The Revolutionary Era 1763 1783 What political social

The Revolutionary Era 1763 -1783

What political, social, and economic factors led to the American Revolution? �Britain reexamined its long-standing policy of salutary neglect. �Began enforcing old restrictions and issuing new ones �English political tradition emphasized limiting the power of the ruler (Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, etc. ) � 1763 – Weak authority of royal governors was exposed (had to share power with colonial assemblies); Proclamation of 1763 led to colonial resentment

The Issue of Taxation �Stricter enforcement of the Navigation Acts �Sugar Act of 1764 – first act passed with the express purpose of raising revenue �Currency Act of 1764 – outlawed colonial issues of paper money �Stamp Act of 1765 – all printed materials had to be stamped indicating a tax had been paid to the Crown �Prime Minister George Grenville used concept of virtual representation to dismiss colonial concerns

The Stamp Act Congress �Delegates from nine colonies met to form a collective response to the Stamp Act �Petitioned King George III and Parliament asking for repeal of the act �Called for a boycott on all trade with Britain �Organized the Sons of Liberty to pressure merchants to honor the boycott �Colonial women made homespun woolen garments �Stamp Act was repealed in 1766

Trouble in Boston �Townshend Acts of 1767 – imposed an import duty on glass, paper, and tea (indirect tax paid at American ports) �British troops sent to Boston in 1768 �Boston Massacre of 1770 – first time disputes over taxes led to bloodshed �Britain repealed the Townshend Acts, except for the tea tax

Response to the Townshend Duties �Sons of Liberty organized a another boycott of British goods �Issued a circular letter from the Massachusetts House of Reps to protest the Townshend Acts �This “seditious letter” was considered an act of treason & the Massachusetts colonial assembly was dissolved

Response to the Townshend Duties �Effect: Effect �The crisis over colonial representation was now evident �Colonies began communicating with each other effectively via committees of correspondence �Colonies became united in their “moral” opposition to these English abuses

Trouble in Boston �Tea Act of 1773 – tea could be sold in America only by the East India Company �Actually lowered the price of tea, but colonists still argued “taxation without representation” �Tea shipments sent to four cities – New York, Philadelphia, Charleston, Boston �December 16, 1773 – The Boston Tea Party

Coercive (Intolerable) Acts �Parliament retaliated against this act of insubordination with the Coercive Acts in 1774: �Closed the port of Boston until the destroyed tea was paid for �Massachusetts town meetings were limited to once per year �New England, Middle, & Southern colonists rallied to support Boston

The Quebec Act (1774) �The Quebec Act created a gov’t for newly ceded Canada…but it lacked a colonial assembly �Colonists interpreted this as final proof of a Parliamentary plot to “enslave” America

Colonial Unity �First Continental Congress – 1774 �Delegates from 12 colonies met in Philadelphia �Delegates included Patrick Henry, George Washington, John Adams, and Sam Adams �Resolved to send a Declaration of Rights to the King �Placed a boycott on British goods �Planned to call for a Second Continental Congress in May, 1775 �Lord North declared the Congress an illegal assembly

Loyalists and Patriots �Loyalists included British-appointed government officials, Anglican clergy, merchants whose trade depended on good relationships with Britain, and some slaves who believed Britain would pursue antislavery policies �Patriots included the colonial elite, urban artisans, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and merchants who dealt in American commodities