The American Revolution

Lexington & Concord

Lexington & Concord

Shot heard around the world - Beginning of the American Revolution

Bunker Hill

Actually took place at Breed's Hill A moral victory for Americans - Over 700 British dead

Brandywine Creek

Washington forced to retreat - British take Philadelphia

Saratoga

Great victory for the Americans - French will pledge military support - turning point of the revolution

Proclamation line of 1763

Passed after Pontiac's Rebellion - Banned colonial settlement beyond App. Mts

King didn't want to pay for the protection of the colonists on the frontier

Colonists are upset! Not happy with how the King was just now telling them how to live their lives

MANY COLONISTS IGNORED THIS BAN

The Sugar Act of 1764

Placed a tax on Sugar and Molasses.

Caused the price of Rum to go up! Main ingredient in Rum is Molasses.

Upset the colonists!

Taxation without representation!

The Stamp Act - Passed in 1765

Tax on anything made of paper.

Required colonists to purchase a stamp before purchasing something made of paper,

Colonists HATED this Act and riots started in some colonial cities

The Quartering Act - 1765

Soldiers were housed in the private homes of colonists so the crown could save money

Colonists form the Sons of Liberty

Group of Patriots (people against taxation without representation) that started in Boston.

Encouraged protests and boycotts.

Sometimes used violence like tar and feathering tax collectors.

Cause: Patriots protesting against taxation without representation

Effect: 1766 - Stamp act repealed by Parliament

Townshend Acts of 1767

Acts that introduced the British Parliament to imposing duties on glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea that was imported

Massive boycotts begin

Smuggling increases

Patriot

Name for a colonist that was angry about British Taxation policies and thought the colonies should tax and govern themselves. - Many in cities like Boston & Philadelphia

Loyalist

Colonist that was loyal to England and the King. Looked upon Patriots as traitors. Many more in Southern Colonies

Boston Massacre - 1770

Angry mob of colonists were protesting and things turned violent.

British redcoats fired and 5 colonists were killed

The Image here was created as propaganda and spread around the colonies.

Many loyalists turned “patriot” after this event.

The Tea Act - 1773

NOT A TAX ON TEA!!

Boycotts against British tea were working. Britain had too much tea!

Gave the sale of tea to the colonies to one company. That company lowered the price to “trick” the colonists into buying (still was taxed)

Colonists were highly offended and this lead to further boycotts and eventually the Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party - 1773

A result of taxes on Tea and the Tea Act

Sons of Liberty dressed as Indians boarded a shipping boat and threw 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor.

!!! The King was furious and punished Boston and the colonies with the Intolerable Acts !!!

The Intolerable Acts of 1774

England’s response to The Boston Tea Party.

Originally called the Coercive Acts

Closed the Port of Boston (Image above)

Stopped the Massachusetts Legislature (Democratic, elected body that makes laws)

Suspended Town Meetings (democratic local government)

Increased the power of the Royal Governor

New Quartering Act

These Acts UNITED the colonists.

The Quebec Act - 1774

Another response to civil unrest in Boston and other colonial cities

England took away western lands that belonged to the colonies and made it part of Canada (See green area on map)

Very much angered the colonists (They helped win this land in the F&I War)

1st Continental Congress - 1774

Colonial response to the Intolerable Acts

12 of the 13 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia - created a list of demands for King George III:

1. Repeal the Intolerable Acts!

2. Agree that the colonists have the right to govern and tax themselves

3. Inform the King that the Colonies will begin to train militia troops

4. Agree to new boycotts of British goods

1775 - King George III sends thousands of troops to the colonies

He looked at the training of militia troops as an “act of war”

“The Shot Heard Around the World.”

April 19th, 1775 - hundreds of British troops leave Boston to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock

After being warned by Paul Revere and William Dawes (Midnight ride) - The men of Lexington MA, stood in the village green to block the British.

Someone Fired! (Shot Heard Around the World)

The British opened fire and 7 colonists were killed.

The British marched on to Concord where colonists resisted. Hundreds of British are killed as they march back to Boston as the “Minute Men” rise up.

The 2nd Continental Congress meets

Olive branch petition - one last chance at peace

Decide to put into words why war is necessary (committee formed to write reasons)

Levy (tax) money to raise a formal army

Appoint George Washington as Commander of the Continental Army

Thomas Paine publishes “Common Sense”

Published in early 1776 to explain in plain english why Americans should resist British control.

Sold thousands of copies throughout the colonies

Helped turn people toward the Patriot cause

July - 1776 - Declaration of Independence is written

Declared Independence from England

All men are created equal with certain rights that cannot be taken away. (Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness)

Governments are created among men to protect those rights. Government gets its power from the people.

If government does not protect those rights - people should put a new government in place

Trenton & Princeton

2 victories inspire americans

Many join or re-enlist in the army