The spirit of independence

1. 1763-1776 The spirit of independence

2. Taxation Without Representation • Essential Question: • Following the French and Indian War, how did the British government anger the American colonists?

3. Relations With Britain • After the French and Indian War, Great Britain passed laws to protect British interests in the colonies • Proclamation of 1763 • Prevented colonists from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains • Keeps colonists near east coast to ensure markets for British goods in coastal cities • Allowed Britain to control fur trade on the frontier • Britain instates new taxes on colonies to help pay for cost of French and Indian War

4. Britain’s Trade Laws • Stricter trials for colonists who smuggled goods • No trial by jury • 1767 – Parliament authorized writs of assistance • Allowed customs officers to enter any location to search for smuggled goods

5. The Sugar Act • Lowers tax on imported molasses to discourage smuggling • Let officers seize smuggled goods without going to court • Colonists believed these violated their rights as English citizens • Writs of assistance violated their right to be secure in their homes • No trial by jury • Contradicts British law of “innocent until proven guilty”

6. New Taxes • As British government passed new tax laws, resistance by the colonists grew • Stamp Act: This law placed a tax on almost all printed materials • Newspapers • Wills • Playing Cards • Opposition to the Stamp Act centered on two points • Parliament interfered in colonial affairs by taxing the colonies directly • Taxed colonists without their consent

7. Protesting the Stamp Act • Boston: Samuel Adams organizes the Sons of Liberty and burns rag figures of tax collectors, destroyed houses belonging to royal officials • Stamp Act Congress: Nine colonies drafted a petition to king and parliament • Colonial cities and citizens boycott British goods • 1766 – British Parliament repeals Stamp Act • 1766 – Parliament passes the Declaratory Act • Right to tax and make decisions for the British colonies in all cases

8. The Townshend Act • Passed in 1767 • Taxes only on goods imported from Britain • Taxed at the time of entry • Daughters of Liberty urged Americans to buy only American made goods

9. Making Connections • What advantages did Britain gain by limiting Westward Expansion • Critical Thinking: How did the British and the colonists differ on the issue of taxes? • Parliament believed that the colonists should b taxed to pay their part of the cost of Britain’s huge debt • The colonists claimed that they shouldn’t be taxed by Parliament or taxed without their consent

10. Making Connections • Analyzing: We talked about the development of the American Spirit. How did the events of the 1770’s unify the colonists in their opposition to the British? • Answer the Essential Question: Following the French and Indian War, how did the British government anger the American colonists?

11. Building Colonial Liberty • To enforce tax laws, British troops arrived in Boston. Conflict soon erupted. On March 5, 1770, a Boston merchant wrote: “The 29th (regiment) on duty. A quarrel between the soldiers and inhabitants;… A party of the 29th… fired on the people; they killed five, wounded several others … The inhabitants are greatly enraged.” From The Diary of John Rowe

12. Essential Question: • How did the colonists react to British policies?

13. Trouble in Boston • A violent clash between townspeople and British soldiers in Boston intensified anti-British feeling in the colonies • Britain, believing colonists on the brink of rebellion sent troops to occupy the colonies

14. The Boston Massacre • March 5, 1770 • Angry townspeople approached a customhouse where British taxes were collected • Fight broke out between Bostonians and the soldiers • Redcoats fired, killing 5 colonists

15. Boston Massacre

16. The Word Spreads • Colonial leaders used the killings as propaganda • Boston Massacre led colonists to call for stronger boycotts on British goods • Parliament repealed the Townshend Acts except for the tax on tea

17. A Crisis Over Tea • 1773 – British Parliament passed the Tea Act • Allowed British East India Company to have complete control of trade in America • Let the company sell tea directly to shopkeepers and bypass colonial merchants • Colonial merchants quickly called for new boycott on tea

18. The Boston Tea Party • 1773 – Three tea ships arrive in Boston Harbor and are ordered to unload • Boston Sons of Liberty acted quickly • Dressed as Mohawks, they boarded the ship at midnight • Threw 342 chests of tea overboard • Word of the act of defiance spread quickly but most colonists still see themselves as British citizens.

20. The Intolerable Acts – “Coercive Acts” • 1774 – King George III intended to punish the people of Massachusetts for their resistance to British law • Coercive Acts closed Boston Harbor until they paid for the ruined tea • Forced Bostonians to shelter soldiers in their homes • Other colonies send food and supplies to Boston and name these actions, “The Intolerable Acts”

21. Making Connections • How did Samuel Adams and Paul Revere try to sway public opinion about the Boston Massacre? • Portrayed it as a deliberate slaughter of innocent colonists • Heightened colonial resistance to British laws • Answer the Essential Question: How did the colonists react to British policies? • Used Boston massacre as anti-British propaganda • Tea act spurred protest and boycotts • Intolerable Acts led colonies to support Massachusetts and oppose British law

22. A Call To Arms • Essential Question: • What brought about the clash between American colonists and British soldiers at Lexington and Concord?

