“The people, even the lowest ranks, have become more attentive to their liberties…”

“The people, even the lowest ranks, have become more attentive to their liberties…” Imperial Wars and Colonial Protest, 1754-1775

Empires at War • The French, English and Spanish carried on a series of wars from 1689 through 1763 • The most important of these for the colonists was the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years’ War

The French and Indian War • This pitted the French and Indians against British regulars and colonists • The goal was to control the Ohio River Valley • The Albany Plan of Union was proposed by Benjamin Franklin as a way to congeal colonial strength • The war was won by the British and had many significant outcomes

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The French and Indian War Outcomes • Colonists lose respect for the British regulars • British question colonial loyalties • British are out of money Results • British begin to tax the colonists • Colonists begin to think they can defeat the British army • The British crown imposes the Proclamation of 1763

New Revenue and Regulation Grenville: • Sugar Act: • Raise money and tighten the enforcement of the Navigation Act • Quartering Act • Colonists must house and feed British regulars • Stamp Act • Taxed everyday products and was the first direct tax • All taxes previous were indirect on imports • Stamp Act protest • Formation of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty • The Stamp Act Congress • Boycotts • Grenville is replaced in 1766

The Declaratory Act • This act was largely symbolic • The British replaced George Grenville and repealed the Stamp Act because of the boycotts • They also simultaneously passed the Declaratory Act of 1766 • This stated that Parliament had the power and authority to tax and regulate the colonies

Charles Townshend • He proposed another set of taxes in 1767 referred to as the Townshend Duties or Townshend Acts • Tea, glass and paper were taxed as imports • Most didn’t protest initially because they were indirect taxes • Sam Adams and James Otis were rabble rousers that ignited colonial resistance • This is where the “no taxation without representation” mantra was coined • Colonial boycotts again followed the Massachusetts Circular letter and British military presence was increased

Lord North • Lord North was appointed Prime Minister to replace Townshend • North repealed the Townshend Acts and created a small tax on tea • This repeal generally ended colonial protest for a period of 3 relatively quiet years, punctuated only by the Boston “massacre” • During this time, the most fervent of the Revolutionary leaders continued to agitate for revolt through the Committees of Correspondence

The Boston Tea Party • The British government had given a tea monopoly to the British East India Company • The colonists were still boycotting and largely buying smuggled tea • The tea would be imported W/O the duty and be much cheaper • Colonists still avoided the cheap tea • Buying the tea would recognize the British right to tax • Colonists boarded a BEIC ship and dumped the tea into Boston harbor, similar incidents occurred in Virginia as well • As a response to the BTP, Lord North passed the Coercive or “Intolerable” Acts designed to punish the colonists

The Intolerable Acts of 1774 • The Port of Boston was closed and blockaded until the colonists paid for the tea • The Mass. Government Act moved the royal governor’s salary to the King’s purse • The Administration of Justice Act said Royal officers were to be tried in Britain • Expanded Quartering Act • The Quebec Act • Catholicism becomes the official religion of Quebec • Quebec’s boundary is moved to the Ohio River

“The people, even the lowest ranks, have become more attentive to their liberties…”