Road to Revolution

By stu.snedakerk@mishawaka.k12.in.us

  • The Sugar Act

    Indirect tax (out of sight = out of mind)
    Beauties on molasses and sugar
    Parliament = law making group of Great Britain James Otis
    Colonists had no representatives in parliament,BUT they had to follow their rules.

  • The Stamp Act

    Tax on paper products
    Official stamp/seal on all paper items (proof tax was paid)
    Purchased only with valuables silver coins
    If didn’t purchase = fined or jailed
    Direct tax

  • Repealing Stamp Act

    Boycott
    Parliament agrees to repeal (get rid of) the stamp act

  • Townshend Act

    Taxes on glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea
    Searched for smuggled goods

  • Boycott

    Refusal to buy British goods
    Colonies hoped to hurt Britain’s economy
    Hoped it would convince Parliament to lift the new taxes

  • The Tea Act

    Passed in 1773 and allowed British East India Company (BEIC) to sell tea directly to colonists
    Lower prices than colonist merchants prices
    Tax tea cheaper than smuggled tea
    Less smuggling = more tax money

  • The Boston Tea Party

    Members of Sons of Liberty Dump over 340 chests of tea into Boston Harbor
    Caused problems for loyalists/tories
    loyalist/tory = a person in the colony who remains “loyal” to the King & Great Britain
  • First Continental Congress

    First Continental Congress

    The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from 12 of the 13 British Colonies, that met to deal with the Intolerable Acts. Georgia was the only colony that did not send a representative to the Congress. They agreed to boycott British goods at first, if Parliament would not repeal the Intolerable Acts. Patrick Henry VA rep. urged colonists to unite against Britain.

  • The Intolerable Acts

    Passed to punish Boston for Tea Party
    - Boston Harbor Closed until tea paid for
    - Massachusetts Charter canceled
    - Quartering Act required colonists to house soldiers “If a soldier comes knocking at the door…. you are sleeping on the floor”
    - General Thomas Gage became the new government of MA
  • 1,000's of Redcoats in Boston

    1,000's of Redcoats in Boston

    General Gage brings thousands of British soldiers to Boston with more on the way.
  • Midnight ride of Paul Revere

    Midnight ride of Paul Revere

    Paul Revere rides to warn the Sons of Liberty in Lexington and Concord that the "British are coming... "The British are coming.."
  • Battles of Lexington & Concord

    Battles of Lexington & Concord

    Battle of Lexington
    - 1st battle of American Revolutionary War
    - "shot heard round the world" - Ralph Waldo Emerson
    - BRITISH Victory
    Battle of Concord
    - Americans Stop British and force them to retreat back to Boston
    - AMERICAN Victory
  • Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

    Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

    • Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort
    • Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
    • AMERICAN Victory
  • The Second Continental Congress Meet

    The Second Continental Congress Meet

    • printed money
    • set up the post office
    • created the continental army lead by George Washington
    • sent Olive Branch asking the king to protect their rights
    • king hires 30,000 Hessian soldiers in response
  • Battle of Bunker Hill

    Battle of Bunker Hill

    • Fought on Breed's Hill
    • "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" - William Prescott
    • BRITISH Victory (Americans ran out of ammunition) British learn defeating Americans would NOT be easy.
  • Washington arrives on the outskirts of Boston with Continental troops

    Washington arrives on the outskirts of Boston with Continental troops

    • realizes men are disorganized and need discipline
    • need weapons
  • "Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine

    "Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine

    • pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
    • "Everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'TIS TIME TO PART' - Thomas Paine, Common Sense
  • British surrender Boston

    British surrender Boston

    • Washington believes his army is ready and weapons arrive
    • Washington put cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
    • British retreat
    • American Victory
  • Second Continental Congress meet again

    Second Continental Congress meet again

    • Debate on declaring independence
    • Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document
  • Second Continental Congress votes for Independence

    Second Continental Congress votes for Independence

    • All 13 colonies vote YES on declaring independence
  • The Declaration of Independence is signed

    The Declaration of Independence is signed

    THEY CELEBRATED