23. A Call To Arms • Many colonists were frustrated by British efforts to exert authority over the colonies. At an inn, John Adams overheard a Massachusetts farmer saying: “If Parliament can take away Mr. Hancock’s wharf…they can take away your barn and my house.” Another replied, “Well it’s high time for us to rebel. We must rebel…and we had better rebel now.” Taken from the book John Adams

24. The Continental Congress • September 1774 – 55 delegates from all colonies except Georgia arrived in Philadelphia • They went to establish a political body to represent American Interests and challenge British control • Delegates included John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Jay and George Washington

26. Decisions of the Congress • Drafted a statement of grievances calling for the repeal of 13 Acts of Parliament • Believed laws violated “the laws of nature, the principles of the English Constitution and the several charters” of the colonies • Voted to boycott British trade • Called on people to arm themselves against the British • People form militias

27. The First Battles • Colonists expected fighting to break out in New England • Militia companies held training sessions, made bullets and stock piled rifles and muskets • Minutemen boasted they would be ready to fight on a moments notice

28. Britain Sends Troops • King George III sends several thousand British troops to the colonies • British learned militia was storing weapons and ammunition at Concord, MA • Troops ordered to seize weapons and arrest colonial leaders • As the British organized on April 18, 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes (Sons of Liberty) rode to Lexington (east of Concord, MA) to warn them that the British were coming

29. Lexington and Concord • Redcoats approached Lexington at dawn and were met by 70 militiamen • First shot is called the “shot heard ‘round the world” • Redcoats killed 8 and kept moving • When they arrived at Concord, most of the supplies had been moved • Ordinary people and militia men fired at redcoats all the way back to Boston • 174 wounded, 73 dead (redcoats) • The battle for independence had begun

30. Lexington and Concord

31. The Battle of Bunker Hill • June 16, 1775 • British attack 1,200 militiamen to remove them from strategic location outside of Boston • Americans ran out of gunpowder and lose the battle but killed or wounded 1,000 redcoats • British learn quickly that defeating Americans would not be quick or easy

32. Choosing Sides • Americans face major decision • Loyalist – did not consider unfair taxes and regulations good reason for rebellion • Patriots – Believed British rule was unbearable. Supported the war for independence • Not just a war against British. Civil War among colonists.

33. Venn Diagram

34. Answer the Essential Question: • What brought about the clash between American colonists and British soldiers at Lexington and Concord? • Americans were arming themselves because they expected confrontation • Americans have an excuse to attack the British when they march to Concord to seize weapons and ammunition

35. Moving Toward Independence • Essential Question: • Why did the American colonies choose to declare independence?

36. Moving Toward Independence • Colonists debated the wisdom of pursuing peace or declaring independence from Britain. Thomas Paine wrote: “I have heard it asserted by some, that as America has flourished under her former connection with Great Britain, the same connection is necessary towards her future happiness… Nothing can be more (false)… We may as well assert that because a child has thrived upon milk, that it is never to have meat… A government of our own is our natural right.” From Common Sense

37. Colonial Leaders Emerge • When the Second Continental Congress met for the first time, many leaders were not yet ready to call for independence • Delegates included George Washington, John Adams, John Jay, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock and Thomas Jefferson • Printed money, set up post office • Created the Continental Army and named George Washington the commander

38. The Colonies Take The Offense • Washington realized the men lacked discipline, organization and leadership • Worked hard to shape armed civilians into an army • March 1776, Continental Army attacked British forces in Boston with cannon fire • British troops retreated to Nova Scotia

39. Moving Toward Independence • In early 1776, support for the position of absolute independence was growing. In January 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet called Common Sense. In bold language, Paine called for complete independence. Common Sense greatly influenced opinion throughout the colonies.

40. Moving Toward Independence • Thomas Jefferson is selected to write the Declaration of Independence • Drew on the philosophies of English philosopher John Locke • Believed people were born with natural rights to life, liberty and property • If a government interfered with these rights it could be rightfully overthrown • Jefferson’s draft was approved with a few changes on July 4, 1776

41. The Declaration of Independence • Announced the birth of a new nation and committed Americans to a struggle for independence • John Hancock was the first to sign ahead of 56 other delegates • Declaration has 4 major sections including a preamble or introduction • Colonists list the rights they think they should have and their complaints against Britain • Proclaims the existence of a new nation • “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”