Lesson 2: Tensions with Britain

Question 1

Abigail Adams Definition

Answer 1

the wife of John Adams and proponent of women’s rights

Question 2

Boston Massacre Definition

Answer 2

a 1770 incident in which five colonists were killed by British troops

Question 3

Boycott Definition

Answer 3

to refuse to buy or use certain goods or services

Question 4

Committee of Correspondence

Answer 4

a letter-writing campaign that became a major tool of protest in the colonies

Question 5

Crispus Attucks

Answer 5

a sailor of African and Native American descent who was killed in the Boston Massacre

Question 6

Free-enterprise System Definition

Answer 6

an economic system in which goods and services are exchanged on a free market with as little government interference as possible

Question 7

John Adams Definition

Answer 7

a leader in the American Revolution. He went on to serve as the first Vice President and second President of the United States

Question 8

King George III Definition

Answer 8

George III (1738–1820) was king of Great Britain from 1760 to 1820

Question 9

Mercy Otis Warren Definition

Answer 9

a Massachusetts historian, playwright, and activist who supported the Revolution

Question 10

Patrick Henry Definition

Answer 10

a leader in the American Revolution and an antifederalist who went on to become a five-term governor of Virginia

Question 11

Petition Definition

Answer 11

a formal written request to someone in authority that is signed by a group of people

Question 12

Pontiac’s War Definition

Answer 12

a 1763 conflict between Native Americans and the British over British policies in the Great Lakes area

Question 13

Proclamation of 1763 Definition

Answer 13

A law forbidding British colonists to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains

Question 14

Samuel Adams Definition

Answer 14

a Boston patriot and organizer against the British in the American Revolution

Question 15

Stamp Act Definition

Answer 15

a 1765 law that placed new duties on legal documents and taxed newspapers, almanacs, playing cards, and dice

Question 16

Sugar Act Definition

Answer 16

a set of new taxes on molasses that made it easier for British officials to bring colonial smugglers to trial.

Question 17

Townshend Acts Definition

Answer 17

laws passed in 1767 that taxed goods such as glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea

Question 18

Writs of Assistance

Answer 18

a legal document that allowed British customs officers to inspect a ship’s cargo without giving a reason

Question 19

What were some groups that lived in the Ohio River Valley? What happened as the British settlers moved into the Vallley?

Answer 19

Many Native American nations lived in the Ohio Valley. They included the Senecas, Delawares, Shawnees, Ottawas, Miamis, and Hurons. As British settlers moved into the valley, they often clashed with these Native Americans.

Question 20

How did British military commander and governor general Jeffery Amherst treat the Native Americans and their land?

Answer 20

In 1760, the British made Lord Jeffrey Amherst military commander and governor general of its North American colonies. The British sent Amherst to the frontier to keep order. French traders had always treated Native Americans as friends, holding feasts for them and giving them presents. Amherst refused to do this. Instead, he raised the price of goods traded to Indians. Also, unlike the French, Amherst allowed settlers to build farms and forts on Indian lands.

Question 21

What did Pontiac, chief of the Ottawa, do in response to Lord Jeffery Amherst’s rule?

Answer 21

Angry Native Americans found a leader in Pontiac, an Ottawa chief who had fought on the French side during the French and Indian War. An English trader remarked that Pontiac “commands more respect amongst these nations than any Indian I ever saw.” In April 1763, Pontiac spoke out against the British, calling them “dogs dressed in red, who have come to rob [us] of [our] hunting grounds and drive away the game.” Pontiac led violent raids against British forts. Hundreds of British were tortured and killed, leading some officials to fear for the safety of colonists near Native American land.

Question 22

What was the result of the battle fought at Fort Detroit by Chief Pontiac and other Indian groups and the British?

Answer 22

Later that year, Pontiac led an attack on British troops at Fort Detroit. A number of other Indian nations joined him. In a few short months, they captured most British forts in the Ohio country. British and colonial troops then struck back and regained much of what they had lost.

