REVOLUTION IS BREWING Colonists vs British NAVIGATION ACTS

REVOLUTION IS BREWING Colonists vs British

NAVIGATION ACTS (AGAIN!) To control the economy, the British reinforce existing laws Who do these laws help? 1763 P. M. Grenville increases collectors Navigations Acts: colonist must 1. Transport their goods only in British/Colonial ships 2. Export certain enumerated goods to Britain (cotton, tobacco, sugar) 3. Purchase imports from Britain

WRITS OF ASSISTANCE Colonists used to economic freedomsmuggling increases with Nav. Acts 1762 Writs of Assistance: general search warrants authorizing officials to search homes for smuggled goods John Hancock

RIGHTS VS RESPONSIBILITIES Draw 2 columns. As an American, list all of your rights and responsibilities. Compare with the person next to you How might these definitions affect how the British/Colonists see their roles? Rights: a moral or legal entitlement to have or obtain something or to act in a certain way Responsibilities: the state or fact of being accountable or to blame for something

RIGHTS VS RESPONSIBILITIES American Rights Liberty, Equality, Security Right to a prompt, fair trial by jury. Right to vote in elections for public officials. Right to apply U. S. citizenship. Right to free education Right to run for office. Freedom to pursue “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. ” American Responsibilities Support and defend the Constitution. Stay informed of the issues Participate in the democratic process (vote!) Respect and obey federal, state, and local laws. Respect the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others. Participate in your community. Pay income and other taxes Serve on a jury Defend the country

POST F& I WAR: NEW ACTS AND TAXES Sugar Act 1764: placed duties on foreign sugar and molasses to raise money for the crown and reduce smuggling Currency Act 1764: could not produce own currency, only British pounds Reaction: merchants continue to smuggle goods to avoid tax; opposition brewing

NEW ACTS AND TAXES Stamp Act 1765: first internal tax (not on imports/exports) to raise money Required stamps to be on print materials § Wills, mortgages, almanacs, pamphlets, newspapers, playing cards, etc Reaction: colonists view as an act of tyranny “no taxation without representation” Refuse to buy stamps; attack tax collectors

NEW ACTS AND TAXES Quartering Act 1765: colonists required to provide soldiers with food and living quarters “Protecting colonists from Indian attacks”

RESISTANCE TO QUARTERING ACT NY is head quarters for British troops NY Assembly refused to assist in quartering troops § Result: Skirmish occurs; one colonist wounded § Parliament almost suspends Assembly's power but Assembly begins to supply money

RESISTANCE: STAMP ACT CONGRESS Patrick Henry: House of Burgess, VA James Otis: calls for cooperative actions, MA Delegates from 9 colonies meet in NY to denounce the Stamp Act § Assert that they could only be taxed by COLONIAL legislation, not Parliament § Begins colonial boycott of goods § Committees help organize opposition § Radical groups form: Sons of Liberty

ASSESS THE ARGUMENT READ: Digital History The Stamp Act and Virtual Representation After reading both sides, assess the arguments: who is in the right? Who has a better argument? Defend your answer. Things to Consider: 1. Economic policy: Mercantilism, Navigation Acts, Salutary Neglect, “purpose of a colony” 2. Enlightenment ideas: English Bill of Rights, government representation, Natural Laws, Social Contract Theory 3. Current Events: French and Indian War, Increased Press, Who is affected?

A VIOLENT TURN: SONS OF LIBERTY Purpose: intimidate tax agents through publishing legislation, demonstrations, threats, destroying property, etc. Started in states independently; officially a group by August 1765 -Boston Middle class, artisans, traders, lawyers and local politicians; BOSTON Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere Encouraged the lower class; public meetings often turned violent-ACTION NOW!

STAMP ACT REPEALED Colonial merchants pledge nonimportation: refusal to import British goods until Stamp Act is repealed 1766; Grenville is replaced with Charles Townshend Reaction: same day that stamp act is repealed, Parliament passes Declaratory Act to save face: stated that Parliament could make laws binding the colonies “in all cases whatsoever”

TOWNSHEND ACTS Townshend Acts 1767: initiates taxes on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea Money raised goes pay the crown official; less dependent on colonial assembly American Board of Custom Commissioners enforced writs of assistance Reactions: reinstate nonimportation Daughters of Liberty form Response: British use military courts; colonists denied a jury trial -$$$$

CIRCULAR LETTER MA circulates letter calling for collective action; Sam Adams and James Otis Colonies back MA Lord Hillsborough of MA warns to dissolve colonial legislatures § Strengthens resistance; Sons of Liberty taking violent measures

SONS OF LIBERTY

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT What is terrorism? Define it. Terrorism: the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims What acts do you think constitute as terrorist acts? List some. Define Patriot. Define Rebel. How are these terms similar? Different?

