causes of the revolution Flashcards
1
Q
Britain after the war
A
- emerged from the war with a vastly increased empire in NA as well as an increased national debt
- the colonies had escaped paying for the war although they benefited from the defeat of France
2
Q
stronger imperial authority and concerns
A
- defence was a major concern because as colonial boundaries moved westwards, there was the likelihood of Native American attacks
- government had to be provided for 80,000 French Canadians
- a coherent western policy was needed to reconcile the conflicting needs of land settlement, the fur trade and Native Americans
- The seven years war made it apparent that smuggling was a prevalent business
3
Q
Grenville’s concern of national debt
A
- his main concern was reducing the national debt
- annual interest was £4.4 million while the annual income was only £8 million
- to solve this, he had little option but to increase taxation and reduce expenditure
- supported the notion that Americans should contribute to the cost of their own defence as they paid far less tax than the average British person
3
Q
how stronger imperial authority was enforced
A
- in 1763, Bute announced that 10,000 British troops were needed as a permanent army in NA
- believed the colonists should contribute something to the expense
4
Q
Grenville and administration + defence
A
- he found the cost of colonial administration and defence a major concern
- had risen from £70,000 in 1748 to £350,000 in 1763
- more money would be required to maintain the troops in the colonies necessary to hold Canada and manage the Native tribes
5
Q
Pontiac’s rebellion
A
- Pontiac and the Ohio Valley tribes rose in revolt in 1763, fearing further encroachments on their lands by white settler colonists
- destroyed every British post west of Niagra, killing and capturing hundreds of colonists
- British forces lifted the siege of Detroit, using bribes to detach most of the Iroquois people from Pontiac and to persuade the southern tribes to remain neutral
6
Q
impact of Pontiac’s rebellion
A
- the Natives were defeated by British soldiers paid for by Britain
- confirmed the view that the colonies were unable and unwilling to provide for their own defence, and so there was a need for British troops
7
Q
the 1763 Proclamation Line
A
- prohibited the colonists from settling on lands acquired from the French following the war
- advanced government efforts to discourage westward expansion
- feared that Anglo-American presence in western territory would encourage Native violence
- intended as a temporary boundary that could be extended further west in an orderly, lawful manner
- aimed to minimise conflict and ensure that white expansion was controlled
8
Q
failure of the Proclamation Line
A
- intended to alleviate tensions between settlers and Natives, yet the colonists ignored and disregarded this measure and moved west and so didn’t create serious discontent
- the measure was poorly enforced
around 30,000 colonists ignored the restriction and moved west by 1768 - Britain accepted the breakdown of the Proclamation Line by 1768
9
Q
impact of the Proclamation Line
A
- marked the beginning of a clear ideological break with Britain
- colonists and land speculators objected to the proclamation boundary as the government had already assigned land grants to them, with the plans to settle the land to grow business
- colonial resentment of the proclamation contributed to the growing divide between the colonies and Britain
- led to increased tensions as some saw the decree as an act of overreach, in that it was unnecessary, and it violated their right to self-govern
10
Q
reasons for Grenville’s anti-smuggling measures
A
- hoped to use the trade laws to extract more revenue from the colonists
- this could prove difficult as the colonial customs service was inefficient due to smuggling and the fact that officers were frequently corrupt
- this meant the colonists evaded most of the customs duties
11
Q
Grenvile’s anti-smuggling measures 1763
A
- colonial customs officials had to reside in America rather than delegating duties to deputies
- to counter the leniency of colonial juries towards smugglers, jurisdiction in revenue cases was transferred from colonial courts to a vice-admiralty court in Halifax where only the judge would decide the verdict
- represented a challenge to the colonial legal system
12
Q
1764 Sugar Act- raise revenue
A
- cut the duty on foreign molasses and sugar from 6 to 3 pence per gallon
- retained a high duty on foreign refined sugar
- prohibited the importation of all foreign rum
- affected New England, where distilling sugar and molasses into rum was a major industry
- taxed numerous foreign products, including wine, coffee, and textiles
13
Q
1764 Currency Act
A
- placed a ban on colonial paper money
- largely aimed at Virginia as it had issued a large amount of paper money during the war
- appeased British merchants who insisted colonial debts be paid in a more acceptable currency
14
Q
impact of the currency act
A
- was introduced during a time of economic depression which significantly damaged the colonies
- the deflationary effects of the Act threatened some colonists with ruin
15
Q
impact of the Sugar Act
A
- represented a fundamental revision of relations
- by imposing duties to raise revenue, Britain was essentially taxing colonists who were unrepresented in Parliament
16
Q
impact of the Sugar and Currency Acts on relations
A
- the economic impact rather than the constitutional issue of taxation without representation that was the main focus for the colonists
- NE ports suffered economic losses from the Sugar Act as the stricter enforcement made smuggling molasses more dangerous
- argued the profit margin on rum was too small to support any tax on molasses
- many colonists feared being priced out of the market
17
Q
American suspicions
A
- the colonists regarded themselves as good Whigs
- concerned with the old Whig issues of resisting arbitrary power, upholding popular rights and defending the integrity of representative institutions
