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Colonists Speak Out. Chapter 8 Lesson 2 Pages 302-308. Objectives. Identify the laws that caused conflicts in the colonies. Explain the importance of the Committees of Correspondence. Great Britain needs money. Sugar Act – 1764
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Colonists Speak Out Chapter 8 Lesson 2 Pages 302-308
Objectives • Identify the laws that caused conflicts in the colonies. • Explain the importance of the Committees of Correspondence.
Great Britain needs money • Sugar Act – 1764 • Taxed sugar & molasses brought into the colonies from the West Indies • Hurt shipping businesses in New England Colonies
THE STAMP ACT • 1765 – Stamp Act Tax • Taxed paper items in the colonies • Newspapers, legal documents, playing cards • They received a special stamp on them to show that the tax had been paid
No Taxation Without Representation • British felt tax was fair • Colonists did not • Colonists said Britain could not tax them without representation in Parliament • No one was in Great Britain speaking on their behalf
Mercy Otis Warren • Massachusetts writer • Disagreed with the new tax • Wrote plays accusing British leaders of being greedy
Patrick Henry • Virginia – told members of the House of Burgesses that Parliament did not represent the colonies. • Supporters of Britain yelled “Treason” • Treason – guilty of working against your own government
Stamp Act Congress • October 1765 • Representatives from nine colonies met in N.Y. • Congress – a formal meeting of representatives • They spoke out against the Stamp Act • “No taxation without representation”
Boycott • Colonists wrote letters to Parliament in anger over Stamp Act • They tried to get it repealed • Many Boycotted – refused to buy – British goods
The Sons and Daughters of Liberty • Group of colonists who worked against the Stamp Act • Captured British workers trying to collect the tax. • Dumped tar and feathers on the tax collectors • Chased tax collectors out of town. • The women made their own thread & cloth
Victory? • By 1766 – Parliament voted to repeal (take back) the Stamp Act • But, they passed a new act: Declaratory Act • It said Britain had the “full power. . . To make laws. . . [for the] people of America. . .in all cases” • This created worry among colonists
Committees of Correspondence • Colonists realized they could work together, but needed better ways to share info. • They formed Committees of Correspondence to spread information more quickly. • They wrote letters to each other informing them of news in their town.
Samuel Adams • Organized the 1st Committee of Correspondence in Boston (1764) • Spoke out often of British imperial policies – laws and orders issued by the king and the British Parliament. • N.Y. formed another committee • 1773 Virginia formed a committee also • Other colonies encouraged to form committees also
The Townshend Acts • 1767 – several new laws passed called the Townshend Acts • Taxed imports: glass, tea, paint, paper • Also set up new group of tax collectors • The Stamp Act may have been repealed, but the Townshend Acts showed that Parliament felt they still had the right to make laws in the Colonies
Boycotts Again • Boycott many British goods • Daughters of Liberty – ask people to not drink British tea • Boston merchants would not import taxed goods • It worked! • 1770 – Townshend Acts repealed, except for tax on tea
Reinforcement Sent • Colonists continued to protest • Parliament sent soldiers to the colonies • By 1770, 9,000 British soldiers in colonies • 4,000 were in the city of Boston
The Boston Massacre • Colonists made fun of the soldiers bright red uniforms calling them “lobsters” and “redcoats” • Soldiers destroyed colonial property in anger
Shots Fired • March 5, 1770 – Boston • Angry colonists gathered near some British soldiers • Colonists threw rocks & snowballs • The soldiers opened fire when the crowd came closer • 3 colonists were killed on the spot, 2 others died later
Crispus Attucks • Killed at the Boston Massacre • An African American sailor • He is considered the 1st person killed in the fight for the colonies’ freedom
Paul Revere • Boston silversmith • Made a picture of the shooting and called it “The Bloody Massacre” • A massacre is the killing of many people who cannot defend themselves
Patrick Henry • “I know not what course others may take: but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” • March 23, 1775 • He was trying to persuade Virginians to prepare for war against Britain