Transcript Chapter 4
What is the difference between a patriot and a rebel? Write one paragraph explaining your opinion. 1754 - 1783 Chapter 4 The American Revolution Chapter 4 Section 1 The Colonies Fight for Their Rights The French & Indian War The French and English had been vying for dominance in Europe since the late 1600s. The two European powers had fought three major wars between 1689 and 1748. Most of the fighting took place in Europe, but it was bound to eventually spill over into the Americas and other colonies. Two Causes of the French & Indian War The French and English were in a dispute over control of the Ohio River Valley. The French built forts from Lake Ontario to the Ohio River in an attempt to block British claims in the region. The Albany Conference Seven colonies sent representatives to meet with 150 Iroquois leaders in Albany, New York. The Iroquois would not join the colonies and English against the French, but they did agree to stay neutral. The Albany Conference The colonies agreed that Britain should appoint one supreme commander of all the British troops in the colonies. Ben Franklin suggested the Albany Plan of Union. The Albany Plan of Union Franklin proposed that the colonies unite to form a federal government for the purpose of common defense. The colonies rejected the plan, but it proved that some colonial leaders were already looking at unification. The French & Indian War In 1756, the fighting spread to Europe, they called it the Seven Year’s War. Prime Minister William Pitt sent most of Britain’s troops to North America and India to attack the French and seize their foreign empire. Writing Assignment for Today Write one paragraph on the following question: Is there anything in your life that is worth fighting and dying for, why? Give examples and details. Be prepared to share your ideas and keep in your notebook. The Actual First World War Britain had allies in Europe that helped them fight the French in Europe. Spain entered the war in 1761 on the side of France. The Brits seized Spain’s colonies in Cuba and the Philippines. The Actual First World War The war was fought on four continents, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. There were many countries that fought in the war: GB, France, Spain, Russia, Prussia, Austria, Sweden … It was actually the first world war. The Treaty of Paris The war ended in 1763 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. The treaty eliminated French power in North America. New France (Canada) became part of the British Empire, as did all of Louisiana east of the Mississippi River. The Proclamation Act of 1763 In 1763 several Native American groups joined together to fight the British and colonists. They were led by Pontiac. Pontiac led the Natives in several attacks on several frontier forts and colonial settlers before British troops could stop them. The Proclamation Act of 1763 The Natives attacked because colonists were settling on their land. King George issued the Royal Proclamation of 1763. It drew a northsouth line through the Appalachian Mountains and declared that colonists could NOT settle west of that line. Customs Reform George Grenville became prime minister and first lord of the treasury in 1763 and he was determined to find a way to reduce Britain’s debt and pay for the 10,000 British troops stationed in North America. Grenville implemented new tax policies in the colonies. Customs Reform Grenville convinced Parliament to allow him to place violators of the customs and navigation laws on trial in navy courts in Nova Scotia. It was mostly smugglers that were NOT paying customs duties. All of the above was a violation of the colonists’ rights according to the English Bill of Rights. Customs Reform John Hancock made a fortune on the smuggling of sugar and molasses. He was arrested and placed on trial in Nova Scotia by the Royal Navy. Hancock was defended by a young colonial lawyer named John Adams. Adams argued that the trial denied Hancock his rights as a British citizen. The Sugar Act Grenville also enacted the American Revenue Act of 1764, better known as the Sugar Act. Besides sugar, the act also placed new taxes on silk, wine, coffee, pimento, and indigo. James Otis The colonists argued this was taxation without representation. The Currency Act of 1764 The new taxes caused inflation – a rise in the prices of most goods and services because money has lost its value. Parliament passed the Currency Act of 1764 to slow inflation. It banned the use of paper money in the colonies, angering farmers & artisans. The Stamp Act Crisis To raise money to pay for the war, Parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765. Most printed materials were stamped. This was the first direct tax placed on the colonists by Britain. The Quartering Act Another way that Parliament forced the colonists to pay for their own defense was the Quartering Act of 1765. The Quartering Act required that colonists provide places to stay for the British troops in the colonies. Colonists Resist In 1765, a Connecticut merchant, named Isaac Sears, organized the Sons of Liberty. The group grew quickly throughout the colonies. Organized demonstrations. Intimidated stamp distributors, customs & duty officers. Tore down a Boston tax collector’s house and used the wood for a huge bon fire. Colonists Resist Also in 1765, representatives from nine colonies met in what came to be called the Stamp Act Congress. John Dickinson wrote the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. It claimed that only colonial legislatures elected by colonists could tax the colonies. They sent a petition to King George asking him to repeal the Stamp Act. The Colonists Fight Back The colonists started having mass meetings in the summer of 1765. They ignored the Stamp Act. They decided to boycott British goods by signing a non-importation agreement. They agreed NOT to buy any British goods until the Stamp Act was repealed. It was repealed in 1766. Parliament was determined to show the colonists that they were in charge. Parliament passed the Declaratory Act, which gave them the power to make laws for the colonies. This was one of the first colonial laws that had nothing to do with trade or taxes. The Townshend Acts In 1767 GB finance minister Charles Townshend introduced a new set of regulations & taxes known as the Townshend Acts. Revenue Act of 1767- placed new taxes on glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea. It legalized the use of general search warrants called writs of assistance. British officials now had the power to seize property without following due process. The Townshend Acts John Dickinson published a series of essays called Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer, he said: Only assemblies elected by colonists had the right to levy taxes on colonists. Colonists should resist the Townshend Acts. Claimed that writs of assistance were instruments of slavery. Action & Reaction Sam Adams and James Otis wrote a circular letter that pointed out that the taxes that were being collected would be used to pay the government officials; a duty that had belonged to colonial assemblies. A circular letter is like an e-mail that keeps getting forwarded all over the place. They were very common during this time, they were slow but effective. Action & Reaction The Virginia House of Burgesses passed a resolution in 1769 that stated they were the only body that could tax Virginians. The resolution was called the Virginia Resolves. Great Britain order the governor of Virginia to dissolve the H. of B. in response. George Washington, Patrick Henry & Thomas Jefferson immediately called for a convention that called for the non-importation of British goods into Virginia. Action & Reaction Women got involved, calling themselves the Daughters of Liberty. They quit drinking British tea. Stopped buying British cloth & thread. Started spinning their own rough cloth, called “homespun.” Wearing “homespun” became a sign of patriotism The colonial boycotts caused a drastic drop in the amount of British imports to the colonies. The Boston Massacre In late 1768, GB sent 1,000 troops to Boston to maintain order & protect tax collectors. The colonists called the red-clad soldiers “lobster backs.” In March of 1770, a crowd of colonists started taunting & throwing snowballs at a young GB soldier. More GB soldiers came and opened fire on what had now become a mob. The first colonists to die was Crispus Attucks, a man of African & Native American descent. In total five colonists were killed that day. The Causes of the Tensions 1764 Sugar Act 1765 Stamp Act 1767 Townshend Acts 1773 Tea Act (next section) 1774 Coercive Acts (next section) The Effects of the Tensions Colonists protested that their rights were being violated. Nine colonies held Stamp Act Congress. Colonists boycotted British goods. The Sons and Daughters of Liberty were formed to organize colonial protests. Tea was dumped in Boston Harbor to protest a British tax on tea. (next section) Twelve colonies attended the First Continental Congress in 1774. (next section)