Question 23

How long did Pontiac’s War last?

Answer 23

Pontiac’s War, as it came to be called, did not last long. In October 1763, the French told Pontiac that they had signed the Treaty of Paris. Because the treaty marked the end of French power in North America, the Indians could no longer hope for French aid against the British. One by one, the Indian nations stopped fighting and returned home.

Question 24

What did Pontiac’s violent raids against the British result in for government?

Answer 24

Pontiac’s violent raids against British troops convinced officials that they should prevent British subjects from settling beyond the western frontier for their own safety. To do this, the government issued the Proclamation of 1763. The proclamation drew an imaginary line along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains. Colonists were forbidden to settle west of the line. All settlers already west of the line were “to remove themselves” at once.

Question 25

What was the purpose of the Proclamation of 1763?

Answer 25

The proclamation was meant to protect Indians in the western lands. To enforce it, Britain sent 10,000 troops to the colonies. Few troops went to the frontier, however. Most stayed in cities along the Atlantic coast.
The proclamation also created four new places where colonists could settle. French Canada became part of the province of Quebec. Florida, once a Spanish colony, was divided into East and West Florida. British territories in the Caribbean became the province of Granada.

Question 26

Why were colonists angered by the Proclamation of 1763?

Answer 26

The proclamation angered many colonists. They thought it was unnecessary and unjust. They did not think the British government had the power to restrict state settlements. Nor were they concerned with the rights of Native Americans. After winning the French and Indian War, many colonists felt they had rights to the land.

Question 27

How did Colonists treat the Proclamation of 1763?

Answer 27

The proclamation angered many colonists. They thought it was unnecessary and unjust. They did not think the British government had the power to restrict state settlements. Nor were they concerned with the rights of Native Americans. After winning the French and Indian War, many colonists felt they had rights to the land.

Question 28

How did Colonists treat the Proclamation of 1763?

Answer 28

Also, colonists now had to pay for the additional British troops that had been sent to enforce the proclamation. In the end, many settlers simply ignored the proclamation and moved west anyway. The proclamation remained most controversial in the west, where colonists clashed with Native Americans. Some colonies, including New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, claimed lands in the west. The Proclamation would continue to cause problems up to the American Revolution from the tension it caused between the colonists and Britain.

Question 29

What did Daniel Boone do?

Answer 29

One colonist who defied the Proclamation of 1763 was Daniel Boone. In 1767, Boone visited Kentucky, west of the Appalachians. In 1769, he began what became a two-year journey of exploration through Kentucky. He traveled as far as the Falls of the Ohio, the site of the present-day city of Louisville. Later, he led settlers through the Cumberland Gap along an old Indian path. During his travels, Boone fought a number of battles against the Indians and was taken captive for a short period.

Question 30

What happened as a result of Britain’s debt after the Seven Year’s War?

Answer 30

The Seven Years’ War, which included the French and Indian War, plunged Britain deeply into debt. As a result, the taxes paid by citizens in Britain rose sharply.

Question 31

How long was the Seven Year’s War?

Answer 31

Nine Years

Question 32

What was the impact of George Grenville’s, the British Prime Minister, policy?

Answer 32

The British prime minister, George Grenville, decided that colonists in North America should help share the burden. In a mercantilist system, colonies were expected to serve the colonial power. Grenville reasoned that the colonists would not oppose small tax increases. The colonists, however, strongly resented these taxes. They argued that mercantilism was unfair because it limited trade and made goods more expensive. Many colonists also objected that the power to raise these new taxes was not granted by the English constitution. Grenville’s policy led to the political and economic conflicts that would divide the colonies and England.

Question 33

What was the Sugar Act of 1764?

