Chapter 5: The American Revolution

crisis begins: what striked the colonies to fight against the british

they began to tax the colonies, which caused the colonist to recognize the British empire was becoming a threat to the colonies freedom

consolidating the empire: what was needed to help regulate and continue Britian’s strengths and prosperity

new regulations

consolidating the empire: what was the molasses act?

an act that sought to curtail trade between New England and the French Caribbean. it did so by imposing a prohibited tax on French-produced molassases used to make rum in American distilleries

consolidating the empire: what was britian’s view towards the colonist

they thought of them as subordinates and that their duty was to help pay off national debt

consolidating the empire: why were colonists so upset by the taxation

because they weren’t being represented in parliament

what was virtual representation

each member represented the entire empire, not just the district

writs of assistance

general search warrants that allowed customs officials to search anywhere they chose for smuggled goods

taxing the colonies: what was the Sugar Act of 1764

it was an effort to strengthen the long-established Navigation Act. it reduced imported molasses tax from North America from French West Indies from 6 pence/gal → 3 pence/gal, but it actually enforced the tax more strictly to stop smuggling and raise revenue

taxing the colonies: what did the sugar act strengthen & what problems did it cause?

it strengthened admiralty courts, where accused smugglers could be judged without the benefit of a jury trial. colonist saw this as a way to pay more taxes they would possibly have avoided by smuggling

taxing the colonies: why was the sugar act a threat

it hurt British merchants because policies like taxes, trade restrictions, and enforcement of old laws made it harder to make money. plus, the war left britain in debt, so they taxed the colonies more, which slowed trade and worsened the economy

stamp act crisis: what was the stamp act

it taxed all kinds of printed materials by requiring them to have an official stamp that had to be bought from the british government

stamp act crisis: what was the purpose of the stamp act

to help finance the empire, like stationing troops in America, without seeking revenue from colonial assemblies

stamp act crisis: why was there a major split between Britain and the colonies

colonial leaders believed the act was against their liberty bc they were used to controlling taxes through their own assemblies

what was the difference between the sugar act and stamp act

Whereas Sugar Act had mainly affected residents of colonial ports, the Stamp Act managed to offend virtually every free colonists

• Esp members of the sphere who wrote, published, and read books and newspaper and followed political affairs

taxation and representation: why did the colonies chant “no taxation without representation”

they believed they should not be taxed by a government in which they were not represented in (house of Commons)

taxation and representation: what was the stamp act congress (oct 1765)

a meeting in new york where delegates from 9 colonies endorsed virginia’s position against the stamp act

taxation and representation: what did the stamp act congress declare about the crown and parliament

they affirmed loyalty to the crown and acknowledged subordination to parliament but opposed taxation without consent

taxation and representation: how did the merchants respond to the stamp act

they began boycotting British good to pressure parliament to repeal the stamp act

taxation and representation: why was the stamp act congress important in colonial unity

it was the first major cooperative action among britain’s mainland colonies

taxation and representation: how did Parliament accidentally help unite the colonies

by trying to impose the same rules on all colonies instead of treating them separately like before

liberty and resistance: what was the liberty tree

a symbol of colonial resistance against British rule, often used for public protests and gatherings

liberty and resistance: what was the committee of correspondence

boston communicated with colonial leaders and the colony to encourage opposition to the sugar and currency act. they exchanged ideas and information about resistance

liberty and resistance: who inspired the people to be more attentive to their liberties

John Adams

politics in the street: who was the group who took the lead in enforcing the boycotts on British imports

sons of liberty

politics in the street: riots/assaults were high in Nov 1765 NY, which led to what

which led to the British govt retreating because merchants/manufacturers did not want to lose American markets

politics in the streets: in 1766, parliament repealed the stamp act but what act took place right after? and describe the act?

the Declaratory Act

• Rejected American claims that only their elective representative could levy taxes

