The Road to Revolution 1763-1775

The Road to Revolution1763-1775 Chapter 7

Roots of Revolution • Costs of Seven Years War put major strain on English economy • January 1763, British debt was £122,603,336 • Interest payment was £4,409,797 by 1766 it had increased by £14,000,000. • British people were maxed out on taxes. English taxes fell heavily on gentry and middle class, not so much on poor • Britain needed to increase revenue from America • Few people benefitted from industrialization

Political Trends in Colonial America • English Attitudes • English culture was reserved and resistant to change • Belief that purpose of government was to preserve “king’s peace” not welfare of the people • Service in Parliament was for power and special interest not ideology or policy therefore no initiative or change • Republicanism in America • Citizens subordinate their selfish interests for the public good • Society and government dependent on virtue of citizenry • Required selflessness and civic involvement • Opposed hierarchy and autocracy • Whig Ideology • Whig Theory: described two sorts of threats to political freedom: • a general moral decay of the people which would invite intrusion of evil and despotic rulers • the encroachment of executive authority upon the legislature, the attempt that power always made to subdue the liberty protected by mixed government • Whig ideology had a stronger influence in America than England. • Whigs opposed patronage • Encouraged people to vigorously protect attacks on rights

Privy Council and Board of Trade • Privy Council was responsible for governing colonies. • more interested in Europe, not America • Actual decision making power about America to the Board of Trade, • only concerned about economic issues • Gave an opportunity for colonial governments to raise in influence. • Wanted to stop whites from unfairly trade and land grabs from Indians as a way to minimize conflicts with the Indians • favored using military as a way to more efficiently collect taxes • army in America made sense – too many threats to colonies – French, Spanish, Indians and there was lots of space to be defended • Military in America also protected jobs in London

Mercantilism • “bullionism” defined power largely in terms of gold, • mercantilism adds a sophisticated set of propositions about exchange, balance of trade, manufacturing and raw materials • Colonies needed not only for raw materials, but markets as well • Looked at Americans as culturally inferior and as tenants • Americans expected not to manufacture competing products or achieve economic or political self-sufficiency • Navigation Acts • Required trade only on British ships • Tariffs collected in Britain • Limited what products could be shipped, and where they could be delivered

Currency Issues • Coins were real gold or silver because it represented “real” wealth • Colonies had negative balance of trade resulting in currency leaving colonies • Lack of bullion led to colonies issuing paper currency • Led to rapid devaluation and inflation • Currency Act 1751 prohibited New England colonies from issuing paper money • Angered Americans that believed act protected British merchants at the expense of Americans • 1764 Currency Act extends to all colonies

Navigation Acts • Prime Minister and Chancellor of Exchequer (Treasury) George Grenville needed to raise money for wars Britain had fought against France • Colonists had benefitted from wars • Wars eliminated French, Spanish, Dutch and Indian threats on land and sea • needed to find out a way to increase revenue and pay British debt • plan was to lower the taxes, but actually collect them • wanted to regulate trade in expanded empire • Decided to enforce Navigation Acts which had been ignored as part of salutary neglect • Would punish smugglers and strengthen royal Admiralty Courts

Lord George Grenville Revenue Act of 1764 (Sugar Act) • British West Indies colonies were represented in Parliament (“Sugar Lobby”) • Wanted protectionist policies and taxes to protect West Indian interests • Sugar Act reduced duty put in place in Molasses Act of 1733 • Grenville planned to enforce it unlike Molasses which was ignored • First tax passed by Parliament to bring revenue directly to Crown • Designed to raise revenue, not regulate trade • Higher taxes put on coffee and wine • Admiralty Courts established in Revenue Act • established a presumption of guilt. • Tried before a judge, not a jury • judge was a royal appointee

Protests Against Sugar Act • Americans argued Sugar Act favored British West Indies at expense of America and Britain • Many Royal Navy officers seized any ships, even if were not breaking the law. • St. John incident – Americans fire batteries at British Royal Navy ship that attempted to stop smuggling • Polly incident –customs collector John Robinson attempted to seize Polly because it was smuggling molasses • mob arrived took goods, destroyed ship, then local sheriff arrested Robinson • Opposition to Sugar Act concentrated more on harm done to trade, not issue of taxation • Began process where Americans explored the nature of their rights vis a vis Britain

British Response to Sugar Act Protests • Sugar Act was repealed • Grenville would not listen to arguments that Britain lacked the right to tax America • He needed Americans to acknowledge that right • Quartering Act 1765 • required housing of soldiers in vacant houses or taverns also provisions for housing • Americans argued that military wasn’t needed now that France and Indians were defeated • Whigs believed purpose was for Britain to take American liberty