Answer 33

In 1764, Grenville asked Parliament to approve the Sugar Act, which put a new tax on molasses. The Sugar Act replaced an earlier tax, which had been so high that any merchant who paid it would have been driven out of business. As a result, most colonial merchants simply avoided the tax by smuggling molasses into the colonies. Often, they bribed tax collectors to look the other way. The Sugar Act of 1764 lowered the tax. At the same time, the law made it easier for British officials to bring colonial smugglers to trial. Grenville made it clear that he expected the new tax to be paid.

Question 34

What was the Stamp Act of 1765?

Answer 34

Grenville also persuaded Parliament to pass the Stamp Act of 1765. The act placed new duties (taxes) on legal documents such as wills, diplomas, and marriage papers. It also taxed newspapers, almanacs, playing cards, and even dice. All items named in the law had to carry a stamp showing that the tax had been paid. Stamp taxes were used in Britain and other countries to raise money. However, Britain had never required American colonists to pay such a tax.

Question 35

What was the result of the Stamp Act of 1765? What was the British view on the riots?

Answer 35

When British officials tried to enforce the Stamp Act, they met with stormy protests from colonists. Lieutenant Governor Hutchinson’s house in Massachusetts was looted by a mob. He was not the only official to feel the mob’s anger. Some colonists threw rocks at agents trying to collect the unpopular tax.
In addition to riots in Boston, other disturbances broke out in New York City, Newport, and Charleston. In New York City, rioters destroyed the home of a British official who had said he would “cram the stamps down American throats” at the point of his sword. The fury of the colonists shocked the British. After all, Britain had spent a great deal of money to protect the colonies against the French. The British at home were paying much higher taxes than the colonists.

Question 36

What is the meaning of “No taxation without representation!”?

Answer 36

Colonists replied that the Stamp Act taxes were unjust and unnecessary. “No taxation without representation!” they cried. That principle was rooted in English traditions dating back to the Magna Carta.
Colonists insisted that only they or their elected representatives had the right to pass taxes. Since the colonists did not elect representatives to Parliament, Parliament had no right to tax them. The colonists were willing to pay taxes—but only if the taxes were passed by their own colonial legislatures. They also felt that mercantilist policies like the Navigation Acts were unfair because they restricted their trade, which negatively affected colonists’ income.

Question 37

How did the Stamp Act of 1765 unite the colonists and what did these colonists soon form?

Answer 37

The Stamp Act crisis united colonists from New Hampshire to Georgia. Critics of the law called for delegates from every colony to meet in New York City. There, a congress would form to consider actions against the hated Stamp Act.

Question 38

What did the colonists do in October 1765? What was their new way of getting their point across?

Answer 38

In October 1765, nine colonies sent delegates to what became known as the Stamp Act Congress. The delegates drew up petitions to King George III and to Parliament. A petition is a formal written request to someone in authority, signed by a group of people. In these petitions, the delegates rejected the Stamp Act and asserted that Parliament had no right to tax the colonies. Parliament paid little attention. The colonists took other steps to change the law. They joined together to boycott British goods. To boycott means to refuse to buy certain goods and services.

Question 39

What was the result of colonial boycott on British goods?

Answer 39

The boycott of British goods took its toll. Trade fell off by 14 percent. British merchants complained that they were facing ruin. So, too, did British workers who made goods for the colonies.

Question 40

Why did the colonists want a free-enterprise system?

Answer 40

The colonists wanted the government to have less of a say over businesses and trade. They wanted a free-enterprise system, in which the market, rather than the government, determines what goods and services cost. British taxes, the colonists argued, unfairly restricted economic growth.

Question 41

When was the Stamp Act of 1765 repealed?

Answer 41

Finally, in 1766, Parliament repealed, or canceled, the Stamp Act. At the same time, however, it passed a law asserting that Parliament had the right to raise taxes in “all cases whatsoever.”

Question 42

What happened in the British Parliament in May 1767?

Answer 42

In May 1767, Parliament reopened the debate over taxing the colonies. In a fierce exchange, George Grenville, now a member of Parliament, clashed with Charles Townshend, the official in charge of the British treasury.

“You are cowards, you are afraid of the Americans, you dare not tax America!” Grenville shouted.

