Road to Independence: Colonists' Struggle Against British Control

1. The Road to the Revolution Chapter 6

2. Essential Question • What drove the colonists to declare independence from Great Britain?

3. Section 1 Tighter British Control • The Colonies and Britain Grow Apart • King George II – British monarch • Issued Proclamation of 1763: British Proclamation that forbade the colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. • colonists who hoped to speculate or buy western land became angry. • King decided to keep 10,000 soldiers in the colonies to enforce proclamation “ Housing was very expensive.

4. Passed the Quartering Acts- Colonists had to house soldiers. • New laws were used to control and restrict freedom of colonists

5. Parliament Taxes the Colonists • Had debt from French and Indian War • Also had to pay the soldiers • Taxed colonists for • Frontier defense • Colonial government

6. Sugar Act- (1765) placed a tax on sugar, molasses, and other products shipped to colonies. • Stamp Act- (1766) required all legal and commercial documents to carry an official stamp showing that the tax has been paid. • Such as: wills, contracts, newspapers, diplomas

7. Colonists Defy Parliment • Battle Cry of Colonists “No Taxation without Representation” • Patrick Henry- member of House of Burgesses. He demanded resistance. Some said that this was treason. • Colonist Organize • 1765 delegates from 9 colonies formed the Stamp Act Congress. • They drafted a petition to the King protesting the Stamp Act

8. Sons of Liberty: Secret Society that opposed British • Colonists Threaten British Profits • Boycott- Widespread refusal to buy British Goods • Refused to buy British Goods hoped to hurt merchants and merchants would go to Parliament to get Stamp Act repealed.

9. The Boycott worked and the Stamp Act was repealed. • At the same time, the Stamp Act was repealed, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act- It stated that Parliament had supreme authority over colonists.

10. Section 2 • Crispus Attacks- sailor of African American and Native American ancestry who died at the Boston Massacre. • Tension spread throughout colonies over Great Britain.

11. Tightening British Control • How to control unruly colonists without taxing them. • Declaratory Act- Gave Parliament right to legislate for the colonies • Colonists did not feel threatened by the Declaratory Act • Colonists ignored the act and went on about their normal lives

12. Since the Stamp Act was gone, Britain still needed to raise money. • Charles Townshend – Finance ministers of Great Britain raise revenue in America.

13. 1767- Townshend Acts- placed duties on numerous imports to the colonies such as: • Glass • Paper • Paint • Lead • tea

14. Writs of Assistance: search warrants – to enter homes and businesses to search for smuggled or illegal goods • Passes laws without consent of colonists • Colonist Protest • Boston merchants organized boycott “colonies all united”

15. Political Activism Spreads • Daughters of Liberty: women who organized against Great Britain. They sewed their own clothes, so they would not have to buy from Britain. • Samuel Adams: Leader of the Sons of Liberty

16. Boston Massacre • Boston Massacre: Fall of 1768 • 1000 additional soldiers arrived in Boston under command of General Thomas Gage. • Group of colonists were verbally attacking red coats. The crowd grew and the soldiers feared for their lives. Five people were killed. • Boston colonists were outraged. • Flooded Colonists with Anti-British Propaganda; newspapers, pamphlets, and Political posters.

17. John Adams • Lawyer defended the soldiers in court • He sided with the colonists but believed that everyone was entitled to a fair trial. • He said soldiers acted in self defense. • They were acquitted .

18. Economic Interference • 1770-repealed Townshend Act- Colonial Boycott worked. • Kept the tea tax- to show colonist still had some rights • Tea increase anger • Colonists were smuggling tea from Holland. • British tea companies lost money in America and tea went unsold and rotted in ports.

19. East India Company: Exclusive right to sell tea to the colonies • Committees of correspondence – Communicate with their neighboring towns and colonial leaders.

20. The Boston Tea Party • December 16, 1773 • A group of men disguised as Native Americans boarded three tea ships that were docked in Boston Harbor. • They destroyed 342 chests of tea to protest the tea act. • Colonial leaders would pay for tea if Britain repealed Tea Act. Britain ruled out compromise. Pushed Colonists to open rebellion.