Stamp Act (March 22, 1765) • Grenville passed tax to fund military presence in North America • Required a tax be paid on all pieces of paper • Included playing cards, legal documents, marriage licenses – impacted all social groups • Needed to be stamped to prove tax was paid • Could be fined or jailed for refusing or evading tax • Was lower than similar tax in Britain • Grenville believe Americans were only being asked to pay fair share

Stamp Act Congress – National Archives American Protests against Stamp Act • Virginia Resolves (May 31, 1765) • House of Burgesses was first to argue Parliament had no right to tax colonies under British Constitution • Was sent to other colonies – “peer pressure” on other colonies to respond in kind • Stamp Act Congress (October 1765) • 9 of 13 colonies sent representatives to New York (MA, CT, RI, NJ, NY, PA, DE, MD, SC) • Demand repeal of Sugar and Stamp Acts • Protested increased power of Admiralty Courts • Significant step towards unifying colonies • Nonimportation Agreements • Colonists boycotted British goods • Allowed all citizens to participate in protest • Increased public awareness and anger

American Reaction • Sons of Liberty formed (originally called “Loyal Nine”) • Were shopkeepers and merchants who wanted to protest Stamp Act • Sam Adams was a leader • Partially motivated to strenghten Massachusetts response following Virginia Resolves • Secret organization to terrorize tax collectors • Would tar and feather tax collectors and opponents such as governor Hutchinson and stamp collector Andre Oliver • Burned down homes and businesses of opponents • Burned and hung effigies • In Connecticut a tax collector was put in coffin and buried until he resigned • All Stamp tax collectors resigned before the law took effect • Anti-Stamp Act riots happened in many colonies • Much violence stemmed from pre-Stamp Act political, economic and Great Awakening religious rivalries

Debate over Stamp Act • Americans did not want to lose their rights as Englishmen • Until the Stamp Act, colonies accepted their subordinate position and never explored the constitutional implications of such a relationship • Made distinction between Parliament’s right to legislate versus tax • Argued since America was not represented in Parliament, it could not tax but colonial legislatures could • Since tax paid in pound sterling, it would make currency disappear from the colonies. Poor would be disproportionately affected • Political impact was important Stamp Act was seen in context of Sugar Act, not only was for revenue but replaced trial by jury with admiralty courts –dangerous precedent of usurpation of rights. Stamp Act was seen as a continuation of the assault on liberty • Blame put on Grenville with Earl of Bute inspired by the devil. Many saw plot to destroy all liberty in America and England • American position supported by William Pitt and Rockingham Whigs in Parliament

Debate over Stamp Act • John Locke argued people must consent PRIOR to giving up rights, including those of property. Property is what distinguishes a free man from a slave. • Slaves are those “who are obliged to labor and toil only for the benefit of others; or what comes to the same thing, the fruit of whose labor and industry may be lawfully taken from them without their consent, and they justly punished if they refuse to surrender it on demand, or apply it to other purposes than those, which their masters, of their mere grace and pleasure, see fit to allow.” • Grenville argued not all British were represented, but were taxed • Such as manufacturing cities • Said by challenging authority to tax, colonies challenged Parliaments ability to rule • Price of protection from the empire was obedience • “virtual representation” – every member of Parliament represents all British citizens • By linking legislative and taxing authority, Grenville forces colonists to dispute authority of Parliament

Franklin’s testimony to House of Commons Effects of American protests • British merchants wanted law repealed • British merchants supported repeal to alleviate economic damage • 13% reduction in trade between Britain and America • Grenville loses position as Prime Minister and was replaced by Marquess of Rockingham (Charles Watson-Wentworth) • Benjamin Franklin warned House of Commons that laws could lead to rebellion • Franklin argued colonists didn’t mind external taxes, but resented internal taxes • An internal (direct) tax is paid directly by colonists

Declaratory Act (March 1766) • Act proclaimed Parliament’s right to make laws binding in “all cases whatsoever” for colonies • Members of Parliament feared if backed down from Stamp Act without Declaratory Act, Parliament would lose ability to tax colonies • Act was needed as a precursor to give Parliament political ability to repeal the Stamp Act. • Act denied the constitutional argument, but conceded the financial argument • May 2, 1766 colonists receive word Stamp Act was repealed • Every colony except Virginia passed resolutions thanking the King • Most British did not believe in the ideological arguments of Americans, assumed they just didn’t want to pay tax