- the writings of early 18thc British radical whigs who condemned ministers for conspiring to undermine traditional freedoms had wide support in the colonies
18
Q
American fears
A
- many colonists were also convinced of the need to guard against attempts to expand executive power by stealth
- the position of Bute caused significant concern as many feared he was still a power behind the throne
19
Q
influence of John Wilkes
A
- many colonists identified with the radical British MP and journal editor
- he demanded freedom of the press and a more democratic Parliament
- in 1763, after he had criticised the king and accused ministers of being the ‘tools of despotism and corruption’, he was arrested and imprisoned
- suggested that the British government was trampling on British and colonial liberties
20
Q
American opposition in 1764- political
A
- by 1765, 9 colonial assemblies sent messages to London
- argued Parliament had abused its power by introducing the Sugar Act
- conceded its right to regulate trade, but didn’t accept its right to tax to raise revenue in the colonies
- 50 Boston merchants agreed to stop purchasing British luxury imports, and in both Boston and NYC there were movements to increase colonial manufacturing
21
Q
American opposition in 1764- Otis
A
- published ‘The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved’ in 1764
- criticised Parliament’s new aggressiveness towards the colonies
- asserted there should be no taxation without the people’s consent
22
Q
American opposition in 1764- Sam Adams
A
- in 1764, he drafted a report on the Sugar Act for the Massachusetts Assembly
- denounced the act as an infringement of the rights of the colonists as British subjects
23
Q
overall compliance with the Sugar Act
A
- despite objections from assemblies and individuals, most colonists complied with the Sugar Act as few were directly affected by it
- many colonists saw the new Sugar Act as a replacement for the earlier act and not as a way to make money
- this compliance gave Grenville the confidence to proceed with the Stamp Act
24
overview of the 1765 Stamp Act
- aimed to raise money for the standing army by issuing a tax on all legal and official papers and publications circulating in the colonies
- required that all printed material be paid in British currency rather than colonial paper money
- stamps had to be affixed on anything formally written or printed
- this bill was introduced by Grenville despite messages of protest from colonial assemblies
- the colonial stamp duties were lighter than those in England
25
significance of the Stamp Act and why it was resented
- the majority of colonists considered it a violation of their rights as Englishmen to be taxed without their consent
- as the act imposed a tax on a wide variety of items, its effect would be felt in many different professions and trades resulting in widespread protest
- this universal impact produced an intense reaction
- as it was the first direct tax levied by Parliament, it was seen as a dangerous and unjustified innovation
- raised the issue of whether they could be taxed a body in which they were not represented
26
the Virginia Resolves
- Patrick Henry introduced 7 resolutions in 1765 attacking the Stamp Act and threatening resistance
- the Virginia Assembly adopted the 5 mildest of his resolutions
-colonists possessed the rights of Englishmen
- colonists's rights were guaranteed by royal charter
- colonists could only be taxed if they had proper representation
- colonists had the right to give their consent to their laws
- the Virginia assembly had the sole right to tax Virginians
27
impact of the Virginia Resolves
- Henry's resolutions were printed in many colonial newspapers, creating the impression Virginia had rejected the Act and sanctioned open resistance if Britain tried to enforce it
- by the end of 1765, 8 other assemblies had passed resolutions condemning the act and denying Parliament's right to tax the colonies
- most drew up petitions to the Crown and Parliament, appealing for repeal
28
the Stamp Act Congress
- one of the first organised and coordinated political actions of the colonists
- in 1765, the Massachusetts assembly suggested an intercolonial meeting be held to draft a set of resolutions that expressed a common colonial position
- 27 delegates from 9 colonies attended, all men of high social standing
- the delegates issued a 'Declaration of Rights and Grievances'
- denounced the act as having a 'tendency to subvert the rights and liberties of the colonies', claiming only their own legislatures could impose taxes on them
- claimed parliament couldn't tax them as it didn't include any representation from the colonies
- The extralegal nature of the congress caused alarm in Britain
- discussion of the congress's propriety were overtaken by economic protests from British merchants, whose business with the colonies suffered as a consequence of the protests
29
the stamp act congress
- They denounced the act as having a 'tendency to subvert the rights and liberties of the colonies', claiming only their own legislatures could impose taxes on them
- claimed parliament couldn't tax them as it didn't include any representation from the colonies
-The extralegal nature of the congress caused alarm in Britain
- Discussion of the congress's propriety were overtaken by economic protests from British merchants, whose business with the colonies suffered as a consequence of the protests
30
the ideological debate
- many pamphlets expressed similar views to the Stamp Act Congress
- they believed their right to not accept taxation without representation was enshrined in the English Constitution
- they thought direct colonial representation in Parliament was impractical due to the distance involved
- some feared a number of colonial MPs would be worse than none, believing their presence would give Parliament an excuse to levy higher taxes
- this meant they believed the only way to raise money in the colonies was through the assemblies
31
the ideological debate and colonial beliefs
- believed government was by its nature oppressive and that only constant vigilance could check its tendency to encroach on individual rights