• Parliament possessed power to pass laws of America

regulators: why did wealthy settlers in SC protest

they were upset about underrepresentation in colonial assemblies and the lack of local government to manage land titles and stop outlaws

regulators: what was the result of having no courts in western SC

it led to a breakdown of law and order

regulators: how were lawless groups in SC described by protestors

as an “infernal gang” committing “shocking outrage” on people and property

regulators: what sparked the regulator movement in NC

anger over corrupt local offices and unfair policies

regulators: what did NC regulators believe local officials were doing

they said officials blocked access to land and wealth by charging high taxes and court fees

regulators: who did the NC regulators blame for their problems

the “rich and powerful” who used political power to benefit at the expense of “poor industrial” farmers

tenant uprising: what sparked the tenant uprising in the 1760s

tenants on the livingston, philipse, and cortland manors in ny’s hudson river valley stopped paying rent and began seizing land

tenant uprising: how did the original landowners respond to the tenant uprising?

the original landowners’ sons opposed the uprising

tenant uprising: how was the tenant uprising suppressed?

it was suppressed by British and colonial troops

tenant uprising: what controversial land grant did the governor of new Hampshire issues in the 1750s

the governor issued a land grant to New England families while pocketing a fortune in fees

tenant uprising: what was Ethan Allen's view on land ownership?

he believed land should belong to the people who worked it

tenant uprising: how did Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys influence the region in the 1770s?

they gained control of the region and helped create the state of Vermont

tenant uprising: why didn’t colonial elites challenge British authorities during the next imperial crisis?

they feared that turmoil in Britain might spread to the colonies

townshend crisis: what was the Townshend act

an act that imposed new taxes on imported colonial goods and created a customs board to collect the taxes and stop smuggling

homespun virtue: what was the idea of homespun virtue?

the belief that American colonists should create and rely on their own goods, promoting self-sufficiency and resistance to British imports

homespun virtue: who were the daughters of liberty

a women's organization that promoted homespun goods and boycotts of British products during the American Revolution

boston massacre: what was the Boston massacre

a deadly confrontation on March 5, 1770, between British soldiers and American colonists, resulting in the deaths of five colonists and escalating anti-British sentiments

boston massacre: who was the first martyr of the American revolution

crispus attucks

wilkes and liberty: why was John Wilkes expelled from his seat in parliament

he criticized king George III and called for more freedom and representation

tea act: what was occuring between the east India company

their stocks were fluctuating

tea act: what was the tea act

granted the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the American colonies → taxed imported tea

tea act: what was the Boston tea party

A protest by American colonists against the Tea Act, during which they dumped an entire shipment of tea into Boston Harbor to oppose British taxation

tea act: what did the Boston tea party result in and why?

the intolerable acts bc there was 10k loss to the east-india company from the boston tea party

intolerable acts: what was the intolerable acts considered to be

a threat to political freedom

intolerable acts: what were the intolerable acts

• boston port act – closed the port until tea was paid for

• massachusetts gov act – limited town meetings

• administration of justice act – british officials accused of crimes in the colonies could go back to britain for trial instead of being tried by colonists

• quartering act – colonists had to provide housing and supplies for British soldiers

intolerable acts: what was the Quebec act

• extended South boundary of Canada to the Ohio River

• granted legal toleration to Canada’s Roman Catholic Church

• set up a government with no elected assembly

continental congress: what were the Suffolk resolves

resolutions urging americans to ignore the intolerable acts, stop paying taxes, and prepare for war

continental congress: where was the Congress convened, why was it convened, and who attended

• philadelphia

• to organize resistance against the intolerable acts

• top political leaders from 12 colonies (not GA)

continental congress: what was the importance of the Congress meeting

United people as Americans, not as colonies

continental congress: what did Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” mean

emphasized the importance of freedom and the willingness to fight for it, suggesting that life without liberty was not worth living

continental association: what two major actions did the first continental Congress take

endorsed the Suffolk resolves and adopted the continental association

continental association: what did the continental association call for

a total stop to trade with Britain and the west indies

continental association: what did Congress encourage instead of relying on British goods

domestic manufacturing

continental association: what were committees of safety

local groups set up to enforce the continental congress’s decisions and punish “enemies of liberty”

continental association: who were considered “enemies of liberty”

a businessmen who tried to profit off shortage by raising prices

continental association: what did committees of safety start to do politically

they shifted real power from british-controlled governments to local grassroots groups

continental association: why were the committees of safety important for ordinary people?

