspondence, a group that regularly wrote letters and pamphlets reporting to other colonies on events in Massachusetts.

Results… • By coincidence, on day of Boston Massacre…Townshend acts repealed – British merchants loosing money. • Most taxes were repealed with the exception of…

The Tax on TEA…. • Parliament kept tax on tea demonstrating its power and right to tax colonies

Tea Tax Explodes in Mass. • By 1770, at least one million Americans brewed tea twice a day. • People “would rather go without their dinners than without a dish of tea,” according to a visitor to the colonies

Tea Act of 1773 (leading up to) • The British East India Company sold tea to colonial tea merchants. The tea merchants sold the tea to the colonists for a higher price.

Tea Act of 1773 • When the British East India Company had money troubles, Parliament passed the Tea Act. • The act said British East India Company could sell directly to colonists.

Tea Act of 1773 • Colonial merchants protested being cut out of the tea trade. Other colonists said it was a trick to force colonists to pay the tax on tea. • Colonists boycotted tea.

Boston Tea Party • Boston Sons of Liberty showed their displeasure by staging the Boston Tea Party. Disguised as Mohawk Indians, they raided 3 ships & dumped their cargo of tea into harbor.

Intolerable Acts - 1774 • Passed to punish Boston • The port of Boston was closed. No ships allowed to enter or leave harbor. Remained closed until colonists paid for tea and damage to property

Intolerable Acts • Massachusetts colonists could not hold town meetings more than once a year without the governor’s permission.

Intolerable Acts • Customs officers & other officials could be tried in Britain or Canada instead of in Massachusetts. • New Quartering Act- colonists must house British soldiers in their homes.

Quebec Act • Sets Up Government for Canada • Religious freedom to French Catholics • Extended borders to include land between Ohio & Missouri Rivers some of the Colonists claimed

Committees of Correspondence related news about Intolerable Acts to other colonies. Since Boston Harbor was closed Boston needed food and other colonies helped out.

First Continental Congress • Delegates from 12 colonies gathered in Philadelphia. • All Colonies represented except Georgia

First Continental Congress • Agreed to boycott all British goods and to stop exporting goods to Britain until Intolerable Acts were repealed.

First Continental Congress • Urged each colony to set up a militia, which is an army of citizens who serve as soldiers in an emergency. • Agreed to meet again the next year.

Colonial Resistance – Mass. Minutemen – volunteers trained to fight could be ready at a minute’s notice. They collected weapons and gunpowder. British General Gage planned to surprise colonists at Concord and take their weapons.

Lexington and Concord • British troops on way to Concord – April 18, 1775 • Signal 2 lanterns from Old North Church in Boston – British are coming warn colonists (Sons of Liberty)

Lexington and Concord • Paul Revere’s midnight ride – rode toward Concord to warn colonists “The British are Coming” • April 19, 1775 British reached Lexington first and minutemen waiting. Colonists outnumbered began to leave

Shot rang out – no one knows who fired – “Shot heard around the world” • Fighting broke out briefly – 8 colonists killed – Colonists outnumbered by British • British continued onto Concord

British did not find any weapons and turned to go back to Boston. • Bridge by Concord – minutemen ready and waiting for British. British forced to retreat. Many British soldiers killed or wounded. • News of battles spread to colonies – only war and no chance for peace

Turmoil Over Taxation