1 / 32

The Road to the Revolution: Influences on Colonial Independence

Explore the events and individuals that led the American colonists to declare independence from Great Britain, including the Navigation Acts, French and Indian War, taxes, protests, and the First Continental Congress.

jesicar
Download Presentation

The Road to the Revolution: Influences on Colonial Independence

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Road to the Revolution: What events and individuals influenced the colonists to declare independence from Great Britain?

  2. Navigation Acts The Navigation Acts of 1660 and 1696 restricted American trade in the following ways; • Only British ships could transport imported and exported goods from the colonies. • The only people who were allowed to trade with the colonies had to be British citizens. • Commodities such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton wool (which were produced in the colonies) could be exported only to British ports.

  3. French and Indian War • Britain helped colonists to defeat the French in war • Britain needed money to pay for war expenses • To raise money, they taxed the colonists, restricted where they could build their settlements and limited self-government.

  4. Writs of Assistance • Legal documents allowing British officers to search for smuggled goods without warning • Created to monitor colonial trading to prevent evasion of the Navigation Acts • Colonists become outraged • England saw the colonies as a source of incoming revenue

  5. Sugar Act and Stamp Act • The British taxed colonists on many of the goods coming into the colonies from other places

  6. Sugar Act of 1764 • Stop molasses smuggling between colonies and the French West Indies • Lowered taxes on imported molasses • Set-up courts where accused smugglers were tried by a British judge and NOT a jury

  7. Stamp Act 1765 • Placed a tax on almost all printed materials – newspapers, pamphlets, wills, playing cards • Taxed colonists directly • Passed by Parliament without colonial vote or consent • Rally Cry: “No taxation without Representation”

  8. “No Taxation Without Representation!” Colonistsreact… Phrase coined by James Otis – believed that if you tax the colonists, they should be allowed to vote for members of Parliament

  9. Patrick Henry • Vocal patriot advocating colonial rights • Believed only the colonists had the right to tax the colonists • Gave many speeches stating his views

  10. Sons of Liberty • Organized in Boston by Samuel Adams • Protested by burning effigies • Raided and destroyed homes of British officials • Spread propaganda • Organized boycotts

  11. Protests Effigies - rag dolls representing unpopular tax collectors Boycotts – refusal to buy goods

  12. RepealThe Funeral of the Stamp Act • Repeal: to get rid of • British merchants rallied for the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766 • Americans successfully Boycotted British goods and materials

  13. Declaratory Act • Replaced the repealed Stamp Act • Allowed parliament the right to tax and to make decisions “in all cases whatsoever.”

  14. Townshend Acts • Created in 1767 • Taxed imported goods at the port of entry: glass, paper, tea, lead and other basic goods

  15. Daughters of Liberty • The colonists were outraged by the Townshend Acts • Colonial women organized groups to support the boycott of British goods • They urged Americans to wear homemade clothing and to produce their own goods

  16. Boston Massacre

  17. Boston Massacre Facts • King George III Sent 700 troops to Boston on October 1, 1768 – set up camp on the town green • British troops harassed colonists and interfered with their daily lives • March 5, 1770, colonists antagonized soldiers by throwing rocks and ice at the Red Coats • The British responded with 7 shots, and ended up killing 5 colonists • Depicted by Paul Revere as a massacre • It becomes an effective form of propaganda

  18. Committee of Correspondence • Led by Samuel Adams • Used to circulate colonists’ grievances against the British

  19. Tea Act of 1773 • Passed by Parliament to keep the British East India Tea Company in business • Allowed the tea company to ship its surplus tea to the colonies without paying taxes • Colonists were angered an boycotted the tea

  20. Boston Tea Party • December 16, 1773 • British governor in Boston ordered the tea from the ships to be unloaded • Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded the ships at midnight • Threw 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor

  21. King George III passes the“Intolerable Acts” • Official name: Coercive Acts • Created to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party • Closed the Boston Harbor until the colonists paid for damaged tea • Prohibited town meetings • Forced colonists to quarter the British soldiers. • The King assigned British General Gage to be Massachusetts governor.

  22. Intolerable Acts • Purpose: Punish colonists for Tea Party • Result: Helped to unify colonists

  23. First Continental Congress • Group of prominent colonial leaders • Met September 1774 • Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Jay, George Washington, Patrick Henry & more • Drafted a statement of grievances • Called for the repeal of the 13 Acts of Parliament • Voted to boycott all British goods and trade • Passed a resolution to form a militia in all colonies • Meet again in 7 months • Willing to uphold colonial rights

  24. British General Gage learns of hidden weapons in Concord • British begin to march west of Boston with orders to seize weapons and arrest Patriot leaders • Paul Revere and William Dawes make midnight ride to warn Minutemen of approaching British soldiers Conflict at Lexington and Concord

  25. Battles of Lexington and Concord • First military engagements of the Revolution • April 19, 1775 • Known as the “shot heard ‘round the world”

  26. Second Continental Congress Representatives brought money to help establish… the Continental Army (i.e. pay soldiers, buy guns, bullets, food, and uniforms

  27. Second Continental Congress • May 10, 1775 • Also present: Ben Franklin, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson • Congress began to govern the colonies • Authorized the printing of money • Set up Post Office with Franklin in charge • Created committees to communicate with Native Americans • Created the Continental Army with Washington in charge • Sent the Olive Branch Petition

  28. Olive Branch Petition • One last chance to avoid war by protecting the colonists’ rights • King refused to read it • Sent 30,000 paid Hessian soldiers instead

  29. Common Sense • Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine • Using plain language, it urged for complete independence from Great Britain – three points: • All men, not just land owners, have right to vote • Kings ruling by will of God is ridiculous and all monarchies are corrupt • The new nation can survive on its own and not be economically tied to England

  30. The Declaration of Independence • July 4, 1776 • Written by Thomas Jefferson • Signed 1st by John Hancock • Two major ideas: • Every person has natural and unalienable rights the government cannot take away: life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness • If a government disregards these rights – the people have the right to abolish that government by force if necessary and form a new government • Contains 4 major sections • Preamble or introduction • Listed rights colonists should have • Listed grievances against the British • Proclaims the existence of a new country

More Related