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THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: FROM ELITE PROTEST TO POPULAR REVOLT, 1763-1783

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: FROM ELITE PROTEST TO POPULAR REVOLT, 1763-1783. Structure of Colonial Society. 1760s an optimistic post-war period striking ethnic and racial diversity 60% of population under 21 years old high level of post-war prosperity wealth unevenly distributed

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THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: FROM ELITE PROTEST TO POPULAR REVOLT, 1763-1783

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  1. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION:FROM ELITE PROTEST TO POPULAR REVOLT, 1763-1783

  2. Structure of Colonial Society • 1760s an optimistic post-war period • striking ethnic and racial diversity • 60% of population under 21 years old • high level of post-war prosperity • wealth unevenly distributed • Americans proud to be part of Europe’s most thriving, prosperous empire

  3. George III (1751) • upsets Whigs • Instability in England until 1770s 5

  4. Breakdown of Political Trust • 1760--George III ascended throne • Suspicions on both sides of the Atlantic that Crown wished to enlarge its powers • Conflict over Parliamentary sovereignty • English officials assumed that Parliament must have ultimate authority • colonists tried to reserve internal colonial authority for their own legislatures

  5. No Taxation Without Representation: the American Perspective • Colonists assume their legislatures equal in some ways to Parliament • Americans not represented at all in Parliament • British officials espoused “virtual representation” • Colonists insist only colonial assemblies could tax Americans – believe in direct representation

  6. Ideas About Power and Virtue • John Locke, "Commonwealthmen" inform colonial political thought • All governments believed susceptible to corruption into “tyranny” • “tyranny” understood as any attempt to encroach upon the people's liberty • “Virtuous” citizens, alert to rights and determined to live free, resist tyranny

  7. Problems Resulting from the French and Indian War • Indian relations • Pontiac’s Rebellion • Imperial defense and finance • Standing army: 10,000 • 1755: £72,000,000 • 1764: £130,000,00 6 6

  8. Writs of Assistance • 1760 • search warrant • combat smuggling • no grounds for suspicion • James Otis • “instrument of slavery” • lost case but Massachusetts assembly protests “Writs” to British government 9 9

  9. Eroding the Bonds of Empire • Large, expensive army left in America at the end of the Seven Years’ War • Colonists doubted the army’s value • Pontiac’s War • exposed the British army’s weakness • revealed the desperate situation of Native Americans after withdrawal of French • Colonists determined to settle trans-Appalachian West

  10. Proclamation of 1763 • To stabilize western frontier British pass law prohibiting colonists from settling west of Appalachian Mountains • Hoped to prevent conflict between Native Americans and colonists • Colonists reacted with defiance and anger, they wanted to reap rewards of French & Indian War

  11. Paying off the National Debt • First minister George Grenville attempts to reduce England’s war debt • Revenue Act of 1764 (the Sugar Act) • Merchants and gentry protest, most colonists ignore

  12. The Grenville Ministry(1763-65) 10 10

  13. Sugar Act (1764) • Purpose: Raise Revenue • sugar, coffee, wines, other products • tax on imported molasses halved • Enforcement increases • Vice Admiralty Courts 11 11

  14. Primary Source Documents • James Otis • Virtual Representation 12 12

  15. Colonial Products and Trade

  16. Primary Source Documents • James Otis • Virtual Representation 12 12

  17. Quartering Act of 1765 • Must provide living quarters to troops; provisions • Traditional hatred of standing armies in peacetime (Whig tradition) • American POV • Widespread plot to rob all Englishmen of liberties 14

  18. Stamp Act (1765) 15

  19. Stamp Act (1765) • Purpose: maintenance of troops, salaries of governors/judges • Vice-admiralty courts • Direct taxation • £60,000 16

  20. Popular Protest • 1765--Stamp Act requires that colonists purchase stamp to validate documents • Unites the gentry and the mass of the population in protest • Stamp Act Congress petitions the King and Parliament for repeal • Protest includes mob riots, boycotts

  21. Patrick Henry & the VA Resolves • House of Burgesses • 5 resolutions • Colonists have same rights as Englishmen • Taxes ok if “persons chosen by themselves to represent them” • Newspapers printed resolutions including more radical ones 17

  22. Stamp Act Congress (1765) • 9 of 13 colonies • “all due subordination” to Parliament • colonists entitled to same rights as British • no taxation w/o representation • trial by jury is an inherent and inviolable right • NON-IMPORTATION AGREEMENT 18

  23. Stamp Act Riot • After 11/1/1765 • Sons of Liberty 22

  24. Who Were the Sons of Liberty? • Secret Society organized to intimidate tax agents • Shopkeepers and artisans • Andrew Oliver- stamp distributor in Boston (destroyed his office) • Thomas Hutchinson – royal governor – his house is burned down • Bridge between lower classes and political leaders 23