ACTIVITY: WANTED POSTER READ: “The Sons of Liberty-Patriots or Terrorists? ” and answer the ? ’s. You are going to create a “Wanted Poster” for the Sons of Liberty from the British Perspective. Things to think about: What acts were committed against the British? How do you think these “patriots” would be viewed today?

REVIEW 1. What was Britain’s argument for providing the Stamp Act? 2. What was the Colonist’s arguments against it? 3. Name 3 events that have increased tensions in the colonies. 4. How did the British respond to the Stamp Act Congress? 5. Name some actions taken by the Sons of Liberty against the British.

TROOP ARRIVAL October 1768: British troops arrive to solve political unrest in Boston 1770: Townshend Acts repealed Tension palpable; what would you do if you were a colonist?

BOSTON MASSACRE

FACTS March 5, 1770 Boston: resented the Townshend Acts the most Regiments moved to Boston after Hancock’s ships are seized 60 angry townspeople descend upon British at Custom’s House Hurled rocks and snowballs, egged on soldiers (Sons of Liberty) Capt Thomas Preston in charge; shots fired without command 5 dead including 1 slave (Crispus Attucks)

THE TRIAL Using your primary sources, analyze the trial of the Boston Massacre and the events that followed. What happened? Who is to blame? How would you react if you were in Boston? Activity: The Trial Read the 7 (of 91) Testimonies and compare what they said/saw.

THE CUSTOM HOUSE

COATS/ “SURTOUT” Colonial coat Red “Surtout” of the British Army Indigo Dye produced in colonies

REACTIONS • Trial not immediate: waiting for tensions to cool • Sons of Liberty spread rumors • Paul Revere’s engraving; “Butcher’s Hall” • John Adams defends Preston; acquitted • Shifts blame to London

JOHN ADAMS ON PRESTON “The Part I took in Defense of Cptn. Preston and the Soldiers, procured me Anxiety, and Criticism enough. It was, however, one of the most gallant, generous, manly and disinterested Actions of my whole Life, and one of the best Pieces of Service I ever rendered my Country. Judgment of Death against those Soldiers would have been as foul a Stain upon this Country as the Executions of the Quakers or Witches, anciently. As the Evidence was, the Verdict of the Jury was exactly right. ” –John Adams

FUN FACTS It all started from a wigmaker arguing over a bill to a Loyalist Preston could not have ordered to fire; he was standing in front of the guns, between his men and the crowd of protesters (could not be heard or mouth the word) Not certain that Paul Revere was present during the event Revere’s engraving was a copy of an earlier painting made by a Boston artist by the name of Henry Pelham Defendants weren’t allowed to speak as witnesses on their own behalf

BOSTON TEA PARTY Tea Act 1773: gave a monopoly on tea in the colonies to the BEIC British Tea=cheaper than smuggled tea even with tax Reaction: 50 members of SOL dress up as Mohawk Indians; 342 chests of tea dumped into Boston Harbor; ¾ a million dollars Why not buy it? Reenergized colonists; stricter enforcement

INTOLERABLE/COERCIVE ACTS Intolerable Acts 1774: Reactions: 1 st Continental Congress convenes § Response to “Tea Party” § Boston Harbor closed Solidified colonial § Town meeting banned support for MA § Governor’s Authority increased (Gage) § Troops tried outside of Boston for crimes

TAXES/ACTS: SUMMING IT UP How did the following ideas impact the role of the colonists: mercantilism, navigation acts, salutary neglect, self-determinism How did the outcome of the French and Indian War affect tensions? How did the British respond to these tensions? How did the colonists react? PREDICT: do YOU think these issues can be solved peacefully or is war the only option? Class Work: Colonial Flyer due FRIDAY § Follow all directions carefully!