Causes of the Revolution Flashcards
French and Indian War 1754-1763
Causes of the War - Desire for Westward Expansion
Colonies have been growing, having a constant flow of people, need to move west. French want their northern and southern boarders, cutting through the US.
French and Indian War 1754-1763
Causes of the War - George Washington’s Foray West
150 militia men to survey the land into the west over the Appelacian mountains. Want to take Ft. Duquesne. They are ambushed and they have to build Ft. Necessity. Has to surrender after being surrounded. First shots fired in the war.
French and Indian War 1754-1763
The War - Albany Congress
Wasn’t much unity, so in 1754, 7/13 colonies come together to work on defense. Trying to keep the Iroquois allied with them instead of the French. Hope that they could settle some western land disputes. Ben Franklin puts together the Albany Plan of Union. Kind of sets them up as one colony instead of the other. They would have a president general and cabinet. Colonial leaders didn’t want it and neither does the king.
French and Indian War 1754-1763
The War - British vs. Colonial Fighting Styles
2,000 British regulars shows up under General Braddock in 1755 to take over Ft. Duquesne. They get ambushed and George Washington leads them away in a guerilla kind of warfare. Break away from the British kind of warfare after just leading them in a straight line.
French and Indian War 1754-1763
The War - William Pit 1757
They take off the supply line in Louisbourg 1758, Quebec 1759, and Montreal 1760. Pretty much ends the war by 1763 because they have no more supply of troops or resources.
French and Indian War 1754-1763
The War - British Treatment of Colonials
Treat them like second class citizens. Takes the British Regulars down a notch, they were not invincible. Redcoats treated Colonials horribly. Animosity growing.
French and Indian War 1754-1763
Results of the war - Loss of French effect on Natives and English Colonies
Enemies are gone, want to spread west. However, Britain has a lot of debt and desperate to make money. Leads to the end of Salutary neglect.
French and Indian War 1754-1763
Results of the war - Pontiac’s Rebellion 1763-66
Just lost their patron for European goods. British goods are more expensive. Ottawa Indians want cheaper trade goods and cheaper ammo, but the British don’t offer that. Chief Pontiac start attacking old French- now British Forts. Kill about 2,000 colonials in the end. Give small-pox covered blankets to the natives and wipe them out.
French and Indian War 1754-1763
Results of the war - Proclamation of 1763
Need to keep troops in the region to keep colonials outside of the region. Causes problems with the colonials. You cannot travel over the line set up, cannot move west of it. Don’t want the British troops to have more warfare. Colonials are angry because that was what the purpose of settling is. People continued settling west.
French and Indian War 1754-1763
Results of the war - Changing Colonial Views of English
Didn’t like how they were treated. Saw the redcoats as not invincible. Thought that they were more worried about British gain rather than Colonial gain.
French and Indian War 1754-1763
Results of the war - Impact on British Finances
After all the wars they had, like Queen Annes war and King George’s war, they were in debt. 140 million dollars in debt. Look at the colonies as a new wealth source after taxing the British citizens heavily.
British End of era of Salutary Neglect
Currency act 1764
George Grenville’s job is to pay off the debt. He keeps the navigation acts going, but also enforces the Currency act. No longer allows colonial fiat money. Need hard currency in order to trade with Britain. Causes an economic disaster in colonies.
British End of era of Salutary Neglect
Sugar Act 1764
Replaces the Molasses act in 1733. Decreases tax to 3 cents a gallon of molasses. The three cents is collected and be used to generate revenue. External tax, so the merchants are getting taxed and passed onto the consumer. It is the first time parliament passes a tax to generate money and not to control trade.
British End of Era of Salutary Neglect
Quartering Act of 1765 and 1766.
Requires some colonies to supply food and housing for soldiers to manage and enforce these acts.
in 1766, Boston is being quartering once again. They must house and feed the troops.
British End of era of Salutary Neglect
Stamp Act 1765
Internal tax on any kind of paper, legal documents, newspapers, and commercial documents. Raised 60,000 pounds of revenue a year. Stand up and opposed it. It affects the people who want to speak out against others, takes a lot of legal documents, charging for newspapers. Affecting influential groups.
