The Breakup APUSH

What was the status of the British Empire in 1763?

The British Empire was probably the most powerful empire on Earth after the French and Indian War. Winston Churchill later said "the Sun never sets on the British Empire" because it spanned the globe - at any time, the sun was always shining on some part of it.

How was the British Empire different from the Roman Empire?

The British Empire was greater in size than the Roman Empire, but unlike Rome (which was based on military conquest), the British Empire was based on trade. It wasn't a military state but rather built on Magna Carta principles and representative government.

What made British government seem "progressive" in the 1760s?

Britain had a representative government dating back to King Edward I in the 1200s. Parliament had successfully overthrown the monarchy during the English Civil War, and deposed King James II in the Glorious Revolution of 1689, demonstrating Parliament's superiority over the crown.

What did Voltaire say about British government?

Voltaire praised Britain as the only nation that regulated the power of kings by resisting them. He called it a "wise form of government where the prince is all powerful to do good and at the same time is restrained from committing evil."

Who was Benjamin Rush and what was significant about his visit to Parliament?

Benjamin Rush was one of the founders who toured the British House of Lords. When he saw the throne, he asked to sit in it. He described walking into the center of British government as walking "on sacred ground" with overwhelming emotions - showing the powerful connection colonists felt to Britain.

Who was King George III and how was he different from his predecessors?

George III was the first British monarch in decades who spoke English as his first language (George I and II spoke German first). He wasn't the brightest but thought of himself as an Enlightenment figure. He was frugal, faithful to his wife, and interested in science.

Why was George III called "Farmer George"?

George III grew his own food outside Buckingham Palace and would strike up conversations with people about turnips. The nickname was tongue-in-cheek but showed he cared about being seen as responsible and frugal.

What scientific contribution did George III make?

George III started the Royal Astronomical Society, showing his interest in Enlightenment scientific progress despite not being a genius.

What was the main financial problem facing Britain after 1763?

Britain was bankrupt after buying their way to victory in the French and Indian War. They had to figure out how to pay off enormous debts while also maintaining 10,000 troops in the colonies at a cost of £500,000 per year.

Who was Lord George Grenville?

Grenville was described by historian Paul Johnson as "a pedantic and self-righteous gentleman who had a gift for doing the wrong thing." He was monomaniacally concerned with paying off debt while ignoring all other consequences.

Why did Britain think the colonists should be taxed?

Britain argued that colonists benefited most from the French and Indian War (French threat eliminated), were the least taxed people on Earth, and should pay their fair share of defense costs. British subjects were taxed 26 times more than Americans.

Why did colonists disagree about being "untaxed"?

From the colonial perspective, they WERE taxed - but by their local colonial legislatures, which they believed were the only bodies with legitimate authority to tax them.

Why was income tax impossible in the 18th century?

The definition of money was flexible and abstract, and modern accounting practices were just emerging. Even Thomas Jefferson, who kept detailed ledgers, didn't know how much money he had at any given time. Standardized bookkeeping didn't exist yet.

How did 18th century governments collect taxes instead of income tax?

Governments taxed trade - imports and exports. This is why mercantilism (which focused on trade) was so important to understanding taxation policy.

What were the Navigation Acts and Molasses Act?

The Navigation Acts (1650s) and Molasses Act (1733) were earlier British taxes on commodities like sugar and regulations on where colonists could sell products. However, these were largely unenforced because Britain lacked the manpower.

What were writs of assistance?

Writs of assistance were essentially "super search warrants" that gave British naval ships the right to search colonial ships for smuggled cargo with very few restrictions - far more invasive than normal search warrants.

What were admiralty courts and why were they controversial?

Admiralty courts tried smuggling cases without juries - just a judge in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The judge was paid by taking possession of smuggled property, creating obvious bias. This violated the colonial tradition of jury trials.

Why did smugglers and pirates become figures of sympathy during this period?

Because of the unfair admiralty court system, lack of jury trials, and judges paid through confiscated property, colonists sympathized with smugglers as victims of unjust British policies.

Who was John Hancock before he was a politician?

John Hancock was a very wealthy smuggler. His ship, the Liberty, was seized by the British and converted into a British revenue cutter to enforce tax policy - ultimate irony that enraged colonists.

What happened to John Hancock's ship, the Liberty?

After being seized and turned into a British revenue cutter, the Liberty ran aground in Rhode Island in 1769. An angry mob of Rhode Islanders burned the ship.

What was the financial problem with the Sugar Act (American Revenue Act)?

The Sugar Act was expected to raise £73,000-£100,000 but only raised £30,000. Worse, it cost four pounds in administrative costs for every one pound collected - meaning it actually LOST money for Britain.

Why did the Sugar Act cost more than it raised?

Enforcing the act required a large naval force to act as police, stopping and searching suspected smugglers. The Royal Navy was unhappy becoming "Highway Patrol" and the costs (salaries, benefits, ships) exceeded revenue.

What was the Currency Act of 1764?

The Currency Act prevented colonial legislatures from issuing their own currency - everything had to be in British pounds. This was hard to enforce and angered colonists because there had never been much British currency in the colonies.

Were the American colonies poor because they lacked British currency?

No, the colonies were actually fairly wealthy in terms of standards of living and quality of goods being traded. They just didn't have much cash, particularly coins denominated in gold or silver.

What was the Quartering Act?

The Quartering Act made American colonists responsible for the upkeep of British troops, including potentially housing soldiers in their homes - having British soldiers "crash on your couch."

Why was the Quartering Act especially offensive to colonists?

It evoked memories of Oliver Cromwell's military dictatorship, when professional soldiers policed the population. Having armed soldiers in private homes seemed like an invasion of privacy and a return to military rule.

What was the Stamp Act?

