Chapter 5

1. Chapter 5 The American Revolution 1763 - 1783

2. Reform and Resistance, 1763 - 1773 • At the end of the French and Indian War, Britain realized that they had been lax in enforcing imperial policies in the American colonies • Americans had gotten used to “Salutary Neglect” • England slowly began to tighten its grip on the colonies to make sure the colonies weren’t costing them money

3. They wanted: • Civil Service Reform - make sure officials enforced policies • To Stop Smuggling - make sure taxes were paid • Limit Areas of Settlement - Proclamation Line should be enforced so that British could more easily control Colonists • Revenue Reform - British felt Americans should help pay down the debt incurred during the French and Indian War

4. The British felt these were reasonable goals • These goals proved difficult to achieve • British leaders changed every few years and so did their policies • Colonists’ negative reactions to more stringent policies

5. Civil Service Reform • Sometimes officials didn’t actually occupy their posts • They often got substitutes • Privy Council, advisors to the King, said officials actually had to occupy their posts – no substitutes

6. Stop Smuggling • The British Navy was told to stop the smuggling • Crews were promised a reward • 2/3 the value of the cargo

7. Proclamation Line 1763 • Imaginary line drawn down the Appalachians • A way to limit the area open to settlement and to avoid future conflicts with Native Americans • If colonists lived closer to the east coast, they might be more inclined to buy British goods • Hard to enforce because some colonists already lived beyond the line, and others didn’t want to be restricted

8. Revenue Reform • Britain felt it was time for Americans to pay for British protection • They tried to enforce a number of acts to raise this revenue • George Grenville, Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1763 urged Parliament to pass revenue raising acts • Revenue Act (Sugar Act), 1764 -- made ships’ captain fill out paperwork about their cargoes, called a cocket and register with port master

9. There would be no more bribing of customs officials • This act lowered the tax on molasses from 6 pence per gallon to 3 pence per gallon • If people didn’t comply with the law and continued to smuggle, then they would be tried in vice-admiralty courts, a court without a jury; local courts could not try these cases This act did not cause great protest because it didn’t affect all people; colonists didn’t like these courts

10. Grenville then got the Currency Act enacted which outlawed colonial paper money -- some grumbling occurred • In 1765 Grenville had the Stamp Act passed • It required tax stamps (embossing) on most printed materials – legal documents, newspapers, playing cards, pamphlets, handbills, bills of sale, licenses, deeds, insurance policies, and contracts • The stamp indicated the tax to be paid • Violators tried in vice-admiralty courts

11. Colonial opposition to the Stamp Act was great • Protests throughout the colonies • Tax collectors were intimidated • Businessmen refused to use the stamp • There was active defiance • The Stamp Act affected more of the people in all parts of the colonies • And they had to pay in British currency

12. Many colonists began to question Britain’s right to tax the colonies • No actual representation • Parliament had no right to levy internal taxes Britain said colonists were represented in Parliament by virtue of being British – Virtual Representation

13. Articles appeared in the paper • Ex. – James Otis of Massachusetts said “there should be no taxation without representation” • Patrick Henry said that only the state of Virginia had the right to tax Virginians John Adams of Massachusetts, Daniel Dulaney of Maryland, and Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania spoke out against the Stamp Act

14. The colonists were willing to stand up for their rights. However, they were not seeking independence. Not at that time. • They wanted their local assemblies and their self-government • Not all agreed with the colonists • Lt. Governor Thomas Hutchinson of Massachusetts believed Parliament was the supreme power

15. Many in England felt the Americans just didn’t want to pay taxes like they had to. • They felt Americans wanted a free ride Americans did have an ally in Parliament, William Pitt. He said Parliament shouldn’t set internal taxes in America and worked for the repeal of the Stamp Act

16. Colonists took organized action against the Stamp Act • They formed the Sons of Liberty • Wealthy, elites who organized people to protest, especially in Boston • There was mob destruction of Lt.-Governor Thomas Hutchinson’s house because he enforced the Stamp Act

