Road to Revolutionary War Review

Salutary Neglect

Turned England’s attention away from the colonies. Colonies had to continue mercantilism. Was not necessary for spending excess money on the colonies.

Why did Salutary Neglect end after the French and Indian War?

The British were in debt, and needed to start enforcing laws in order to make back money, and get out of debt.

Why was 1763 a turning point in Colonial British relations?

The British’s winning against the French in the French and Indian War led to many problems. They, had been in debt because of the amount of money they spent on military. They also, had to control lands west of them, with very little money.

Proclamation of 1763 

Split the lands near the Ohio River Valley, and east of that by a border. It had not allowed the American colonists to cross the other side of the border. It had made the British control lands, while having been in debt.

Sugar Act-1764

Helped to raise money for England prior to the French and Indian War. Taxed sugar, molasses coffee, wine and other imported products. Brought down stealing sugar and molasses into the colonies. It had became the first try to make money from the colonies for Britain. It had created an upbringing of colonial resentment. That, would later increase with the Stamp Act.

Stamp Act-1765

Required colonists to purchase stamps for newspapers, legal documents and other papers. Wanted to make money to pay for Britain’s troops in the colonies. Colonists respond with “no taxation without representation.” Created a beginning of boycotting on British products by colonists.

Sons of Liberty Formation

A radical political organization. Had been created in 1765 after the passage of the Stamp Act. Leaders included Samuel Addams and Paul Revere. Incited riots and buried customs houses, where papers that had been stamped by the British had been stored. Formed the committees of correspondence. Which, had promoted opposition to the British by the colonists.

Boston Massacre

An event that arose because people had surrounded a place, where money had been kept. Threatening the guard in front of the building. Some people had been throwing snowballs in front of the building. British soldiers start to appear killing three men, and leaving others wounded and hurt. Colonists fight back with snowballs. Colonists start to boycott British products, Along with, protests starting to arise against the British.

Daughters of Liberty

Woman inside homes, who had been boycotting British goods. And instead, making British goods from scratch themselves.

Tea Act

Allowed the British East Indian Company to sell tea directly to the colonies. Gets passed in 1773. Had let the British sell their products to the colonists for a lower cost. Would tax the colonists to buy their own tea. Colonists had began drinking stolen Dutch tea instead of British East India Company tea. Colonists don’t pay for the British (cheaper tea) because they don’t want to pay the tax on tea.

Boston Tea Party

Arose because colonists were unable to buy tea from other nations. Colonists are angry at the tea tax, and dump the British tea in the Boston harbor on ships. The Boston Tea Party leads to a boycott on British products.

Intolerable Acts

Had been a response to the Boston Tea Party. A series of four acts created by the British government. Created to bring back order in Boston. Troops had been put in front of people’s homes. Made the colonists have to pay for the damages, the Boston Tea Party. Created a limited self-government. Port of Boston is closed, leading to a decrease in trade with other nations.

First Continental Congress 1774

Had been created to keep radicals in touch. They had been for certain that their rights would be removed from the British. Meeting occurred in Philadelphia, 1774. Created a continuation to boycott British goods. Suspended trade with all of the empire.  

Battle of Lexington and Concord

Created the start of the Revolutionary war. British wanted to obtain colonial weapons, and arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Concord, Connecticut. The shot at Lexington had been a symbol that showed the revolution had begun. At Lexington, almost 70 colonial militia faced 700 British soldiers.  The militia had left after 8 people had been killed.  At Concord, the colonists had kept the North Bridge safe, and made the British go back to Boston. There had been a colonial victory, with many British casualties.

Second Continental Congress

Took place in Philadelphia in Independence Hall. Wanted to create colonial war efforts, prior to the battle of Lexington and Concord. Representatives from all the colonies had came to the meeting. Formed the Continental Army, and called George Washington has the Commander in Chief. Approved the printing of money to pay for the army. Sent the Olive Branch Petition to King George III as the last trial of peace.

Olive Branch Petition

A final try by the colonists to prevent going into a war with Britain during the American revolution. Had been approved by Congress on July 5, 1775. Acted as the national government during the American Revolution. Colonists had promised their trust to the crown, and stated their rights as citizens of Britain. King George III declined the petition, and stated the colonies were in rebellion.

Publication of Common Sense

Played a major role in the decision to declare independence. In his Common Sense, he states that Americans should be free from British control. As well as, lists the reasons why/how the British had been treating the Americans badly. Allowed the colonists to be persuaded on the idea of being free from British rule. And, to declare their own independence.