21. Section 3 The Road to Lexington and Concord • Captain Parker – Militia – Force of armed civilians pledged to defend their community. • 1/3 of militia were minutemen: colonists ready to fight within minutes of notice. • Intolerable Acts • King George III- was upset by the Boston Tea Party • Master them or treat them like aliens – Choose to Master. • 1774 Parliament passed laws to punish Massachusetts Colony

22. Coercive Acts • Also called the Intolerable Acts • This was a direct attack on the colonies • 1. closed the port of Boston until the tea was paid for • 2. banned town meetings • 3. replaced elected council with an appointed one • 4. increased Governor’s power over the colonists • 5. protected British officials accused of crimes being tried by colonists

23. Allowed British officers to house troops in private dwellings • Appointed Gage governor of Massachusetts • Intolerable Acts: other colonies helped support of Massachusetts.

24. First Continental Congress • Met in Philly (1774) • Voted to ban all trade with Britain until intolerable acts was repealed • Started training troops • Not ready for independence but wanted to keep rights. • Didn’t repeal intolerable acts- Just made • More restrictions • Sent more troops to colonies

25. Forced unelected official to resign. • Provincial Congress with power to collect taxes and raise money for own army. • John Hancock: Committee of Safety- Call of Militia. • Patrick Henry: Give me Liberty, or give me death. • Thought fight would be short with Britain-show of Force. British Parliament would change policies.

26. Revolution Begins • Spies • Samuel Adams: Had information network of British activities. • General Gage- Had information about militia storing supplies and ammunition in Concord. • In 1775 – Gage ordered troops to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock and destroy supplies • Sons of Liberty were ready sent Paul Revere (The Midnight Ride) and William Dawes

27. Harbor of Charleston : One lantern by land • Two by water. In the Old North Church • In Lexington Joined by Dr. Samuel Prescott continued when British patrol stopped Dawes and Revere • 700 British troops were in Lexington • Capitan john Parker – 70 militia men waiting • Nearly 4000 minutemen and milita men arrived and peppered retreating redcoats

28. Lexington and Concord -1stbattle • Ralph Waldo Emerson- “Shot heard around The World” • Americans have to choose sides and back up political beliefs • Loyalists- Tory- supported British • Patriots- Rebels- supported Americans

29. Section 4 • Declaring Independence • Margaret Gage- has suspicion she let the secret out of the bag for the colonist. • She was torn between England and America

30. The Siege of Boston • British Troops retreated to Boston – over 15,000 militiamen surround Boston • Boston was under seige – encircled by military forces determined to force the British to surrender.

31. The Continental Army is Formed • Boston was not easily attacked because they were surrounded by water. • They wanted to capture British fort to north. • Fort Ticonderoga – on Lake Champlain • Ethan Allen- led a band backwoods fighters called Green Mountain Boys • Captured the Fort – Large Artillary or Cannon • Agreed on Continental Army- George Washington – Commanding General

32. Second Continental Congress- meet in Philadelphia • This was America’s government during war • Agreed on Continental Army- George Washington –Commanding General.

33. Battle of Bunker Hill • Charleston – Militiamen positioned on Bunker Hill and Breeds Hill • General William Howe British 2,200 soldiers • Colonial William Prescott- As British climbed the Breeds Hill • “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes” • Forced the militia off the hill • Redcoats won Battle of Bunker Hill 1,000 killed or wounded

34. The Olive Branch Petition • Sent the petition to London- wanted Harmony between colonies and England. (Most people were against ) Rejected the King • England navy blocked the ports • Hire German soldiers to fight • Washington knew under trained and poorly equiped

35. Washington Arrives • Washington – Gain supplies and train troops • Bold Plan • Invade Quebec- Hoped to draw Canadians into the patriots cause one of the leaders Benedict Arnold – officer played a role Fort Ticonderoga • Americans were defeated after several months

36. British lay trapped in town – Boston crossed the Bay thousands of America troops waited on the Hills • Cannons were being hauled from Fort Ticonderoga • Positioned the cannons on Dorchester Heights over looking Boston • Withdrew Troops • General Howe (British General) over 7,000 loaded on ships would never return.

37. Pamphlet called “Common Sense” Thomas Paine (Political Radical) Convinced Americans it is time to fight for independence. • Declaration of Independence- • Ben Franklin • John Adams • Roger Sherman • Robert Livingston • Thomas Jefferson- Composed the declaration

38. Thomas Jefferson • Excellent Writer • From Virginia • Had to have Virginia Support for Independence to go through • July 4, 1776 – Declaration adopted – John Hancock- President of Congress