-
Period: to
The Road to Revolution
-
Period of Benign Neglect
a. (1607-1763)
Robert Walpole-refrained from strict enforcemt of Nav Acts
weak admin of colonies + greedy, unintelligient character of royal officials in amer. = weaken ENG control on colonies b. depended heavily on support of merchants+landholders
^needed good relations-leniency c.(1750's) resistance to authority centered on colonial legislature
leverage over Brit gov (Privy Council) w/ control of colonial budget -
Navigation Acts
1650-1673
a. rules
1) trade carried only thru English/colonial ships
2) all goods to colony must pass thru ENG ports
3) goods ex: tobacco exported to ENG only b. mercantilism- colonie's purpose to enrich parent country c. impact
+.new eng shipbuilding increased
+cheasapeake tobacco monopoly in ENG
+eng mil. forces protect colonies from SPA & FRE -.manufacturing limited
-.chesapeake farmers-lower prices for crops
-.high prices for ENG manufactured goods
-.resentment building up w/in colonies -
French and Indian War (cont.)
d.Relationship w/ Natives
Fra-TOLERANT; no enforcemt of social norms or religion
Jesuits converted thousands w/o challenging ^
e. Beginning of war
1)increased tension when Iroquois granted land to Eng-> Fre build forts in Ohio Valley
2)VA gov sent G.Washington w/ small militia to impede Fre and gain control of Ohio Valley
f. Effects
enlarge Bri debt
Bri bitter about:
-colonist not contrinuting $$ to war
-militia inadequate
->needed to control colonist more -
French and Indian War (Seven Years War)
a.(1754-63) Bri vs. Fra for dominance in world trade & naval power
unstable balance of power among Bri, Fre, and Iroquois
b.Louis XIV-expansion of Fre presence in Amer (late 17th cent)
established trading posts, forts, missions to secure land
c.confirmed ENG commercial supremacy and cemented control of settlemts in N.Amer
brought colonies closer to Bri authority
d.Relationship w/ Natives
needed for mil alliance
Bri-adv commerce;provide Indians w/ better/more goods
Fra-TOLERANT; -
Albany Plan
a. Albany, NY
Benjamin Franklin
+provided intercolonial gov
+system for recruiting troops
+collecting taxes from colonies to provide common defense
b. recognize need for coordinating colonial defense
c.never took effect-colonies unable to co-op
set precedent for revolution in 1770's -
Pontiac's Rebellion
a. Great Lakes Region (Michigan, New York)
Chief Pontiac and Ottawa Indians rebel against the British
destroyed forts and settlemts
b. angry by growing westward mvmt of Brit
c. Indian's alliance weakened-Bri defeat them -
George Grenville: Prime Minister of King George III
a. 1763-65
believed in strict control of colonies
b. Policies
Stamp Act
Proclamation of 1763 -
Treaty of Paris (1763)
a. Fre ceded territories to Bri
colonies in India
Canada and all Fre territories east of Miss
except New Orleans
b. basically gave all title of mainland N.Amer
c. Iroquois Confederacy crumbled even though sided w/ Bri -
Proclamation of 1763
a.Bri act that prohibited colonist to settle west of Applachian Mts.