Colonial Response to end of Salutary Neglect
Colonial Fear Loss of Traditional English Right
View meddling in trade, justice, are infringing of rights of Englishman and breaking previous Salutary neglect. Governor are now being appointed by the King and paid by the taxes. Judges are now admiralty courts, where they are appointed by the King. Freedom being taken away. Assembly elected by people to pass taxes, but only parliament can pass the taxes now.
Colonial Response to end of Salutary Neglect
British Theory of Virtual Representation
Colonies thought it was taxation without representation. They’re feeling like they don’t have any representation. Parliaments says that every member of the parliament represents every denomination of England. Colonists don’t agree.
Colonial Response to end of Salutary Neglect
Stamp Act Congress
1765, 9/13 colonies show up to create a united opposition to the tax. Made a list of grievences and agreed on non-importation acts against the British taxes. Creates some unity as everybody is opposing the tax.
Colonial Response to end of Salutary Neglect
Sons of liberty
Lawyers and publishers are angry. So Sons of Liberty forms, Samuel Adams, organized protests to reject the idea of virtual representation. tared and feared. Used intimidation to fight for their rights as Colonists
Colonial Response to end of Salutary Neglect
Occupations most affected by British Policies
Merchants were being taxed and being boycotted so they couldn’t sell their goods and make a profit. Had sway with the parliament because that’s the way Britain was making money.
Colonial Response to end of Salutary Neglect
Continental Associations (Non-importation Agreements)
Form non-importation associations. Sons of liberty, spreading propaganda, to fight against the unjust laws. Women are producing the goods they’re not buying from Britain.
Parliament Tries a different Approach
Declaratory Act 1765
Anger of the English Merchants have more sway with the parliament. Stamp Act gets repealed, but the Declaratory act gets passed. They can pass any act
Parliament Tries a different Approach
Townshend Acts 1766
Charles Townshend taxes imports on lead, paint, paper, and tea. External taxes, colonists are paying the goods. Revenue officers collect the money and use it to pay the salary of the royal governors. They used to be paid by the colonists, but now they need the revenue for their salary.
Parliament Tries a different Approach
Admiral Courts
Court without a Jury. It is a military court. More difficult and harsher sentencing. Not as easy to manage. You are guilty until proven innocent.
Growing Colonial Tension
Boston massacre 1770
England sends in troops to enforce the new policy. have serious friction with the locals. Redcoats trying to get jobs cause more unemployment with the locals. Troops guarding a tax house, and they start to taunt the soldiers. Somebody shout ‘fire’, and it ends in 5 people dead.
Growing Colonial Tension
Boston Tea Party 1773
Monopoly of the tea to the East India company. Sam sees it as an ulterior motive, government Bail-out in order to make money off the government. Sons of Liberty board ships and dump it into the Boston harbor.
Growing Colonial Tension
Intolerable / Coercive Acts 1774
92,000 pounds of tea dumped, equaling a million dollars. Boston Port act- Closes the harbor until the debt is paid back
Quartering Act- Saves Brits money for housing
Act of Impartial Administration of Justice / Murder Act - Some trials removed to England
Massachusetts Government Act- Can’t have town meetings without consent. Law enforcers now appointed. Their liberty is being threatened. Need to make an example of Boston
Growing Colonial Tension
Lexington and Concord 1775
Rumored weapons stored in Lexington and Concord. 1000 British regulars sent to Concord. Paul Revere warns everybody that the Red Coats are coming, Hancock and Samuel leave. 8 famers at Lexington are killed. At Concord, they find a lot of resistance and have to march back. Minute men use guerilla warfare like the natives.
First Continental Congress 1774
12 colonies join. Established to present a united response to English actions. Make a list of Grievances to make sure England knows why they’re upset. Made Continental Associations to make sure boycotts enforced. Start to collect military supplies.
Growing Colonial Unity
Obstacles to Unity
Growing Colonial Unity
Committees of Correspondence
John Adams says that they need to give the soldiers the same rights as Englishmen. Samuel Adams forms committees of Correspondence. Their purpose is to spread propaganda and keep the rebellion alive.