they let small farmers, artisans, and laborers take part in politics and deciison-making

continental association: how did philly’s resistance leadership change over time

younger merchants and artisans took over boycott enforcement from older lawyers

continental association: how was the continental association enforced in NY

the colonial assembly refused to support it, but local committees enforced it anyways

sweets of liberty: what was the basis of American colonies

natural rights and universal freedom

sweets of liberty: what did thomas jefferson believe about the british empire

it should be a union of equal parts united by loyalty to a constitutional monarchy—not one part ruling over the others

outbreak of war: the second continental congress convened and what followed?

war broke out between British soldiers and armed MA citizens

outbreak of war: what happened at the battle of lexington

british forces won, but American resistance began

outbreak of war: what was the significance of the battle of lexington

it marked the first armed conflict of the American revolution

outbreak of war: what happened at the battle of concord

americans won → British retreated back to Boston

outbreak of war: what was the “shot around the world”

first shots fired in the revolution → 100 casualties & 280 British dead

outbreak of war: what was the broader impact of the battles of Lexington and Concord

they started the american revolution and inspired resistance across the colonies

outbreak of war: what was the continental army

• the army formed by the continental congress in 1775 to fight against british forces during the american revolution

• led by george washington.

outbreak of war: what was the battle of bunker hill

• First major battle of Revolutionary war

• British suffered heavy cost in casualties but won and held onto Boston

outbreak of war: what was the siege of Boston?

american forces surround the british in boston, cutting off supplies and keeping them confined to the city

outbreak of war: what was the result of the siege of boston

american cannons made the british position in boston indefensible; british forces, led by Sir William Howe, retreated after cutting down liberty trees

independence: what region was very confident in their ability to retain authority at home and break free from Britain

the southern colonies + MA

independence: southern leaders were highly protective of what

political liberty

independence: why were southern leaders outraged by Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation?

It offered freedom to enslaved people who joined the British forces, which threatened the southern economy and social order

independence: why were Northern colonies scared to fight against Britain

• they feared British retaliation and the potential loss of their economic protection and trade

• fear of constant disputes between North and South

independence: why did the north feel they could enjoy by remaining with the british empire

true-liberty: self-govt and security for their people and property

common sense: what did the pamphlet attack

the English principles of hereditary rule and monarchical rule

common sense: what did Paine tie together in his pamphlet

Pain tied the economic hopes of the new nation to the idea of commercial freedom

common sense: what did Paine believe the nation would become through the American Revolution

the home of freedom; “an asylum for mankind”

paine’s impact: how did Paine write common sense? what audience did paine’s pamphlet reach? why was this important

• used clear, direct language to reach ordinary people

• expanded political discussion beyond elites

paine’s impact: what were the effects of common sense

• widely read and emotionally powerful

• influenced leaders like joseph hawley

• helped shift public opinion toward full independence

paine’s impact: what events pushed colonies to call for independence in spring 1776? why was this important

• britain burned american towns like falmouth, maine

• americans tried to invade canada and failed

these events showed britain’s violence and furthered the belief that Britain couldn’t be trusted — so many colonies started calling for a separation from Britain

declaration of independence: when did Congress formally declare US as an independent nation

on July 4, 1776

declaration of independence: who wrote the DOI

thomas jefferson

declaration of independence: what was the declaration of independence

document outlining grievances against King George III and affirming individual rights

declaration and American freedom: rights of englishmen changed an applied to rights of ___

mankind

declaration and American freedom: what was liberty viewed as

a universal entitlement

declaration and American freedom: John Locke’s “property”/pursuit of happiness tied nation to a democratic process whereby individual self-fulfillment, unimpeded by govt, would become central element of ______

american freedom

asylum for mankind: what did American nationality come to be represented through

• No oppression

• Freedom from tyranny

  • American exceptionalism

global declaration of independence: what did the American revolution/declaration of independence spark globally

a wave of movements for independence and democracy

other battles: battle of brooklyn

• August 26, 1776

• British wanted NY because many loyalists lived there, so if British took control of the Hudson River, they could cut off New England from the rest of the colonies

• British victory

other battles: battle of fort ticonderoga

• Colonist did not have large artillery

• May 10th, 1775

• Sent cannons to Boston

• Place for colonist to arm against British

other battles: battle of cowper

• British Cowper retreated against patriots from South

• Colonists won

other battles: battle of yorktown

• Washington planned to go to NY to attack

• Washington left New Jersey as a deploy to attack NY, Yorktown

• Plan worked

• Colonists won