The Colonists vs The British A Few More

The Colonists vs. The British A Few More Tidbits Here is a Power. Point that will help you better understand the conflict between the colonists and the British. Read through the slides, and when you get to ones that begin with a “Q, ” answer the questions on your “Q” sheet. You can use pencil and print on these, and if you don’t know an answer, flip back to earlier slides to help you. When you have finished all the questions please show Ms. Smolyn your completed “Q” sheet.

First some basics. . .

Did you know… v That Britain’s citizens had to pay taxes too? No, the colonists weren’t the only ones paying taxes. In fact, the taxes that British citizens were paying were so high that the Parliament couldn’t make them any higher. No wonder they turned to the colonists for money! v And did you remember that the taxes were used to pay off Britain’s debt from the French and Indian War?

Remember. . . Parliament is just like our Congress. But there was no one in Parliament that represented the colonists. That’s why they shouted, “No taxation without representation!” This is a picture of Britain’s Parliament building in London. Beautiful, isn’t it? Our equivalent is the Capitol in Washington.

Remember, too, that the colonists didn’t feel like Americans then. They were more loyal to their colony than to the idea of an America. For example, people who lived in Pennsylvania felt they were Pennsylvanians, not Americans, and the same was true of all the other colonies. Part of the reason was. . .

. . . that roads during this time were terrible! They were made of logs placed across the dirt and mud, and were so bumpy that they were called corduroy roads – just like your corduroy pants! With travel so difficult, the colonies just weren’t in touch with each other like we are today. It would take firebrands like Sam Adams and the trouble with Britain to link them together. Corduroy roads of the 1700’s

1. Q: True or False? _____1. The United States doesn’t have a Parliament, but we do have a Congress, which is quite similar to Parliament. _____2. The colonists were so angry about Britain’s taxes because the people in England didn’t have to pay them, but the colonists did. _____3. America’s equivalent to the Parliament building is the White House. _____4. The colonists were more loyal to their own colony than they were to the idea of an America. _____5. Traveling from colony to colony was pretty easy in the 1700 s. They didn’t need cars then, just horses and wagons.

This is a militia A militia is a local army, usually made up of the people who all live within the same town. For example, Lexington had its own militia, and so did Concord. If we were living back then, there’d be a Ho-Ho-Kus militia, too! By the way, we often call these militia soldiers MINUTEMEN because they had to be ready to fight in a “minute’s notice. ” They didn’t call themselves that, though. In those days, they said they were part of the Committee of Safety.

What is treason? Sam Adams Patriots could have been put on trial for treason if they had been caught by the British. What is treason? It’s betraying your country – like spying on the officials or fighting against its laws. The British thought that firebrands like Sam Adams had committed treason by opposing Britain’s laws. The punishment could have been hanging!

The two sides in the conflict: The Patriots. . . The Loyalists – or Tories… ü these were the colonists who wanted America’s independence. ü these were the colonists who wanted to stay with England did not want independence. About 1/3 of the colonists were Loyalists.

Q: About the basics 2. Match the words on the left with the definitions on the right. You will use A and D twice! __Patriots A. Two names for the colonists who wanted to __Loyalists stay with England, not to form an America __Treason B. Britain’s “Congress” that put taxes on both __Militia citizens in Britain and on the colonists __Parliament C. Betraying your country…this could have __Minutemen gotten Sam Adams and others hanged __Corduroy roads D. Two words for the colonists who fought in __Tories their local armies against the British E. The early highways that were made of logs and were very bumpy F. People who wanted America to be its own country, independent from Britain

Now for some people you’ve met. . . and some that you haven’t

Two Patriot leaders You know about Sam Adams. . . and you need to know about John Hancock, too. He was a very rich man, one of the wealthiest in the colonies. He was also very influential – and it’s a good thing he was on the Patriots’ side. You’ll hear more about him in the future, too. This is John Hancock. Now that you’ve met both Sam Adams and John Hancock, you can understand why Paul Revere rode to Lexington to warn them. The British would have loved to capture these two! We can only guess what the British would have done to these two “traitors”!

An unsung hero. . . Here’s a hero you’ve probably never heard of: Dr. Joseph Warren. He was the brains behind the Patriot cause in Boston. He organized citizens (especially women and children) who’d spy on the British soldiers and get information about their plans. He was also the one who sent Paul Revere on his famous ride to Lexington. So if he’s so great, why isn’t he more famous? Because he was killed in the very next battle of the war! Still, he was a great leader and a true hero, even if he’s not very famous. Dr. Joseph Warren

Speaking of unsung heroes… there’s William Dawes and Sam Prescott • • Billy, as he was called, also rode to Lexington to warn that the British soldiers were coming, but he took a different route. That was a good idea – if the British caught one of them, the other would certainly get through to the town. But Billy’s route was a little longer and Paul got to Lexington first. So everyone knows Paul Revere, but not Billy Dawes! Sam Prescott was very important, too. Of the three riders, he was the only one to make it to Concord. Would the Revolution have turned out differently if Concord hadn’t been warned and if the British had won there? I wonder. . . This is William Dawes. One poet wrote, as if he were Billy. . . “I am a wandering, bitter shade, Never of me was a hero made; No one has heard of me because He was Revere and I was Dawes. ” And Dr. Samuel Prescott is so “unsung” that I couldn’t even find a picture of him!

