Depth topic 1:LOSS OF AMERICAN COLONIES

What is meant by salutary neglect?

Britain neglected to enforce rules on the American colonies before 1763

Why did the British abandon salutary neglect after 1763

End of the 7 years war - they needed the money

What was the Proclamation Line of 1763?

Boundary line to the west of the 13 colonies - meant to stop expansion to minimise conflict over land with Native Americans and stop expansion into new lands acquired by French

Why did the Proclamation of 1763 anger the colonists?

The colonists wanted to move west. They don want restrictions placed by the British - they had been used to salutary neglect.

What was the Sugar Act of 1764?

Increase amount of tax paid by colonists for sugar and molasses. Previously a tax of 6d but not enforced - lowered to 3d but properly enforced. Rev increased from £20,000 over 30 years to £78,000 annually

Why did the Sugar Act anger the colonists?

They believed this and other new laws violated their rights. They argued they had a right to regulate trade but not a right to tax them.

What was the Quartering Act of 1765?

Required colonists to provide housing and supplies to British troops stationed in the colonies

Why did the Quartering Act anger the colonists?

The Americans did not want the British in their houses as it felt they were there to control them - they wanted freedom.

What was the Stamp Act of 1765?

An act that required colonists to pay for an official stamp when they bought any paper items. 50 formal documents now held an additional tax. Estimated £60,000 a year

Why did the Stamp Act anger the colonists?

They had no say in making the law and it was a tax on things they used everyday. Cost of basic items increased, everyone was effected

What was the Virginia Resolves, 1765?

Patrick Henry introduced resolution attacking Stamp Act when speaking at Virginia Assembly - colonists possessed the rights of Englishmen, they could only be taxed with proper representation.

What was the Stamp Act Congress?

Massachusetts Assembly suggested intercolonial meeting - agreed by 9 colonies. Previously the colonies had existed fairly independently - starting to unite to challenge the British.

What was the Sons of Liberty?

An organization that protested the taxation laws passed by Parliament in the 13 colonies. They called for a boycott of British goods on 31 October 1765 - 200 leading merchant agreed not to import goods until repeal of stamp act.

When was the Stamp Act repealed?

1766

What was the Declaratory Act? 1766

Parliament had the authority to make laws to 'bind the colonies and people of America.' Asserted that the colonies were subordinate to the British parliament. This angered citizens.

What were the Townshend Duties? 1767

Taxes on paint, paper, glass, lead, tea, wine and other items imported into the colonies. Town shed also enforced Quartering act and gave more power to American officials to collect the taxes.

What was the problem with the townshed duties?

Would only raised £40,000 annually - these acts angered the colonists very much and yet the British were not making a lot of money out of it.

What was the Circular Letter of 1768?

Sam Adams put together letter to be sent to colonies denouncing Townshed Act as it violated the principle of "no taxation without representation" - 7 assemblies approved.

What is meant by enlightenment thinking?

Enlightenment thinkers questioned traditional authority and embraced the notion that humanity could be improved through rational change.

What was the Boston Massacre? (5th March 1770)

British troops fired on an angry crowd of Boston colonists, killing five and wounding six. Sparked American War of Independence.

Why had relations between British and colonists reached such a low?

• Change in British imperial policy

• Taxes imposed

• British military action

• Colonist 'overreaction'

• Enlightenment thinking

Can 1770-1773 be described as 'years of calm' ?

British govt repealed Townshed Duties. Kept duty on tea to mark supremacy of Parliament. Boycott of British goods began to collapse by 1770. This brought relative calm.

What was the Boston Tea Act?

Allowed the EIC to trade directly with America rather than obeying mercantilist principle that everything must be traded through British ports

What was the Boston Tea Party? (Nov 1773)

A protest in which colonists dumped tea in the Boston Harbour

What were the Coercive Acts?

Passed by British Parliament in 1774 to punish colonies for Boston tea party and restore order in Massachusetts. Became known as intolerable acts in colonies

Coercive Acts: Administration of Justice Act (May 20 1774)

Meant that British officials accused of capital crimes whilst suppressing riots or collecting taxes in Massachusetts could avoid local juries by having their cases heard in England.

Why did the administration of justice act anger the colonists?

Allowed potentially accused murderers to escape colonial justice. Became known as the murder acts by the colonists.

Coercive Acts: Massachusetts Government Act (May 20 1774)

Effectively suspended the colony's charter and provided a large amount of royal control. Limits placed on power town meetings. Most elective offices in the colony were to be filled with royal appointees not popularly elected officials

Coercive Acts: Boston Port Act (June 1 1774)

Closed port facilities in Boston until they reimbursed EIC for cost of tea destroyed in Boston tea party and paid for damage caused by unrest to customs offices.

