Losing The American Colonies Flashcards
Why did Britain decide to start enforcing taxation on the colonies?
1763 - end of 7 year war with France where national debt stood at 137 million.
Britain also wanted to keep an army of 10,000 troops stationed in North America to defend against possible revenge attacks.
To prevent further attacks and to decrease national debt, Britain wanted to enforce taxes so the colonists would be paying for their defence
How much were Americans paying in taxes before Britain would enforce taxes ?
A sixpence a year !
Compared to the average Briton who paid 25 shillings
Americans paid 50 times less !!!!
What tensions existed before 1770 with relations with native Americans ?
Britain stated that in 1763, there would be no further expansion of American colonies into the west.
Colonialist disagreed and wanted to expand their farms into the the frontier
How were the colonists influenced by enlightenment philosophy?
The age of reason
Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke questioned the traditional authority such as the rule of the king and monarchy.
This directly inspired french and American revolutions.
This is evident in jefferson’s Declaration of Independence
How was their tensions before 1770 with the colonists and their growing identity ?
Americans were allowed to form colonial assemblies to discuss local matters.
They started to form their own identity with the increasing taxes from the British as they would get together and complain creating the divide between Britain and colonies.
When was the committes of correspondence set up ?
What was the significance of this ?
1771
Created by Sam Adams to communicate grieve because through all towns in Massachusetts then the 13 colonies
Significance -
Further form identity of colonists.
Organised opposition
What was the sugar act ?
1764
- actually lowered duty on sugar posts but strengthened methods for its collection
When was the stamp act ?
1765
When was the tea act passed ?
What did this involve ?
Why significant ?
1773
Permitted British east India company to sell surplus tea. This would compete with smuggled tea .
Could be argued to be an example of British intransigence as they reversed all the other taxes from Townsend duties in 1770 apart from this one just to enforce that they were still in charge
What was the reaction to the tea act ?
Why was this significant
60 sons of liberty boarded a ship and threw cargos with £10,000 worth of tea into the ocean.
342 chests sank
Significant as - direct rebellion against Britain with no turning back. Britain responded with the coercive acts which drove colonies to outright rebellion
What were the Townshend duties ?
When were they enforced ?
When were they reversed ?
1767
Duties on imports of glass , wine , China, paper, tea
- could be argued that Britain was listening to the colonists like Franklin who said Britain had no right to tax internally
Repealed 1770 except for the tax on tea !
How did the colonists react to the Townshend duties
Formal protests
‘No taxation without representation’
Boycotts and violent protests in Boston
When were the sons of liberty formed?
1765
What were the four main tensions between the colonists and the British by 1770?
War with France whereby British ended up with a large national debt 137 million which resulted in them wanted to enforce colonial taxing to pay for the army they wanted to put up there
Relations with native Americans
1763
London declared that there would be no more expansion of Native American land , Americans wanted to expand from frontier
The enlightenment
Anti - monarchist influence - john Locke
American colonists forming their own identity through colonial assemblies
When and what was the Boston massacre ?
1770
British troops were attacked by snow balls and killed 5 Bostonians after violent protests and riots every Thursday
Who defended the British troops in the boston massacre ?
John Adams
Got 6 out of 8 acquitted
How many people attended the funerals of the Boston massacre dead ?
Why was this significant
Five thousand
Significant as they became large political demonstrations
How was the Boston massacre depicted in propaganda?
Depicted as a massacre !
British troops open firing
Seemingly unprovoked at defenceless colonists
Paul Revere
Outline the change of organised resistance from colonial assemblies to committees of correspondence
Colonial assemblies - allowed by the british. Ununified assemblies
However upon the sugar act of 1764 , these assemblies were used to voice concerns towards the British which formed the American identity
The committees of correspondence
Formed originally in Massachusetts then to the 13 colonies in 1771 by Sam Adams to form organised resistance. MORE STRENGTH
What evidence was there for years of comparative calm between the colonists and the British (3)
- divisions between tidewater and backcountry
- 1771-1774, colonial imports from Britain doubled from 1768-1770
- lord north was moderate and willing to compromise
What was the Gaspee incident ?
Why was this significant ?
The Gaspee boat which enforced navigation acts was burnt by American smugglers who were not prosecuted
1772
Significance - evidence of not comparative calm
First act of direct violence
When was the first continental congress ?
Why was the significant.
1774
First time all the representatives form different colonies met in defiance of the British
When and what was the Boston tea party ?
What was it a reaction to?
1773 - tea act. Allowed east India company to directly trade with colonists which would reduce illegal tea smuggling as it would be cheaper
Reaction - Boston 60 sons of liberty boarded a tea ship and threw £10,000 worth of tea into the ocean and 342 chests sank
OUTRIGHT REBELLION
Which acts were a reaction to the Boston tea party.?