- the idea the act was evidence of a conspiracy to deprive the colonists of their liberties was spread through the colonies
- the King was still well regarded and Parliament furnished the model of the colonist's own representative assemblies
- the ministers were seen as the antagonists
- questioned why Britain needed a standing army in the colonists, unless it would be used to force the colonists to yield to oppressions
32
popular protest
- crowds people turned the situation from a debate into a movement
- popular resistance originated in Boston due to the Loyal Nine
- Sam Adams focused resentment on purported supporters of the Act, such as Oliver, Hutchinson and Bernard
- led mob action, such as with the Liberty Tree which was a central gathering place for speeches, processions, and the hanging of effigies
33
mob action
- crowds damaged the houses of British officials to force the officials to resign
- many feared popular resentment at the act had turned into an attack on property by the 'rabble'
- Bernard had no difficulty of raising his militia and so maintained order for several weeks
- stamp distributors resigned or fled in every colony and so the act couldn't be enforced
34
impact of mob action on the Stamp Act
- the Act was nullified by mob action
- Britain would have to use force to maintain authority, yet most soldiers in the colonies were stationed in Nova Scotia and on the western frontier
- the army could only be called to detail with civil disobedience if a governor made a request to the military commander yet none did so
35
the sons of liberty
- the men directing the crowd action belonged to a secret society known as the Sons of Liberty, which included
members of the elite as well as new men such as small merchants
- the organisation ensured political consciousness was kept high
36
why the Sons of Liberty had a limited influence
- the organisation was far from united
- had limited influence in the southern colonies
- had orchestrated an urban movement but townspeople made up less than 5% of the population
- virtually disbanded after the act was repealed
37
economic sanctions
- the Sons of Liberty appealed to the public not to buy British goods
- in 1765, leading merchants in New York signed an agreement not to import goods from Britain until the act was repealed
- this boycott quickly spread across the colonies
- merchants formed non-importation agreements
38
colonial newspapers
- by 1760, the colonial newspaper industry comprised of 24 weekly papers in major cities
- Franklin had created an informal network so that each one routinely reprinted news, letters and essays from the others
- helped form a common colonial voice
- by informing colonists of what the other colonies were saying and thought, the press became a powerful opposition force to the Act
- many equated taxation without representation with despotism and tyranny, thus providing a common vocabulary of protest for the Thirteen Colonies
39
repeal of the Stamp Act
- in 1765, Grenville was replaced by Rockingham who wanted to see Parliament's authority upheld
- believed it was best not to exercise some rights, or do so with discretion
- British opinion in Parliament was divided
- many MPs, horrified by the mob violence were against repealing the act as they thought this would be seen as an act of weakness
- they didn't accept the argument the colonists were unrepresented as the colonies were no more unrepresented than many British towns, especially as most MPs believed they represented the whole 'Commons of Great Britain' which included the colonists
- British merchants, alarmed by the colonial boycott campaigned for repeal due to the impact of reduced trade with the colonists
40
repeal of the Stamp Act
- Grenville defended his measure that taxation was part of the sovereign power, wanting a motion to declare the colonies in a state of rebellion
- Pitt praised resistance to the Act
- Some MPs questioned why they should expect the colonists to ever pay tax again if they avoided this one
- Franklin eased these fears by making the distinction between internal and external taxes
- suggested the colonies only objected to internal taxes but would pay external duties on trade in return for protection of the Royal Navy
- the Act was repealed in 1766
41
the Declaratory Act
- most MPs only voted for repeal of the Stamp Act as they feared the colonies' ability to damage Britain's economy and didn't desire to incite rebellion
- this act asserted that the colonies were subordinate to the Crown and Parliament, and that Parliament had full authority to make laws
42
reaction to the Declaratory Act
- many colonists disregarded it as they were focused on their political victory of repealing the Stamp Act
- some were outraged as they viewed it as a sign that more acts were coming soon
43
effects of the Stamp Act crisis
- marked a turning point in relations, as officials such as Grenville recognised there was more at stake than revenue
- the fundamental issue was Parliament's sovereignty over the colonies
- however, most colonists believed the act was the problem, not British rule itself
- in denying Parliament's right to tax the colonists, they were implicitly denying its right to govern them
- essentially demanding independence or self rule in practice
- ruling out all British parliamentary interference in colonial internal affairs, they only recognised a connection with the king
- united the colonists in a sense than ever before
44
internal impact of the Stamp Act crisis
- in many colonies, the crisis caused important shifts of power
- the factions that could be charged with supporting the Act lost control of the assemblies
- in Massachusetts, the Otis faction discredited Bernard and Hutchinson for supporting British policy
45
overall significance of the Stamp Act crisis
- colonists believed they must remain vigilant in defence of their liberties
- suggested British authority could be defied if there was colonial unity
- many British politicians felt they must reassert authority over the obstreperous colonies or they would become independent by default