And don’t forget the people involved in the Boston Massacre Ø Thomas Preston was the leader of the British soldiers – and he didn’t order them to fire! Ø The two British soldiers found guilty were branded on their thumbs! Ø A sentry is a guard – and he was the one who was being harassed by the colonists Ø And Crispus Attucks was one of the five colonists killed. He was a black worker who was in Boston at the time. This is Thomas Preston. . . and this is the branding of the thumbs.

Then there’s John Adams… …the one who defended the British soldiers because he believed that everyone deserved a fair trial. He was a Boston lawyer, Sam’s cousin, a Patriot, and a very important leader who you’ll hear more about later.

Q: Some important people 3. Match the people on the left with their contributions on the right. You will use A and F twice! __John Adams A. Two men who rode to Lexington, warning the __Sam Adams colonists that the British were coming __Crispus Attucks B. Lawyer for the Boston Massacre soldiers __William Dawes C. Rich and influential Patriot leader __ & __John Hancock D. Boston leader who organized citizen spies __Samuel Prescott and the Lexington and Concord riders __Thomas Preston E. Black worker who was one of the five killed __Paul Revere at the Boston Massacre __Joseph Warren F. Two leaders staying in Lexington when they were warned to run from the British G. Rider who was the only one to make it to Concord H. British commander at the Boston Massacre

Now tour some of the places you’ve just read about

Here’s a map of the area Be sure you can find § Boston § Lexington § Concord on the map. You can also see the routes that Paul Revere, Billy Dawes, and Sam Prescott took. The British route isn’t on this map, but they rowed from Boston across the Charles River toward Cambridge, and then marched from there.

The Old North Church Paul Revere’s famous ride to Lexington really began here at the Old North Church in Boston. To alert his friends across the harbor about the British plans and to be sure a horse was ready for him, his friend was to hang one lantern from the steeple if the British were going to march to Lexington by land, or two lanterns if they were going to cross the harbor in boats. In the end, the British went “by sea, ” so two lanterns were hung from the steeple.

Lexington was the town. . . A drawing of the fight between the British and the Lexington militia on the town’s green (another word for the common – the open area in the center of the town, like where our gazebo is. ) • Outside of Boston in Massachusetts where the British soldiers first met the Captain John Parker and the colonists’ militia • Where Sam Adams and John Hancock were staying • That Paul Revere woke up with his shouts that the British were coming • Where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired – “The shots heard ‘round the world!” • Where the colonists lost their first battle

Concord was the town. . . • That the British marched to after winning the battle at Lexington • Where the colonists had stored loads of ammunition that the British soldiers wanted to capture so that it couldn’t be used against them • Where the Concord militia defeated the British soldiers These are pictures of Concord, Massachusetts

And after the British defeat at Concord. . . …the British scurried back to Boston! In those days, there was only one road that went from Concord to Lexington, and that’s the road the British took. But after the battle at Concord, the Patriots lined the road, some standing in the open and most hiding behind the stone walls that lined the road and behind trees, houses fences, and barns, and anywhere else they could. There, they fired at the retreating British who had no where to go but to run. By the time the British reached Boston, one-third of their 700 soldiers had been killed. These Patriots are ready to make the British soldiers’ retreat to Boston miserable, dangerous, and even deadly.

4. Q: About the places you’ve visited Which place is which? Print L if it’s Lexington or C if it’s Concord. ___ It was the first battle and the one the Patriot militia lost. ___ The Patriots had stored ammunition in this town. ___ After losing this battle, the British retreated, but that’s when they came under fire from the minutemen, all the way back to Boston. ___ Sam Adams and John Hancock were staying here before they fled from the British soldiers. ___ This is where the “shot heard ‘round the world” was fired, beginning the Revolutionary War. ___ Paul Revere and William Dawes rode to this town. ___ This battle was a victory for the colonists. ___ John Parker was the leader of the this town’s militia. By the way, Lexington and Concord are in which state? ______

Finally, don’t forget about the First Continental Congress In 1774 after the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party and all of the taxes and protests had taken place, the colonies decided to get together to discuss their problems with Britain and to plan their course of action. Ø They met in Philadelphia, Ø All the colonies sent representatives except Georgia, Ø They sent a petition to King George stating their complaints – in the end, the king ignored their petition, Ø And they promised to get back together if things didn’t improve. You know things didn’t get better because Britain and the colonies did go to war, and you know that if this is called the First Continental Congress, there must be a second one! But that will come in the next chapter in history!

Now that you’ve finished. . . Be sure your name is on your “Q’ Sheet, and hand it in.