What were the Causes of Dissatisfaction in the

What were the Causes of Dissatisfaction in the Colonies

Paying the Dept • The British government wanted the Americans to pay for the dept occurred during the 7 Years War • British politicians blamed the American colonists for causing trouble with the French and First Nations

Rich Rule the World • Europe was still ruled by the rich - Less than 5% of people could vote - Ordinary people have no political power The British needed money and wanted the colonies to provide

1764 Sugar Act • British government passed the Sugar Act which changed taxation on sugar and its byproducts such as molasses • The price of sugar and rum increased • Colonists protested by refusing to buy products with sugar

1765 Stamp Act • Took the form of a stamp that had to be purchased and stuck on items bought and sold • Stamps had to be bought for documents ex. License • Affected everyone- made everything more expensive • Colonists responded with violence and anger

“No Taxation Without Representation” • American enraged at all of the taxes • American colonists had no representatives in British parliament - Felt like they were being taxed without their consent

Try to Make Me! • Officials sent out to enforce the Stamp Act were attacked - Public outraged!!! - Mobs destroyed houses of government officials - Tarred and feathered collectors Act was repealed in 1766 as most were afraid to enforce it

Townshend Acts of 1767 • Imposed duties on glass, lead, paints, paper and tea imported into the colonies. • Britain wanted to prove that it could tax the colonies as it saw fit

Townshend Acts Repealed • In 1770, Parliament repealed all the Townshend duties except the tax on tea • Tax on tea kept to support the British East India Company who controlled the supply of tea

Liberty • The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. • James Madison wrote the first drafts of the U. S. Constitution and 4 th president of the US

Resistance Growing • British troops were stationed throughout the colonies - To combat growth of open resistance • Local families were forced to put soldiers up in their houses - Called quartering

Boston Massacre of 1770 • A street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770, between "patriot" protesters, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of British soldiers. • The soldiers fired into the mob, killing 3 on the spot and wounding 8 others

Boston Massacre Impact • It led directly to the Royal Governor evacuating the occupying army from the town of Boston. • It would soon bring the revolution to armed rebellion throughout the colonies. • It became an anti-British propaganda tool for the patriot colonists

Sons of Liberty • Organized groups of American Patriots who challenged the British government at every opportunity • Dedicated to resisting British taxes and trade restrictions • By the end 1765 the Sons of Liberty existed in every colony.

Boston Tea Party- Story Time • On the night of December 16, 1773, the Sons of Liberty boarded three ships in the Boston harbor • Dressed as Mohawks • Threw 342 chests of tea overboard. • This resulted in the Intolerable Acts of 1774 and pushed the two sides closer to war.

A political protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, on December 16, 1773. • Purpose was to: - protest against the Tea Act that still protected the British East India Company - Protest the Boston merchants because they refused to boycott shipments of tea coming into the harbour

Boston Tea Party Significance • This was a powerful message that colonists were tired of unfair taxation and would give up something they loved in order to standup to the government

Intolerable Acts 1774 • acts established by the British government created to punish Bostonians for their Tea Party and assert British dominance • American colonists believed that the acts violated their natural and constitutional rights and freedoms

• The Boston Port Act: closed the port of Boston until the East India Company was paid for the lost tea. • Massachusetts Government Act: modified the Massachusetts Charter of 1691, taking away many of its rights of self-government. Administration of Justice Act: provided that British officials accused of committing crimes in a colony might be taken to England for trial. • The Quartering Act: allowed the British to quarter British soldiers in colonial buildings at the expense of the colonists, including colonists' homes, if there were insufficient space in other buildings. • The Quebec Act: extended the boundaries of the province of Quebec.

First Continental Congress September 1774 • all colonies except Georgia sent delegates to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia • met in reaction to the Intolerable Acts - Leaders demanded a boycott of British goods and began cutting economic ties with Britain • From 1774 to 1789, the Continental Congress served as the government for the colonies

Preparing for Conflict • The British react to the Continental Congress by reading thousands of British troops in Boston • In turn, patriotic colonists began to train and collect weapons and ammunition

Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You American colony leaders found it difficult to organize opposition to the British • Most people had closer ties to Britain than the colonies • Many dependent on trade with Britain • Many owned property back in the home country

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