Coercive Acts: Quartering Act (June 2 1774)

Parliament amended the quartering Acts of 1765 and 66. The revised law authorised soldiers to be accommodated in occupied facilities including private homes. Different to other coercive acts as applied to all colonies

What was the Quebec Act of 1774?

Done by the British, it extended political & legal concessions to the French colonists of Quebec & also granted them religious freedom.

What was the colonial reaction to the Quebec Act?

Saw the act as a penalty imposed on them for their resistance to British taxes. Concern of military threat of British troops based at rear of colonies

What was the First Continental Congress?

Met in 1774, and they were representatives of American colonies who got together in Philadelphia.

What was proposed at the first continental congress

Moderates proposed The Plan of Union

Radicals proposed 'The Suffolk Resolves' - declared Coercive acts null and called Massachusetts to arm for defence. Boycott of British good until repeal of acts. Total ban on 10 Dec.

What was the Second Continental Congress? 1775

The colonies established the Continental Army of 20,000 men and named George Washington as Commander and Chief. Most colonies saw parliament as enemy not King

What was the Olive Branch Petition? 1775

This professed attachement to King George III and asked him to prevent further hostile measures so a plan of reconciliation could be worked out. King not interested in appeals.

What happened after King George III refused to consider the Olive Branch Petition?

23rd August 1775 - declared the colonies to be a state of open rebellion. Prohibitory act declared rebel to be outside protection of crown - forbade trade with the colonies

Influence of Common Sense by Thomas Paine

Copies of Common Sense circulated throughout the colonies… stated it was a good idea to break from Britain. EXAMPLE OF ENLIGHTENMENT THINKING.

What was the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles of Confederation, drafted in 1777, was the first constitution of the United States.

What was the Declaration of Independence?

Document that stated the 13 colonies were no longer a colony of Britain and they would be an independent state. Stated why they had the right to leave and what the king had done wrong

Key Battle: Lexington & Concord

Marked beginning of American revolution. America won.

Key Battle: Battle of Bunker Hill

First major battle, in Charleston during siege of Boston. GB won but suffered 1,000 casualties (40% of participating troops)

Key Battle: Saratoga

Closely related engagements in the fall of 1777. Often considered as a turning point in favour of Americans

Key Battle: Yorktown

Joint Franco-American and sea campaign that entrapped a major British army on a peninsula at Yorktown, Virginia and forced its surrender. This ended military operations in the American Revolution.

British strengths

8 million people vs 2.5 Americans

Support of Native Americans - promised freedom to any slaves who fought to put down rebellion

Royal Navy was biggest in world

Had bases in Canada and West Indies to launch attacks

Very efficient Lord of the Admiralty; Lord Sandwich

British weaknesses

Took 2 months to cross Atlantic to send reinforcements and supplies

3 top generals divided on strategy - no basis for negotiations

British not prepared for conflict: royal navy run down after 1763

Scattering of population over large area: continental congress moved from city to city. Defeat of one place would not mean surrender of entire colonial opposition.

American strengths

They knew the terrain and conditions - rely on local support

Started with no navy but congress and states commissioned about 2000 private ships - inflict damage on Royal navy

Got off to good start - only 8000 GB troops in 1775 - American militia forces fought valiantly at Bunker Hill despite defeat

American Weaknesses

Lacked unity

Army had fewer than 50 canons

Soldiers short on supplies

Lacked effective govt

Continental army built from scratch: only 5000 troops in beginning, most troops enlisted for short time.

Inexperienced amateur officers served as American military leaders

Mistakes by British Generals: Over confidence of Burgoyne

He wagered that he would be back by Christmas 1777 victorious in London club in 1776

30 vehicles needed to carry his personal belongings

Howe failed to communicate with Burgoyne

Mistakes by British Generals: Howe and his failure to defeat Washington

Favoured conciliatory measures

Hoped to lure Washington into decisive battle and offer peaceful end to rebellion

Had 32,000 men vs Washington's 20,000 men

Had a chance at NY to outflank USA but was a foggy night - withdrew army and USA able to retreat. Again in Sep, Howe could have attacked but cautious allowing retreat of USA.

Mistakes by British Generals: Failures of Clinton's strategy

Howe's replacement

Struggled with poor supply lines

Tried to resign twice. Did not get on well with Cornwallis his second in command

Mistakes by British Generals: Failures of Cornwallis leading to surrender at Yorktown

July 1779, Cornwallis arrived in NY to be Clintons second in demand. Lead the army in the southern campaign.

19th October 1781 after 3 week siege he surrended his 8,000 strong army to Washington at Yorktown ending war.