17. The Stamp Act controversy drew lower class people into American politics for the first time • Politics were discussed on the streets • Demonstrations were so widespread that the Stamp Act could not be enforced • American merchants organized non-importation agreements to put pressure on the British – don’t import British goods • Violators had their published in newspaper

18. Stamp Act Congress • Held in New York City in October, 1765 • 9 colonies were represented • Sent a letter to Parliament saying the colonies recognized Parliament as a ruling body, but the colonists wanted actual representation • No taxation without representation

19. Boycotts and protests were effective • Many in Parliament called for the repeal of the Stamp Act • The Marquis of Rockingham said they couldn’t enforce the law and boycotts hurt British business • The Stamp Act was repealed in 1766 • Grenville was out as Prime Minister • Rockingham was to be the new Prime Minister

20. However, Rockingham approved the Declaratory Act in 1766 that asserted Parliament’s ability to tax and legislate for the American colonies in all cases by virtue of being British • In 1766, Charles Townshend became Finance Minister and instituted new taxes on the colonies in 1767

21. Townshend Acts, 1767 • It levied taxes on trade goods like paper, paint, glass, lead, and tea • It levied taxes on items imported from Britain, not from foreign countries • It was designed to raise money • This money would then be used to pay the salaries of royal officials, thereby challenging the power of colonial assemblies • The power of the purse was gone

22. Protests • Merchants reinstated non-importation agreements • Massachusetts tried to organize a unified protest • John Dickenson wrote” Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania” asserting “no taxation without representation” • Daughters of Liberty made homespun cloth and drank coffee and water rather than import tea and fine cloth from England

23. Townshend Acts were repealed in 1770, supported by Lord North, Britain’s new Prime Minister – all but the tax on tea • Loyal colonists began losing their feelings of allegiance to the British king and to Britain • 1770-1773, Parliament avoided provoking the colonies as much as possible • Tensions eased a bit • Imports were on the rise

24. Boston Massacre - 5 March 1770 • Under an outward calm, a storm was brewing • A few weeks before this date several boys were throwing rocks at a customs informer’s house • An 11-year old boy was shot and killed by the customs informer • 5 March, British soldiers were patrolling Boston’s streets near the Customs House • Some boys began to heckle the soldiers

25. A crowd formed and snowballs were thrown at the redcoats • Boys dared the soldiers to fire on them • The redcoats did fire when they had been pushed up against the wall • 3 colonists were killed immediately and 3 others died later from their wounds • Boston was shocked • 7 soldiers were charged with murder

27. John Adams and John Quincy, both opponents of the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, agreed to defend the soldiers • Adams told court that British policy and an unsavory mob were to blame • All but 2 soldiers were acquitted • These 2 were found guilty of manslaughter and branded on the thumb

28. Redcoats were disliked by Americans • Resented supporting them; food, shelter, grog • Disliked being near them on streets or in taverns • Didn’t like competing with them for casual work (second jobs) • Found them to be rough, crude, and sometimes even criminals • Brutally treated by their own army • Redcoats felt isolated in colonies

29. The Gaspee - June 1772 • British schooner, part of the Colonial Coast Guard was patrolling Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island looking for smugglers • They thought they saw a ship smuggling and followed it to Providence • This Coast Guard ship, the Gaspee, ran aground 7 miles off the coast • That night 8 boats approached the Gaspee, removed the crew, and set fire to the ship

30. It was seen as an act of rebellion because the Gaspee was a royal ship • John Brown was believed to be the ring leader • He was tried and let go for lack of evidence

31. The Boston Tea Party • Brought the “semi-quiet” years to an end • May 1773 Parliament enacted the Tea Act of 1773 • Designed to save the British East India Company that was nearly bankrupt • This company had 17 million pounds of tea in a London warehouse and no buyers • The choice was to dump it or sell it to the colonists in America

32. There was a problem – Americans had been buying the cheaper Dutch tea • The tea tax was the only thing left over from the Townshend Act • Lord North decided to lower the tax to 3 pence a pound, so the total cost of the British tea would be less than the Dutch tea • England would then see if colonists would still buy the more expensive tea and uphold their ideal of “no taxation without representation”