b.prevent hostilities b/w colonist and Indians
c. Colonists reacted w/ anger and defiance-> hoped to reaped rewards of F&I War -
Sugar Act
a.placed duties on foreign sugar and certain luxuries
enforcemt of Nav Acts to stop smuggling
b. raise $$ for crown -
Paxton Boys & Rebellion
a. Scots-Irish farmers - upset by disputes over western land
killed 20 peaceful Indians
marched in Philadelphia when Quaker gov try to punish them
b. protesting Quaker's tolerance of Indians
Ben Franklin stopped it
c.Feeling of racial hatred/resentment arise;
first conflict of western expansion -
Stamp Act- "No Taxation w/o Representation"
a. issued by Lord Grenville
1st direct tax on colonist, not just merchants
required stamps be placed on printed paper:legal doc, newspapers, ads
b.Patrick Henry-stood up in House of Burgesses to demand king to recog. rights of citizens
Stamp Act Congress- Rep from 9 colonies met in NY to resolve that elected rep. had legal authority to approve taxes
Sons of Liberty-secret org to intimiafate tax agents=> tar and feathered
Boycotts-most effective;ppl not buy anything w/ Bri origin
sharp drop trade -
Declaratory Act
a. gave Parly right to tax & make laws for colony
b. repealed Stamp Act
c. renewed conflict b/w colonist & Bri gov -
Townshend Acts
a.tax on tea, glass, & paper
paid for crown officials-made independent of colonial assemblies
"writ of assisstance"-liscense to search anywhere for smuggled goods
b.Opposition:
James Otis, Samuel Adams, John Dickinson wrote letters against taxation w/o rep
sent letters around colonies- boycott of Brit goods
c.Repeal-b/c of trade damage & generated small amount of revenue -
Boston Massacre
a.Boston ppl resented British troops quartering in homes
crowd harrassed guards
guards killed 5 ppl (include AFR Amer)
found guilty
b. Effect. Samuel Adams called it "massacre"
used to inflame anti-Brit sentiment -
Regulator Movement Revolts
a. small scale civil war
stem from Carolinas farmers grievance w/ high taxes
began resisting tax collections by force
b.underrep in colonial assemblies
c.Gov William Trevor raised army to suppress them -
Samuel Adams
a. most effective radical in spreading anti-Bri sentiment
voice expressing outrage at Bri oppression
b. created "committee of correspondence"-publicized grievances against Eng
kept spirit of dissent alive thru 1770's -
Tea Act=> BOSTON TEA PARTY
a.gov gave East India Co. (failing) right to export merch directly to colonies w/o paying taxes that reg merchants had to pay
b.Anger
1.enraged influential merchants fearing replancemt & bankruptcy
2.renew "taxation w/o rep"
c.boycott tea in large pop
Boston Tea Party- men dressed as Mohawks boarded ships in threw tea into harbor
d.Women: Daughters of Liberty
-leaders in boybott effort
-active in anti-brit riots -
Intolerable (Coercive) Acts
a.punishment for Mass for not paying reparations of Boston TeaParty
-closed Boston port
-reduce powers of self-gov
-royal officials can be tried in colonies/eng
-quarter troops -
First Continental Congress
a.Phil
1.rejected plan for colonial union under Bri authority
2.stated grievances-demand for repeal of oppresive legislation
3.approve resolutions-forming military
4.agreed to stop trade w/ Brit by not im(ex)porting,consuming Bri goods
5.meet again next Spring
b. declare "economic war"
c. Stupid Parliamt does not remove troops/coercion acts
demands colonies tax ppl on Parli demand -
Lexington & Concord "first shots heard round the world"
a.General Gage-want to seize illegal supplies w/o Bloodshed
patriots watching Brit closely-Paul Revere/William Dawes warn them
several minutemen awaited Bri. troops
shots fired
b. WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE HAD BEGUN -
Philosophy of Revolt
-few Amer willing for complete independence from Eng
a.Ideas supporting Rev
-religious sources
-pol exp. of colonies
-Scots:view Bri as "tyrannical"
-country Whigs: existing sys corrupt/oppressive
-John Locke: gov necessary to protect ppl from innate evil-replace gov is gov fails
-"virtual rep" Parliament members rep interest of nation/empire even for Ireland/Amer. which had no rep.
-"actual rep" Amer. wanted elected rep from Amer in Parli -
Declaration of Independence
-statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, -announced 13 colonies independent of Brit
-John Adams-leader
-Thomas Jefferson-writer
--incorp Locke’s ideas regarding:
--limited, democratic government;
--the right to rebel against an inept government;
--the opportunity to pursue the natural rights enjoyed by all mankind; -
Thomas Paine- Common sense
-Common Sense challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy
-inspired people in the Thirteen Colonies to declare and fight for independence from Great Britain