The Stamp Act required an official government stamp on all printed documents - newspapers, books, playing cards, legal documents. Anything with printing required a tax stamp.

Why was the Stamp Act particularly stupid politically?

It taxed the "persuasive class" - writers, authors, lawyers, and politicians. These were the people most skilled at making arguments and convincing others. Britain essentially guaranteed organized opposition from the most articulate colonists.

What is "virtual representation"?

Virtual representation was the British argument that Parliament represented ALL British subjects everywhere, even if those subjects didn't have actual representatives in Parliament. A Member from Birmingham could theoretically represent American colonists.

What is "actual representation"?

Actual representation was the colonial argument that legitimate representation meant having REAL representatives from their areas in the body passing taxes. Massachusetts should have a representative from Massachusetts in Parliament.

Who said "taxation without representation is tyranny"?

James Otis said "taxation without representation is tyranny." He also argued that colonists were entitled to the same rights as subjects in Britain, "and in some respects to more."

What was the colonial argument about the Stamp Act and British law?

Colonists didn't argue the Stamp Act was imposed by a foreign power - they were British subjects. They argued it violated BRITISH constitutional and legal precedent. The British weren't acting "British enough."

What were the Virginia Resolves?

The Virginia Resolves (Stamp Act Resolves) affirmed that Virginians had the same rights as British citizens, including the right to self-taxation through representation. Crucially, they declared any tax from outside Virginia was illegitimate.

Why were the Virginia Resolves so radical?

In the British system, Parliament was the supreme law of the land - even King George had to think twice about opposing Parliament. For a colonial legislature (not even legally legitimate in British eyes) to declare Parliament's taxes illegitimate was almost farcical.

When did Patrick Henry say "Give me liberty or give me death"?

Patrick Henry said this during the debates on the Virginia Resolves, NOT during the Declaration of Independence. He would pause dramatically after saying it, then plunge an imaginary dagger into his heart.

Why was Virginia's protest especially significant?

Virginia was "Mommy's favorite" - the colony most like Britain, unlike rebellious Massachusetts. When even Virginia showed displeasure, it signaled how serious colonial opposition had become.

Who were the Sons of Liberty?

The Sons of Liberty were initially called the "Loyal Nine" - mostly middle-class to lower-middle-class artisans, tradesmen, and merchants led by Sam Adams. They organized protests against British policies, sometimes using intimidation and mob tactics.

What happened to stamp tax collectors like Andrew Oliver?

Andrew Oliver saw his own effigy hanged from a tree in Boston. He promptly called in sick for the rest of his life and refused to enforce the Stamp Act. Many other collectors were tarred and feathered or intimidated into quitting.

What happened to Governor Thomas Hutchinson?

Despite warning Parliament that taxing Americans would "lose more than you gain," an angry mob burned Governor Hutchinson's house to the ground during a demonstration against the Stamp Act.

What were non-importation agreements?

Colonial agreements to boycott British goods. These were very effective - British imports fell by almost 40% in the colonies, hurting Britain's economy during the Industrial Revolution.

Who were the Daughters of Liberty?

Women's groups who supported non-importation by holding gatherings where they wove cloth together to create clothing to replace banned British imports. They were arguably more effective than the Sons of Liberty.

Why were non-importation agreements so effective?

Britain was going through the Industrial Revolution and could sell goods cheaply, especially clothing. The colonies (2.5 million fairly middle-class people) were an important marketplace. Losing 40% of that market hurt Britain economically.

What was the Stamp Act Congress?

Nine colonial assemblies came together in the Stamp Act Congress and issued the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, petitioning the king and Parliament and restating that the Stamp Act was unconstitutional.

What other complaints surfaced beyond the Stamp Act at the Congress?

The Declaration of Rights and Grievances also complained about abusive admiralty courts and demanded the right to jury trials - showing the conflict was becoming about more than just one tax.

What happened when the Stamp Act was supposed to take effect on November 1, 1765?

No revenue was collected. Like the Sugar Act and Proclamation Line, the Stamp Act was ultimately unenforceable. Britain quietly repealed it because it was embarrassing.

What lesson did colonial radicals learn from the Stamp Act crisis?

That when you stand up to Britain and show willingness to use intimidation if necessary, Britain will blink. This was a test of resolve that the colonies won.

What was the Declaratory Act of 1766?

Passed when the Stamp Act was repealed, it stated that Parliament could do whatever it wanted - it spoke for the entire British Empire and no colonial legislature could tell it otherwise. Parliament's taxes were enforceable by law, period.

What did the Declaratory Act signal about British patience?

It signaled Britain was losing patience. They had tried various taxes and felt the "ungrateful colonials" rejected everything. They would let the Stamp Act go, but there would come a point where they wouldn't compromise - and this was that point.

Why is it important that colonists didn't want to abandon British identity in 1765?

Even during protests, colonists still considered themselves British and wanted British rights. The question was how they went from proudly British to American - an improbable series of circumstances, not an inevitable outcome.

What made the breakup between Britain and the colonies seem unlikely?

Many colonists like Benjamin Rush felt powerful emotional connections to British government and identity. The British system was admired by Enlightenment thinkers as the model of good government. The empire seemed strong and progressive.

What is the irony about rational people and anger?

Sometimes you have to be terrified when rational people get angry, because they know they're rational. When pushed too far, they explode because they assume you're being terrible - they don't deserve this treatment.

How does the "rational people getting angry" apply to Britain?

Britain tried everything to raise revenue fairly and felt increasingly frustrated by colonial resistance. Like rational people pushed too far, they were reaching a breaking point where they would explode in response.

What troops were stationed in the colonies and why?

About 10,000 British troops at any given time. Britain claimed they were for defense and policing the Proclamation Line. Colonists found this suspicious since the French were gone and they could handle Native Americans themselves.