“Fear? Cowards?” Townshend snapped back. “I dare tax America!”

Question 43

What was the result of George Grenville’s and Charles Townshend’s argument in Parliament in May 1767?

Answer 43

The next month, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts, which taxed goods such as glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea. The taxes were low, but colonists still objected. The principle was the same: Parliament did not have the right to tax them without their consent.

Question 44

What was the affect of the writs of assistance?

Answer 44

The Townshend Acts also set up new ways to collect taxes. Customs officials were sent to American ports with orders to stop smuggling. Using legal documents known as writs of assistance, the officers would be allowed to inspect a ship’s cargo without giving a reason. Colonists protested that the writs of assistance violated their rights as British citizens. Under British law, a government official could not search a person’s property without a good reason for suspecting that the person had committed a crime. Yet the writs of assistance allowed persons and their property to be searched and even seized without reason in the colonies. Colonists angrily cited the words of James Otis of Massachusetts, arguing against a British attempt to impose writs of assistance six years earlier.

Question 45

What did the colonists do to rebel against the Townshend Acts?

Answer 45

Colonists responded swiftly and strongly to the Townshend Acts. From north to south, colonial merchants and planters signed agreements promising to stop importing goods taxed by the Townshend Acts. The colonists hoped that the new boycott would win repeal of the Townshend Acts. To protest British policies, some angry colonists formed the Sons of Liberty. From Boston to Charleston, Sons of Liberty staged mock hangings of cloth or straw effigies, or likenesses, dressed as British officials. The hangings were meant to show tax collectors what might happen to them if they tried to collect the unpopular taxes.
Some women joined the Daughters of Liberty. They paraded, signed petitions, and organized a boycott of fine British cloth. They urged colonial women to raise more sheep, prepare more wool, and spin and weave their own cloth. A slogan of the Daughters of Liberty declared, “It is better to wear a Homespun coat than to lose our Liberty.” Some Sons and Daughters of Liberty also used other methods to support their cause. They visited merchants and urged them to boycott British imports. A few even threatened people who continued to buy British goods.

Question 46

Who were the Townshend Acts named after?

Answer 46

The Townshend Acts are named after Charles Townshend, the British statesman who passed measures through Parliament to tax colonists for goods such as glass, paper, paint, and tea.

Question 47

What happened in the colonies as the struggle over taxes continued?

Answer 47

As the struggle over taxes continued, new leaders emerged in all the colonies. Men and women in New England and Virginia were especially active in the colonial cause.

Question 48

Why did Samuel Adams appear to be an incompetent leader for Massachusetts?

Answer 48

Samuel Adams of Boston stood firmly against Britain. Sam Adams seemed an unlikely leader. He was a failure in business and a poor public speaker. Often, he wore a red suit and a cheap gray wig for which people poked fun at him. Still, Adams loved politics. He always attended Boston town meetings and Sons of Liberty rallies. Adams’s real talent was organizing people. He worked behind the scenes, arranging protests and stirring public support.

Question 49

How was Samuel Adam’s cousin, John Adams, viewed as in Massachusetts?

Answer 49

Sam’s cousin John was another important Massachusetts leader. John Adams had been a schoolteacher before becoming a skilled lawyer. Adams longed for fame and could often be difficult. Still, he was more cautious than his cousin Sam. He weighed evidence carefully before taking any actions. His knowledge of British law earned him much respect.

Question 50

What was the role of Mercy Otis Warren and Abigail Adams in the development of Colonial rebellion?

Answer 50

Mercy Otis Warren also aided the colonial cause. Warren wrote plays that made fun of British officials. The plays were published in newspapers and widely read in the colonies. Warren formed a close friendship with Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams. The two women used their pens to spur the colonists to action. They also called for greater rights for women in the colonies.

Question 51

Who were some Virginian leaders in the struggle against taxes?

