FYI Townshend Acts 1767 Another attempt by England

FYI: Townshend Acts: 1767 • Another attempt by England to alleviate debts incurred from French & Indian war. • Import tax on tea, paper, glass and coloring for paint. 1767 (five years before the Tea Act) • Outcome: People stopped painting their homes and switched to drinking coffee instead of tea. • This is different from the Tea Act because…. . – Townshend Acts were a direct tax on products including tea – The Tea Act was allowed Britain to export tea directly to the colonies at a lower price than the colonial merchants could. Therefore, colonists felt that this was a trick to get them to buy the tea and pay a lower tax. 1

INTOLERABLE ACTS AKA- Coercive Acts • In response to the destruction of the tea, the British government issued the Intolerable Acts and refused to repeal them until the destroyed tea was paid for by the colonists of Boston. – They closed the Boston port (Boston Port Act) – The Massachusetts colony could not hold town meetings without permission of the Royal Governor (Massachusetts Government Act) – Any British official who committed a capital crime was sent back to England to stand trial (Impartial Administration Act) – Forced citizens of Massachusetts to house and feed British soldiers at citizen’s expense. (Quartering Act) 2

The First Continental Congress The Intolerable Acts caused many to feel sympathy for Massachusetts and led colonial leaders to unify in the belief the British Parliament was violating their natural and constitutional rights. • 12/13 colonies sent representatives, ALL except Georgia. • At this meeting members agreed to: – boycott British goods – Give military support to Massachusetts if they were attacked by Great Britain. 3

What’s up with Georgia? ? Why wasn’t Georgia represented? • The response from Georgia was minimal in regards to the British “acts” – Georgia was one of the youngest colonies and was totally dependent on Britain for its economy & defense. – Royal Governor James Wright was popular with the colonists and instrumental in quelling/assuaging patriotism. – Georgia’s economy was finally getting strong – Most Georgians considered themselves part of the greatest Empire in the world and had friends and family in the United Kingdom. However, those loyal to the Patriot cause, such as, Noble. W Jones and Peter Tondee, began to gather strength in Georgia 4

Battles of Lexington and Concord • The first shot fired in the American Revolution took place at the AKAThe Shot Heard ‘Round the World • Bonus: School House Rock Shot Heard Around the World: • https: //www. youtube. co m/watch? v=Y 6 ik. O 6 LMx F 4 5

Second Continental Congress Philadelphia 1775: • Why: Colonists feared that the British planned on using force to oppress the colonies, so they agreed to meet again to consider declaring independence. • What: A group of delegates gathering for a series of meetings from May 5, 1775 through the end of the war • Outcome: Delegates draft the Declaration of Independence (Break Ted Ed: Declaration of Independence: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=LKJMWHCUoiw -up Letter with Great Britain) 6

Second Continental Congress Facts • Group of delegates included: – John Adams – Sam Adams – Benjamin Franklin – John Hancock – Patrick Henry • Outcomes other than the Declaration of Independence: – Organized the Continental Army – Appointed George Washington as army commander – Authorized the printing of money – Wrote the Olive Branch Petition – Drafted the Declaration of Independence – Article of Confederation 7