Transcript Colonial Resistance - Everett Public Schools

POLITICAL ENFORCEMENT
BRITISH POLITICAL ENFORCEMENT IN THE 1770’S
 As we begin to look at the events that led the colonists to declare their
independence from England, we must first examine the setting from
which events took place.
 Prior to 1750, the American Economy had been built into a prosperous
economy. The British mercantile economic practice had the colonies
well under control. The American colonies saw tremendous growth in
terms of population as well as the economy. There was no issues or
thought given towards a split between England and their colonial
offspring.
 However, by the 1760’s the American nationalistic perception was well
underway in establishing the split with England
 With the tremendous population growth and economic stability came
questions with regards to the financial obligations of the colonies and
the desire by England to maintain control.
 The population grew from 250k in the early 1770’s to over 3 million by
1775. Many European countries began to worry about depopulation.
The English Proclamation of 1763 was an attempt to control the
depopulation.
 It was during this time that the motivation towards self-determination
began to become apparent.
INTRODUCTION
 The main cities of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and
played unique pre-Revolutionary roles as the center of
communications, political transformation, and nation
building.
 More than anything else, urban economies also reflected
the radicalism of angry longshoremen, the rise of labor, and
the increasing polarization within America.
 By 1765, the French and Indian War had brought tens of
thousands of British soldiers, large payrolls, and new
building.
 Immigration from Europe also increased in the cities. British
trade was booming in North America.
 Between 1700 and 1774, exports from the colonies to
Britain increased while exports from Britain to North
America also soared. This economic growth reflected
Britain’s Atlantic empire.
 Meanwhile, the emergence of British and American cities as
the focal point of political, economic, and legal reform were
also increasing.
URBAN LIFE
 On both sides of the Atlantic, the main cities rode a
cultural and economic wave that concentrated its
rewards to the wealthy.
SEAPORT MOBS
 Tensions rose accordingly. As the overall wealth
increased for the rich, the farmers, laborers,
longshoremen, and artisans’ wealth declined,
sometimes sharply. This resulted in the more
waterfront mobs than had its impact on everyday life.
 The creation of seaport mobs deserves mention. Wellliked privateer captains could call on old crews for their
support. Tavern owners were also influential, because
their waterfront premises were both maritime
information centers and popular venues where illegally
obtained goods changed hands.
 Next to the Sons of Liberty is the Sons of Neptune which was barely known. This was a group
of angry longshoremen. In 1765, a letter signed by “The Sons of Neptune” threatened an
attack on lower Manhattan’s Fort George if the Stamp Act was enforced locally.
 New York City thrived during the French and Indian
War.
 The economic growth was based on British war
expenditures, smuggling, and lucrative privateering.
 The city’s merchant fleet had tripled between 1749
and 1762.
 Yet, several thousand longshoremen were discharged
as the war with France ended in the early 1760s, and
joblessness remained high.
 Mob violence of 1768–1770 came easily.
IMPRESSMENT
 During the years between 1760 and 1774, several issues, led by the abuses of British naval
impressment, converged to rile American longshoremen.
 Impressment into the Royal Navy as carrying a fate of death or slavery was only a slight exaggeration.
 Three out of four men who were pressed died within two years, and one in five was killed in battle.
 Under the so-called Sixth of Anne statute enacted in 1708, American longshoremen were not to be
impressed. However, British warships frequently ignored that constraint, especially around Boston.
ARTISANS
 The rise of city artisans, mechanics, and advocates of new
manufactures, coincided with the emergence of a radical
militia.
 These developments soon impacted the middle-class
people, including other prosperous skilled workers.
 This economic and military radicalization contributed to
the transformation of Pennsylvania politics.
 This made it possible for the colony and the newly
established Continental Congress to look to begin to
establishing a declaration of independence from England.
 Urban radicalism played a significant role in influencing
the people towards seeking independence.
THE MILITIA
 It was the Militia’s importance that helped take control of local
government across the thirteen colonies in 1774–1775.
 These insurgents established the framework that eventually
brought success in the War for Independence.
 The American rebels of 1775, enjoyed the rare benefit of
beginning their war in control of the local armed forces and the
colonial militias.
 The colonial militia did not simply slide into the Revolution,
military officers, even where they were elected, held royal
commissions, and a significant number of them were not
enthusiastic about rebellion.
 Restructuring the militia was an important step toward
revolution, one that deserves more attention than it has
received.
CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
 The First Continental Congress specified that local
committees were to be set up to enforce its provisions.
 This new Association of colonies was a vital link in
transforming the colonial militia into a revolutionary
organization. It effectively dissolved the old military structure
and created a new one based on cooperation, by force if
necessary.
 The new Revolutionary militia was similar to a draft board
and a reserve training rather than a police force.
 This First Continental Congress endorsed the local Militias
which forced Americans to commit themselves politically.
