Causes & Impact of American Revolution

1. Starter • How did people in England limit the power of the king? • How did John Locke view government? • How were the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Mayflower Compact different?

2. Objective 1.03 Examine the causes of the American Revolution

3. Causes of the Revolution • Because of mercantilism, Britain wanted to maintain a favorable balance of trade. • Passed the Navigation Acts. • Required the colonies to sell certain goods only to Britain. • Products sold to other nations were taxed by the British.

4. Causes • Mercantilism also caused nations to fight over land. • French and Indian War (1754)- • England fought France for control of Canada and land east of the Mississippi. England won. • Albany Plan of Union (1754) • Benjamin Franklin wanted the colonies to have one government. It failed. This idea would come back later!!!

5. Causes • Britain expected the colonists to help pay for the French and Indian War. • Britain took steps the colonists did not like! • Writs of assistance: Started in 1760, these allowed British officers to search whatever they wanted. • Proclamation of 1763 • Forbade colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.

6. Causes • Parliament passed new laws and taxes that infuriated the colonists in the 1760s • Quartering Act: required colonists to house and supply British troops stationed there. • Stamp Act: all printed material must have a government stamp. • Some colonists thought this interfered with their freedom of the press which was won in a court case by Peter Zenger (1734) • Colonist responded with the Stamp Act Congress • No taxation without representation • Called for boycott of British goods

7. Causes • Sons of Liberty • Groups which used violence to enforce the boycotts • Stamp Act repealed because of all the violence • Parliament passed the Declaratory act the same day. • Said Parliament could impose any law it wanted to and the colonies had to obey • 1767- Parliament passed the Townshend Acts • Tax on imported goods like glass and tea • Violence erupted in Boston, troops were called in • March 5, 1770- Boston Massacre took place. Colonial resentment increased.

8. Revolutionary Ideas Emerge • Committees of Correspondence were formed • Organized resistance against Britain. • Dec 1773- Boston Tea Party • Some colonists raided British ships and threw crates of tea into Boston Harbor • Coercive Acts (colonists called them the Intolerable Acts) • Closed Boston Harbor and placed a military governor over Massachusetts

9. Revolution • 1775- shot heard ‘round the world • British troops and colonial militia fought at Concord and Lexington in Massachusetts • Thomas Paine writes Common Sense (Jan. 1776) • Called for complete independence from Britain • Some colonists needed convincing • Declaration of Independence (1776) • Written by Thomas Jefferson (inspired by Locke) • List of complaints against England and King George • Proclaimed the US was now a free nation

10. Assignment • Read the Declaration of Independence on pages 60-63. • Answer the following questions: • What does the Preamble describe? • Who gave Jefferson the idea for the second section? • List five grievances the colonists had against King George III. • What is the last section describing? • What does the last sentence mean?

11. Assignment (Honors) • Read the Declaration of Independence- p. 60-63 • There are four sections. For each section: • Explain what the section is about. • List any reasons for the information in the sections. (things we have discussed, for ex. Quartering Act) • Explain the part of each section you most agree with and which part you least agree with. • At the top of the page, why do they put united States of America instead of United States of America?