2. Enforcing the Colonial Relationship 1763-1774 Flashcards
- What was Britain’s financial situation at the end of the 7 years war?
- Doubled national debt from war.
- Interest for debt was £4.4 mil a year.
- National income only £8 mil a year.
- Cost of maintaining colonies was £350,000 a year.
When did the 7 years war end?
February 1763
- Why did the American colonies benefit from the defeat of France in 1763?
- No French threat from Canada.
- Colonies on the frontier were hoping to exploit the land gained from France.
- Why did it seem evident to many British politicians that imperial control over the colonies should be tightened in 1763?
- To defend against Native American skirmishes.
- To provide adequate government for the French Canadians.
- Policy needed to manage land settlement and the fur trade.
- Smuggling problems were becoming apparent.
- What happened in Pontiac’s rebellion of May 1763 and why was it significant?
Knowing white settlers would continue to invade their lands, Ohio valley tribes rebelled against the British, led by Pontiac.
- British troops eventually defeated them which proved colonists could not be counted on for their own defence.
- What was the 1763 Proclamation?
- Declared boundary of white settlement along Appalachian strip, intended to be temporary to control conflict.
- Frontier colonies angered as they felt they had the right to settle in land they ‘fought for’.
- Over 30,000 settlers ignored it and by 1767, Britain accepted the breakdown of the proclamation.
- What were Grenville’s anti-smuggling measures of 1763?
- Colonial customs officials now had to live in colonies rather than delegating their duties.
- Smuggling cases went to a vice-admiralty courts in Nova Scotia with a judge and no jury.
- What was the 1764 Sugar act and associated legislation?
- Lowered duty on foreign molasses and sugar to 3d per gallon instead of 6d.
- Aimed to be more enforceable and raise over £78,000.
- Added more items to the list of enumerated commodities such as wine and coffee, meaning they had to be shipped via Britain.
- What was the currency act of 1764? And who was it aimed at?
- Banned Colonial paper money.
- Mostly aimed at Virginia who had issues vast quantities of paper money during the 7 years war.
- What was the colonies response to Grenville’s measures of 1763/4?
- Angered many colonists, especially smugglers.
- Worried the vice-admiralty courts challenged the colonial legal system.
- Thought currency act was poorly timed during post war depression in colonies. Especially worried about deflation.
- Why did the Sugar act and additional policies cause some Americans to be suspicious in 1764?
- Taxed without representation, showing parliament would control without consent.
- Suspicious their political and legal systems were being undermined.
- Suspicious of presence of standing army.
- What American opposition was there in 1764?
- 9 colonies contacted parliament to tell them they had overstepped their power in raising revenue.
- Some pamphlets produced.
- Most colonists fine with it, giving Grenville the confidence for the Stamp act.
When was the stamp act announced and due to come into effect?
Announced in 1764, to come into effect in 1765.
- What was the Stamp act?
- Stamps now had to be bought for all ‘official’ documents w.g marriage licenses, tavern licenses, newspapers.
- Estimated to raise £60,000 in first year.
- Why did the Stamp act provoke such violent reaction in the colonies?
- Almost all groups were affected by the act.
- Influential groups at the heart of communities affected most such as newspaper printers and tavern owners.
- First direct tax on colonies.
14a. What were the Virginia resolves?
- Written by Patrick Henry in May 1765
- Said, ‘Colonists have rights of Englishmen’
‘ Colonists can only be taxed with proper representation’
‘ Colonists have the right to consent’
‘ only the house of Burgesses can tax Virginians’
14b. What was the impact of the Virginia resolves?
- Spread ideas of consent for taxation.
- 8 other assemblies passed similar resolutions, colonies were uniting.
- Some Newspapers published 2 more extreme resolves from Patrick Henry which had not been passed but threatened violence/resistance.
- What was the Stamp act congress?
- A Massachusetts proposed intercolonial meetings discussing common resolutions.
- 9 Colonies in attendance.
- Decided:
‘Stamp act subverted rights of colonists’
‘Only colonial assemblies could tax colonists’
‘Stamp act must be repealed and vice-admiralty courts abolished’
When was the Stamp act Congress?
October 1765
- Who were seen as the ‘real villains’ by colonists during the Stamp act crisis? And why?
- The ministers in British parliament such as Bute and Grenville.
- Believed they were conspiring to remove colonists liberties, and thought the standing army served as proof.
- Why was popular protest so important during the Stamp act crisis of 1765?
- Took the debate from assemblies into a public movement.
- Showed British government how widespread the unrest was.
- Kept movement and unrest alive.
- Outline the mob action that took place in Boston during the Stamp act crisis?
- Effigies of stamp officers (Oliver) and Bute burned/hung.
- Houses of stamp officers destroyed, forcing resignation.
- Sons of Liberty organise urban movement of resistance.
- Class resentment as rich colonials feared property destruction.
- What economic sanctions were put in place by the colonists to protest the Stamp act?
- Many merchants signed a non-importation agreement.
- General population undertook a boycott of British goods which severely damaged British merchants and artisans.
20a. When was the Stamp act repealled?
March 1766
20b. Why was the Stamp act repealled?
- New Prime minister, Rockingham, felt parliament should exercise its right to tax less intensely.
- British manufacturers were calling for repeal to end boycott.
- Britain also lacked military power to enforce the act.