Answer 51

Virginia contributed many leaders to the struggle against taxes. In the House of Burgesses, George Washington joined other Virginians to protest the Townshend Acts. A young lawyer, Patrick Henry, became well known as a vocal critic of British policies. His speeches in the House of Burgesses moved listeners to both tears and anger. Once, Henry attacked Britain with such fury that some listeners cried out, “Treason!” Henry boldly replied, “If this be treason, make the most of it!” Henry’s words moved a young listener, Thomas Jefferson. At the time, Jefferson was a 22-year-old law student.

Question 52

What happened when the New York Assembly refused to obey the Quartering Act?

Answer 52

Port cities such as Boston and New York were centers of protest. In New York, a dispute arose over the Quartering Act. Under that law, colonists had to provide housing, candles, bedding, and beverages to soldiers stationed in the colonies. The colonists did not want to house the soldiers. Many, including Sam Adams, did not think the soldiers should be stationed in the colonies at all during peacetime. When the New York assembly refused to obey the Quartering Act, Britain dismissed the assembly in 1767. Britain also sent two regiments to Boston to protect customs officers from local citizens. To many Bostonians, the soldiers were a daily reminder that Britain was trying to bully them into paying unjust taxes.

Question 53

What were the threats British soldiers were prone to as a result of having to be stationed in the colonies due to the rebellion against the Quartering Acts?

Answer 53

When British soldiers walked along the streets of Boston, they risked insults or even beatings. A serious clash was not long in coming.

Question 54

What was the Boston Massacare and what were its results?

Answer 54

On the night of March 5, 1770, a crowd gathered outside the Boston customs house. Colonists shouted insults at the “lobsterbacks,” as they called the red-coated British who guarded the building. Then the Boston crowd began to throw snowballs, oyster shells, and chunks of ice at the soldiers. The crowd grew larger and rowdier. Suddenly, the soldiers panicked. They fired into the crowd. When the smoke from the musket volley cleared, five people lay dead or dying. Among the first to die were Samuel Maverick, a 17-year-old white youth, and Crispus Attucks, a free black sailor.
Colonists were quick to protest the incident, which they called the Boston Massacre. A Boston silversmith named Paul Revere fanned anti-British feeling with an engraving that showed British soldiers firing on unarmed colonists. Sam Adams wrote letters to other colonists to build outrage about the shooting.
The soldiers were arrested and tried in court. John Adams agreed to defend them, saying that they deserved a fair trial. He wanted to show the world that the colonists believed in justice, even if the British government did not. At the trial, Adams argued that the crowd had provoked the soldiers. His arguments convinced the jury. In the end, the heaviest punishment any soldier received was a branding on the hand.

Question 55

What did Samuel Adams later do to expand on the idea of a letter writing campaign?

Answer 55

Samuel Adams later expanded on the idea of a letter-writing campaign by forming a committee of correspondence. Members of the committee regularly wrote letters and pamphlets reporting to other colonies on events in Massachusetts. Within three months, there were 80 committees organized in Massachusetts. Before long, committees of correspondence became a major tool of protest in every colony.

Question 56

On the same day of the Boston Massacre, what taxes were repealed? What taxes were kept?

Answer 56

By chance, on the very day of the Boston Massacre, a bill was introduced into Parliament to repeal most of the Townshend Acts. British merchants, harmed by the American boycott of British goods, had again pressured Parliament to end the taxes. The Quartering Act was repealed and most of the taxes that had angered the Americans were ended. However, King George III asked Parliament to retain the tax on tea. “There must always be one tax to keep up the right [to tax],” he argued. Parliament agreed.

Question 57

What was the affects of the abolishment of the Townshend Acts and other taxes?

Answer 57

News of the repeal delighted the colonists. Most people dismissed the remaining tax on tea as unimportant and ended their boycott of British goods. For a few years, calm returned. Yet the basic issue—Britain’s power to tax the colonies—remained unsettled. The debate over taxes had forced the colonists to begin thinking more carefully about their political rights.