33. Or would they buy the cheaper tea and show their greed • Ships delivering tea met with defiance: • In Charleston – tea was quickly locked up • In N.Y and Philadelphia – ships told to return to England • In Annapolis, Maryland – a tea ship was set on fire • In Boston – they had a party

34. Governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Hutchinson, planned to seize the tea for non-payment of a port tax (hoax), so he could get the tea ashore • The day before the tea was to be seized, Samuel Adams met with 1/3 of Boston’s population at a protest meeting • It was followed by 60 Sons of Liberty dressing up like Mohawk Indians

35. Boston Tea Party

36. They boarded the ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor • The tea was worth 9,659 pounds • Instead of trying to find the culprits, Lord North decided to punished the city of Boston • That is how you treat rebels

37. Between 1770 and 1773, attitudes towards the British changed dramatically • There was distrust and division • British saw colonists as ungrateful • Colonists saw British government as tyrannical • Conflict lay ahead

38. Parliament decided to punish Boston by passing the Coercive Acts in 1774 • To Americans, they were the Intolerable Acts • Port of Boston would be closed until the city paid for the spoiled tea • An army general named Thomas Gage was named governor • Elected bodies of government lost their power • Any soldiers accused of killing a colonist would be returned to England for trial

39. Soldiers would once again be housed in private homes Instead of controlling the colonies, these acts just made them mad and more rebellious England passed the Quebec Act -there would be no elected assemblies in Canada - French was recognized as the language and Catholicism as the religion of Quebec - Canadian border extended south to Ohio River Valley

40. This act scared Americans • They thought England would take away their remaining assemblies • It put the Ohio Valley out of their reach Colonists discussed how they would resist -boycotts? -petitions? -military force?

41. By the summer of 1774, colonists began to organize and coordinate their protests • A congress was called to discuss the colonial response to the Coercive Acts: The First Continental Congress -held in September, 1774 -12 colonies met in Philadelphia

42. The representatives spoke of loyalty to the King, but still resisted Parliament’s authority • All 56 delegates were angry • They had never met before but had a common cause – they wanted to work out a solution to their problem with Britain • They adopted the Suffolk Resolves • They weren’t advocating independence

43. Suffolk Resolves • Stated the Coercive Acts were invalid • Called for a boycott of trade • Colonies were urged to set up militias

44. The First Continental Congress tried to keep a delicate balance • The Congress adjourned although it would meet again in 1775

45. Resistance • General Thomas Gage disbanded the local assemblies in Massachusetts • Colonists set up their own assemblies again defying the law • Counties closed their courts rather than have the governor appoint a judge • Colonists stockpiled ammunition and guns in different locations – away from Boston – just in case

46. Other colonies did the same • Tensions continued to grow in 1775 • 3,000 colonists were ready to fight to defend Boston • Gage ordered redcoats to build fortifications across a strip of land connecting Boston to the mainland

47. Fighting Styles • Europeans stood in a line in close formation facing the opposing army • If someone got shot, his space was filled by another soldier • They were well-disciplined machines • Marksmanship was not important because everyone was so close together; they were bound to hit something • Colonists & British would meet in armed conflict for the first time at Lexington, Massachusetts

48. Lexington and Concord • Lord Dartmouth, England’s Secretary of State for the American Colonies, ordered Thomas Gage to arrest the principal figures in Boston’s elected assembly • Gage felt protests would increase if he did that • Instead, Gage decided to confiscate Americans military supplies at Concord, Massachusetts

49. 19 April 1775, Gage sent John Pitcairn and 700 troops to seize the munitions and arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams if discovered • Americans were warned about this by Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott • 70 armed, nervous farmers waited for Pitcairn to get to Lexington • Pitcairn ordered them to disperse twice

50. When they started to disperse a shot was fired • By whom? No one knows. • It was the shot heard round the world • There was a small skirmish • 8 Americans were killed • 10 Americans were wounded • 1 redcoat was wounded