Townshend Acts (1767) • July 1766 William Pitt (Earl of Chatham) replaces Rockingham as Prime Minister and made Charles Townshend Chancellor of Exchequer • Townshend wanted to make royal officials independent of popular control and increase British control of East India Company • Townshend wins power struggle and takes control of government in March 1767 • Revenue Act (1767) • Proposed taxes on imported items lead, glass, paint, tea • Were external taxes, so Americans should agree • Money would pay governors salary which would end colonial “power of purse” • Commissioners of Customs Act (1767) • established the American Board of Customs Commissioner • Reorganized customs service for collecting taxes • Suspending Act (1767) • Ordered New York governor to veto New York Assembly laws until NY started giving supplies to British troops and obeyed Quartering Act • British tax collectors were corrupt

Americans Response • Americans attempted responses to Stamp Act • American merchants opposed boycotts because it hurt American business • Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania by John Dickinson was a series of editorials that argued Townshend Acts violated American constitutional rights • Argued Britain could regulate but not tax colonies • Smuggling became widespread • Circular Letter • Samuel Adams and James Otis get a Circular Letter authorized from Massachusetts legislature. • Was designed to spread ideological argument against Townshend Act and insure coordinated response.

Boston Massacre (March 1770) • Britain sent troops to America in response to protests • Americans resented military presence • British soldiers made it worse by taking jobs from American workers • Colonists harass British soldiers • British shoot into crowd killing 5 • Crispus Attucks was first killed • Sam Adams described event as a massacre by bloodthirsty soldiers • John Adams defended soldiers at trial and they were acquitted of murder

Britain Backs Down • Lord North became Prime Minister in 1770 and orders all Townshend Acts repealed except a three pence Tea Tax • Was left to prove Britain had right to tax colonists • Committees of Correspondence • Organized by Sam Adams in Massachusetts • Were created to keep communication within and between colonies about British actions • Increased cooperation between colonies • Mobilized “common” people • Virginia created first intercolonial committee of correspondence Lord North

Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773) • Tea Act • British East India Company was going bankrupt, so British government gave it a monopoly on tea trade in America • Made tea cheaper than ever, even with the tax • Believed was a plot to drive companies out of business and to trick Americans into agreeing to pay tax • Tea symbolized British tyranny • Americans stopped Tea shipments in many colonies • Governor Hutchinson of Massachusetts refused to be intimidated • Believed in rule of law, even though disagreed with tax • Would tolerate violation of colonial liberties in favor of law • Colonists disguised as Indians boarded ships in Boston and threw tea into harbor • Actions hardened British resolve to establish legislative dominance over colonies

Intolerable (Coercive) Acts (1774) • Designed to punish Boston • Boston Port Act • Closed port of Boston until British East India Company was repaid for tea • Massachusetts Government Act • Reduced power of colonial assembly • Banned town meetings • Most government positions were to be appointed by King or royal governor • Administration of Justice Act • Royal officials and soldiers would be tried in England for their crimes • Quartering Act • Expanded powers of government to house soldiers in private or public buildings

Quebec Act (1774) • Extended Quebec’s border to Ohio River • Interfered with claims of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia and New York • No representative assembly and special rights to Catholic Church • Was intended by British to pacify French Canadians and integrate them into British empire • Americans saw it as part of punishment of Intolerable Acts • Americans feared spreading of Catholic religion into territories • Americans saw it as a limit on liberty in North America

First Continental Congress (September 5 - October 26, 1774) • 12 colonies sent 56 delegates to discuss response to Britain’s actions • Canadian and Caribbean colonies were invited but did not show • Radicals led by Patrick Henry and Sam Adams • John Adams played major role in guiding Congress towards independence • Created “The Association” to begin a complete boycott against Britain • Declaration of Rights and Grievances • Argued colonies could only be taxed by their own assemblies • Britain ignored or rejected all American petitions • Pushed Americans from reconciliation to rebellion Patrick Henry Sam Adams

Paul Revere’s Ride • Massachusetts began collecting military supplies at Concord • Britain decided to destroy supply base • And capture Sam Adams and John Hancock • Paul Revere’s Ride (April 18, 1775) • Revere and William Dawes went to country side to warn of British movement

Battles of Lexington and Concord • Lexington • On way to Concord • 70 American “Minutemen” militia tried to stop 700 British • 8 Americans killed • Concord • British continued to Concord but were met by larger force that made British retreat • Colonial militia used guerilla tactics to attack British army from woods as they retreated • 300 British casualties

The Road to Revolution 1763-1775