  25. Why Mobs? • Common (Guy Fawkes) • Political goals were new • Sons of Liberty leaders fear loss of political liberty • Artisans feel cheap British goods threaten livelihood • Other rioters fear new taxes and British governing elite • Some joined for the excitement 24

  26. Stamp Act Riot (8/75) PD 25

  27. Britishlaws STAMP ACT PROTESTS • Had the backing if not participation of the “better classes” • Forced tax collectors to resign • Even Moderates discredited • Forced open harbors • Closed civil courts Stamp Act Protests: 1765 to 1766

  28. Rockingham Ministry (1765-66) • Grenville out • London merchants want Stamp Act repealed • William Pitt: • “Exercise every power whatsoever, except that of taking their money out of their pockets without their consent.” 27

  29. Failed Attempts to Save the Empire • 1766--New administration in office, favors repeal of Stamp Act • Repeal tied to Declaratory Act of 1766 • Parliament sovereign over America "in all cases whatsoever" • Controversy estranges colonists from English officials

  30. Fueling the Crisis: the Townshend Duties • Charles Townshend: chancellor of the exchequer • 1767--Townshend Duties tax American imports of paper, lead, glass, and tea • American Board of Customs Commissioners created to collect duties

  31. Fueling the Crisis: Response to the Townshend Duties • Sons of Liberty organize boycott of English goods • Circular letter from Massachusetts House of Representatives urges protest • 92 Massachusetts Representatives defy government order to rescind letter • “Letter from a Farmer in Pennsylvania” (John Dickinson) - PD

  32. Fatal Signs of Force • English government moves troops from frontier to Boston to save money • 1768 – 4,000 troops sent to Boston • Tensions increased • March 5, 1770--English soldiers fired on Boston mob, killed five Americans • incident labeled the “Boston Massacre” • Paul Revere engraving a best-seller • Tensions defused by Lord North

  33. Boston Mass.

  34. Last Days of the Old Order, 1770-1773 • 1770--New prime minister, Lord North, leads repeal of all duties except tea • 1770-1773 marked by tranquility • Customs collectors antagonize colonists • Radicals protest tea tax as violation of American rights • Committees of correspondence built up alternative political structure

  35. North Ministry (1770-82) • Townshend Act repealed on day of Massacre • Boycott a success • Tax on tea left in place (Symbol?) • Dutch Tea smuggled 34

  36. The Final Provocation: The Boston Tea Party • 1773--Parliament passes Tea Act • designed to help the East India Company by making its sale cheaper in America • Americans interpret as a subtle ploy to get them to consume taxed tea • December 1773--Boston protestors dump the tea into the harbor

  37. The Final Provocation: The Coercive Acts • Port of Boston closed until tea paid for • Massachusetts government restructured • upper house made appointive body • town meetings permitted only once per year • Accused officials to be tried in England, not America • Army authorized to quarter troops wherever needed

  38. The Final Provocation: The Quebec Act • Quebec Act establishes authoritarian government for Canada • Colonists interpret Act as final proof of Parliamentary plot to enslave America • Mainland colonies rally to support Boston, protest the British blockade

  39. The Final Provocation: The Ultimate Crisis • Parliament’s insistence on supremacy would make rebellion unavoidable • Ben Franklin suggests Parliament secure colonial loyalty by renouncing claim to supremacy • Parliament rejects Franklin’s advice

  40. Steps Toward Independence • September 1774--First Continental Congress in response to Coercive Acts • Congress commends “Suffolk Resolves” urging forcible resistance • Intercolonial “Association” halts commerce with Britain until Coercive Acts repealed

  41. Shots Heard Around the World • April 19, 1775--skirmish breaks out in Lexington, Massachusetts • Fighting spread along road between Lexington, Concord, Boston • English retreat to Boston with heavy losses

  42. Beginning “The World over Again:” Early War Effort • June 1775--Congress appoints George Washington commander of Boston force • English government blockades colonial ports, hires German mercenaries • Royal governors urge slaves to take up arms against their masters

  43. Beginning “The World over Again:” Decision for Independence • January 1776--Thomas Paine’s Common Sense urges independence • July 2, 1776--Independence voted by Congress • July 4--Declaration of Independence issued

  44. Fighting for Independence • The British entered the war confident of a full and complete victory • English task • meet the challenge of a long supply line • use better-trained army to occupy territory • crush the popular spirit of independence • They underestimated the Americans’ commitment to their political ideology

  45. The American Revolution, 1775-1781

  46. Building a Professional Army • Washington’s task • defend territory as well as possible • keep his army intact • The Continental Army would be a fighting force and symbol of the republican cause • Militia’s role: compel support for Revolution

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