Coercive acts
What were the coercive acts ?
What did this effectively do ?
1774
- closure of Boston port until tea was paid for
- reversal of charter allowing governor to appoint / remove officials
- murder trials could be moved to England to avoid patriot bias
- more power given to American military commanders
Effectively put Massachusetts under Marshall law
When did British consider Massachusetts to be in the state of open rebellion
1775
When and who wrote the Declaration of Independence ?
Thomas Jefferson and continental congress
1776
Which earl tried to prevent colonial war ?
What did he do ?
Earl of Chatham proposed removal of all American duties
This was rejected by the House of Lords 2-1
What/ when was the first piece of military action in the war ?
What was this evidence of already ?
Lexington
General gage was sent on a mission with only 4000 troops to seize boston’s military store
Radicals were tipped off and first shots of war were fired
73 killed.
Evidence of poor British failures in terms of communication
Describe the battle of bunker hill
Why was this significant?
17th June 1775
British full frontal assault
British won the battle
However British extensive loss of life meant that this should not be praised as a victory
2/5 of the 2500 soldiers died. Whilst Americans lost fewer than half of that number
1/8 officers died
Evidence of British unsuitable European tactics
What did the battle of bunker hill result in ?
George 3 said all colonies were in a state of rebellion
Describe the battle of Long Island
Significance.
1776
British won
Losses less than 400 compared to Americans 1200
British use experience to advantage
Washington loss
Washington secretly evacuates with troops without surrender so war continues
Significance - washington’s leadership
Describe the battle of Trenton and Princeton ?
1776
Victory for Americans
Washington’s surprise attack on Boxing Day on Hessians
Trenton - only 2 Americans die
Princeton - use decoy of fires to distract Cornwallis to get there
Significance - massive moral boost for Americans.
Washington’s leadership
Outline the battle of saratoga
1777
Burgoyne fails to meet British army from Canada
With his 30 vehicles for champagne
Guerilla tactics
Cut trees to create road blocks and trapped British who were only moving at one mile a day
Daniel Morgan - leader of sharp shooters - new weapons shot twice as far as British
Significance - British overconfidence - said war would be over by Christmas
American tactics to target officers
What did the battle of Saratoga lead to ?
French enter war
How did the french intervention in the war help the Americans to win ?
Navy - forced British to fight on land and sea
La Fayette influence - helped command army
Money
How did Washington show great leadership at valley forge ? (3)
- stopped army deserting in half winter
- stops smallpox with inoculations
- Von Steuben brought order and writes Manuel for training enabling Americans to use European battle tactics and introduces the bayonet
How did the British fail to win hearts and minds of the Americans
- couldn’t protect loyalists
- Terrible POW treatment with 9/10 dying on NY ships
- use of German mercenaries in Trenton and native Americans
- use of military rather than political tactics in the first insurgency war
Describe the battle of Yorktown
1781
American victory
Cornwallis VS Washington
4000 men VS 16,000 men with french troops
Alexander Hamilton cuts off form of British escape with Lafayette
Laid siege to British for 3 weeks
British re-enforcements arrived 5 days too late
Evidence of structural
difficulties
Washington leadership
What were the four main consequences for Britain after the war of independence.
Calls for reform
Economic effects
Ireland
Political instability
How much money did the french invest in the war.
150 million
What were the only two long term consequences for Britain from the war of independence
Do not get colonies back
Free trade with Ireland 1779 long term economic impact
How was there minor political instability after the war of independence ?
Why was this short term ?
Lord North fell and
In 2 years there was 3 prime ministers between 1782-1783 Rockingham Shelburn Portland Shifting powers were unstable !
However in 1784, Pitt the younger wins and rules until 1801 reenforcing stability
What was the consequence of the war of independence of calls for reform ?
Why was this only short term ?
Opposition were worried about power of the king.
They wanted less autocratic power and more parliament power.
- Westminster Committee called for universal male suffrage
- end of rottern boroughs
However this was only short term as the violent Gordon riots where 300 people were killed putting politicians (even whigs ) off campaigns for reform
What was the consequence of the war for Britian’s economy ?
Why was this only short term ?
Initial short term economic problems
1783 - national debt at 232 million
Imports for oversees trade 1775-1778 fell by 26%
3000 merchants ships were captured
However textiles and naval building benefitted from the war
As well as unemployment
Also , by 1785 Britains trade with ex colonies reached pre war levels
What happened to Ireland after the war of independence ?
Short term ?
Long term ?
Politically ,
Short term change 1782 recognises legislative independence of Ireland
However this was reversed 1801 with act of union
SHORT TERM
Economically ,
1779 - free trade !
Not reversed
Long term economic change