Navigation Acts 1651-1696
THE NAVIGATION ACTS
 The Navigation Acts were efforts to put mercantilism into
practice.
 Under the provisions of this legislation, trade with the colonies
was to be conducted only in English or colonial ships. Certain
goods (such as sugar, tobacco and indigo) were to be shipped
only to England.
 The most significant result of the Navigation Acts upon
American history was the stifling of colonial manufacturing and
increased resentment against the mother country
Woolens Act 1699 and the Hat Act 1732
 Through the Hat Act of 1732, the Woolens Act of 1699, and
the Iron Act of 1750 placed limits on what the colonies
could produce.
 With each boycott, Americans devoted more rhetoric to the
need to produce or manufacture locally more of what was
being imported.
Proclamation of 1763
 The Proclamation line extended from the
Atlantic coast to West Florida. Establishing and
manning posts along the length of this
boundary was a very expensive. The British
argued that these outposts were for colonial
defense, and should be paid for by the colonies.
THE PROCLAMATION OF 1763
 From the American perspective this amounted
to another tax on the colonies to pay for an
Imperial regulation that was opposed to the
interests of the colonies
Sugar Act 1764
 The Sugar Act of 1764 that put a tax on foreign refined sugar and increased
taxes on coffee, indigo, and certain kinds of wine. It banned importation of
rum and French wines.
 These taxes affected only a certain part of the population, but the affected
merchants were very vocal. Besides, the taxes were enacted without the
consent of the colonists.
 This was one of the first instances in which colonists wanted a say in how
much they were taxed.
Stamp Act 1765
OTHER ACTS
First direct British tax on American colonists. Instituted in November, 1765. Every newspaper, pamphlet,
and other public and legal document had to have a Stamp, or British seal, on it. The Stamp, of course,
cost money. The colonists didn't think they should have to pay for something they had been doing for
free for many years, and they responded in force, with demonstrations and even with a diplomatic body
called the Stamp Act Congress. Seeing the hostile reaction in the colonies, the British government
repealed the Stamp Act in March 1766 but at the same time passed the Declaratory Act, which said that
Great Britain was in charge of the American colonies "in all cases whatsoever." The Stamp Act gave the
colonists a target for their rage. Indeed, the Sons of Liberty was formed in response to this Act. The
Stamp Act Congress also gave the colonists a model for the Continental Congress.
Townshend Acts 1767
Series of 1767 laws named for Charles Townshend, British Chancellor of the Exchequer (Treasurer).
These laws placed new taxes on glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea. Colonial reaction to these taxes was
the same as to the Sugar Act and Stamp Act, and Britain eventually repealed all the taxes except the one
on tea. In response to the sometimes violent protests by the American colonists, Great Britain sent more
troops to the colonies.
Tea Act 1773
1773 Act that gave a monopoly on tea sales to the East India Company. In other words, American
colonists could buy no tea unless it came from that company. Why? Well, the East Indian Company
wasn't doing so well, and the British wanted to give it some more business. The Tea Act lowered the
price on this East India tea so much that it was way below tea from other suppliers. But the American
colonists saw this law as yet another means of "taxation without representation" because it meant that
they couldn't buy tea from anyone else (including other colonial merchants) without spending a lot
more money. Their response was to refuse to unload the tea from the ships. This was the situation in
Boston that led to the Boston Tea Party.
Intolerable Acts 1774
INTOLERABLE ACTS
 These were a Series of laws sponsored by British Prime
Minister Lord North and enacted in 1774 in response to the
Boston Tea Party. The laws were these:
 Impartial Administration of Justice Act, which allowed the
royal governor of a colony to move trials to other colonies or
even to England if he feared that juries in those colonies
wouldn't judge a case fairly.
 Massachusetts Bay Regulating Act made all law officers
subject to appointment by the royal governor and banned
all town meetings that didn't have approval of the royal
governor
 Boston Port Act, which closed the port of Boston until the
price of the dumped tea was recovered, moved the capital
of Massachusetts to Salem, and made Marblehead the
official port of entry for the Massachusetts colony.
 Quebec Act, which granted civil government and religious
freedom to Catholics living in Quebec.
 Britain wanted colonies as a source of revenue to Britain
through taxation that helped it finance its operations back
home.
 As a result, the British decided to keep a standing army in
America. This decision would lead to a variety of problems with
the colonists. In addition, an Indian uprising on the Ohio
frontier--Pontiac's Rebellion--led to the Proclamation of 1763,
which forbade colonial settlement west of the Allegany
Mountains. This, too, would lead to conflicts with land-hungry
settlers and land speculators like George Washington.
 British leaders also felt the need to tighten control over their
empire. From the British point of view, it was only right that
American colonists should pay their fair share of the costs for
their own defense. If additional revenue could also be realized
through stricter control of navigation and trade, so much the
better. Thus the British began their attempts to control the
colonies.
SUMMARY