Quebec Act

• 1774

• Because it benefitted the Roman Catholic French in Canada, it angered American Protestants

• Toleration to Catholics was given IF they gave up their own self-rule + right to trial by jury

• By enlarging Canada, Americans could not settle the Ohio River Valley

Sugar Act

• 1764

• A mercantilist + indirect tax that raised revenue for Britain

• Britain hoped that lower duties would encourage colonists to pay the tax rather than smuggle

• Economy controlled by British gov’t

Stamp Act

• 1765

• Non-mercantilist + direct tax

• Colonists forced to buy stamps for paper goods

• “No taxation without representation!”

• Resulted in violent protests + Stamp Act Congress

• After Parliament backed down, the colonists saw a chance for freedom

Sons of Liberty

• 1766

• A revolutionary organization that rallied colonists against Britain

• Arson + vandalism

• Meetings + protests to plan revenue against Britain (ex. Boston Tea Party)

Committees of Correspondence

• 1772

• Created by Samuel Adams

• Collected + circulated evidence of British abuses against colonists

• Newspapers + editorials frequently used the word “independence,” foreshadowing the later pushes for independence

• Established across 13 colonies during Revolution

Declaratory Act

• 1766

• Created after repeal of Stamp Act

• Stated that Parliament has right to tax “in all cases whatsoever”

• Conflict between actual vs. virtual representation

• Colonists lost all respect for Britain

Townshend Duties

• 1767

• Taxed commodities colonists HAVE to buy from Britain (glass, lead, paper, paint, tea)

• Non-importation agreements (boycotts) shut down the consumption of goods, rendering the tax useless

• However, Parliament kept the tea tax to reinforce British authority

Quartering Act

• 1765

• Used to raise money for Britain + exert colonial control

• Colonists expected to house + feed soldiers

• Also used to spy on revolutionary leaders

Boycotts

• Non-importation + non-consumption agreements (created by the Committees of Correspondence)

• Separated Loyalists + Patriots

• After boycotting British textiles, colonists homespun their own clothing

Boston Massacre

• 1770

• British soldiers fired into a crowd hurling snowballs at them, killing several

• John Adams tried to acquit soldiers using a fair trial

• Sam Adams + Paul Revere used this event for independence propaganda

Sons (and Daughters) of Liberty

• Used to create + bolster patriotism

• Engaged in protests + boycotts

Boston Tea Party

• 1773

• The Tea Act gave the East India Company a monopoly on tea trade

• Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians + dumped tea into Boston Harbor

• Eventually led to Coercive Acts

Coercive Acts

• 1774 - Intolerable Acts to shut down colonist actions in Boston

• Thomas Gage enforced the Quartering Act + Coercive Acts

Lexington and Concord

• 1775 - The British wanted to stop American militiamen from stockpiling weapons

• Skirmishes in Concord

• Minutemen (American soldiers) attacking British troops marching to Lexington

• With higher British deaths than American ones, it was very encouraging

Olive Branch Petition

• Professed loyalty to British Crown

• Begged King George III to end his corrupt rule over the colonies

• King refused + declared colonies in open rebellion

Continental Congress

• 1774 - 1st Continental Congress

• 1775 - 2nd Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia

• Founding Fathers were John Hancock (president) + George Washington (commander of army)

• Achievements included Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, dollar

Common Sense

• 1776

• Propaganda pamphlet by Thomas Paine

• Appealed to common people + quoted Bible as source

• Stated that British kings are evil + Britain (island) shouldn’t rule over America (continent)

• Increased support for independence

Declaration of Independence

• Reflected negative colonial experience + Enlightenment

• Written by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin

• 1776 - Adopted by Continental Congress

• Supported war + equality + freedom

Saratoga

• 1777 - Most significant battle in North

• General Burgoyne tried to converge 3 armies in New York

• They were surprised by a large army commanded by Horatio Gates + were forced to surrender

• 1778 - French forged formal alliance with the colonies + supplied money, soldiers, and their navy

Valley Forge

• 1777-1778 - Washington’s army spent a grueling winter in Pennsylvania

• Because of bad conditions, many soldiers died or left

The Battle of King’s Mountain

• 1780 - Most significant battle on frontier

• British army under Cornwallis attacked by American militia sharpshooters

• Caused Cornwallis to abandon southern campaign

Yorktown

• 1781 - Washington’s army besieged Cornwallis’ army

• Admiral De Grasse’s French fleet drove away British ships

• Cornwallis surrendered, leading to peace negotiations + the end of the war

European Assistance

• Spain + France provided money + commerce

• Marquis de Lafayette + Baron von Steuben offered military advice

• France sent armies + navy

Treaty of Paris

• 1783 - Ended war + recognized American independence

• American would be comprised of the land from the Atlantic Ocean, Mississippi River + Canada, to Florida

• Westward expansion into Ohio River Valley

BIG PICTURE

• Britain’s administrative policies → Unfair + no representation in Parliament

• Taxes + restrictions → American resistance organized by Revolutionary leaders

• Armed conflict - Mob violence + military clashes

• Societal change → Revolution based off justice + political philosophy

• War for Independence - Fought by many countries (mercantilist competition + revenge)

• Albany Plan of Union

  • Benjamin Franklin

  • Unified colonial gov’t

  • Deal with colonial issues that England cannot solve (Native Americans, threat of France + Spain, etc.)

  • Rejected by colonies + England

• Election of 1844

  • Whig Party picked Clay as candidate → Liberty Party formed

  • Clay refused to take position on annexation of Texas → Doomed

  • Conscience Whigs angry at Clay → Formed Liberty Party

  • Liberty Party pulled votes away from Clay → Polk won election

• Stamp Act

  • Put in place after F + I War by George Grenville

  • Revenue stamp must be bought + put on anything printed on paper

  • Raise money to keep large British army stationed in America

  • “Taxation without representation”

  • Repealed in 1766

• French and Indian War

  • Battle of Quebec (1759)

    • British General Wolfe overcame natural defenses + besieged Quebec for 3 months

    • Battled + defeated France under Marquis de Montcalm

    • English controlled St. Lawrence Seaway

• Josephine White Griffing

  • 1840’s-Civil War - Active in anti-slavery + women’s rights movements

  • 1864 - Lobbied Radical Republicans to help freedmen

  • Influenced Lincoln to create Freedmen’s Bureau

• Causes of Texan Independence

  • Lack of strong Mexican gov’t + needed more land to settle & grow cotton

  • More Americans + slaves than Mexicans → Mexican gov’t barred immigration, raised taxes, created property taxes

• Townshend Duties vs. Stamp Act

  • Stamp Act - Direct tax (paid at time of purchase → know price is higher + why)

  • Townshend Duties - Indirect tax (added costs + no reason why)