Road to Revolution

  • Mayflower

    Overview-
    *102 colonist traveled from England to Massachusetts
    *Mixed puritans and separatists
    *Virginia Co. charter
    *No legal rights or laws
    *"Squatters"
    Effect-
    *First colonization of New England
  • Virginia House of Burgesses

    Overview-
    *Control over finances
    *Local legislation
    *Council appointed by royal government
    *White men w/ significant amount of land could vote
    Effect-
    *Virginia becomes a royal colony
    *King James and Virginia Co. become hostile
    *King James hated tabacco
    *Distrust in the House of Burgesses
    *1624- King James buys Virginia
  • Mayflower Compact

    Overview-
    *The first agreement of self-government in America
    *41 signatures (excluding non church members, women, and children)
    Effect-
    *Introduced assemblies and town meetings
    *Puritan settlements and way of life
    *Covenant Theology (Grace and Social)
  • French and Indian War

    Overview- (Causes of war)
    *Land Competition
    *Control over North American trade routes
    *Alliance w/ native tribes
    *European wars and conflicts
    *Traditional Enemies
    Outcome-
    *British victory
    -8 million dollar war fund
    -Larger army and navy
    -Colonial Militia
    -Iroquois allies
    Aftermath-
    *Britain blames colonists for war
    *Repay war debt (taxes)
    *Restricted colonial access to Ohio River Valley
    *Weakness in British army
    *Enforcement of colonial laws
    Effect-
    *Increased taxes
    *Proclamation -
  • Sugar Act

    Overview-
    *Lowers taxes from molasses act
    *Goal is to decrease smuggling
    *Indirect tax on sugar
    *Issued writs of assistance
    *Caused by the war debt (French and Indian)
    Effect-
    *Tarring and Feathering
    *Continue smuggling
    *Refusing to pay taxes (boycotts)
    *Attacks on British soldiers and tax collectors
  • Stamp Act

    Overview-
    *Tax on all printed goods
    *Direct tax; paid separate from item
    *Additional tax; felt like rights were violated
    Caused-
    *"Stamp Act Congress"
    *Sons and Daughters of Liberty
    *Boycott
    *Non importation agreement
  • Townsend and Quartering Act

    Overview-
    *Townsend Act-
    British repeal Stamp Act
    Replace w/ Townsend Acts
    Tax on glass, paint, tea, and others
    Similar to Navigation Acts
    Money was used to finance troops in the colonies
    Repealed after 4 years
    *Quartering Act-
    Soldiers are free (housing and food)
    Raising prices
  • Tea Act

    Overview-
    *Tax on tea
    *British East India Co. in danger of bankruptcy
    Competition for Dutch (VOC)
    Poor investments
    *Monopoly!!
    Effect-
    *Tea, Quartering, and Townsend Acts cause the assembly of the sons of liberty to react in the form of the Boston Tea Party.
  • Boston Tea Party

    Overview-
    *342 crates, $1-3 million worth of damage (tea)
    *Great Britain sees it as a "Threat to British Rule"
    *Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Josiah Quincy
    King George III-
    *Very angry
    *Use force (troops)
    *"reduce colonies to state of dependence"
    *Punish those directly involved
    Effects-
    *Caused the Intolerable acts and the importation of 20k troops into Boston.
  • Intolerable Acts

    Overview-
    *Boston Port Act
    *Mass. Gov't Act
    *Justice Act
    *2nd Quartering Act
    *Quebec Act
    Effect-
    Isolate Boston
    *Fair Punishment
    *Sam Adams - Sons of Liberty
    *General Gage becomes MA governor
    Increase troop presences
    Arrest rebels
    Reactions-
    *Merchants refuse to join boycotts
    *Other colonies hesitate to provide aid
    *Call for inter-colonial meeting
    *Adams supporters: Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson