Loss of American colonies 1770-83: Why did tensions between colonies and British reach point of no return 1770-75?

Question 1

How many English colonies were there in America?

Answer 1

13

Question 2

Who was in charge of each colony?

Answer 2

governor appointed by British Crown and a legislative assembly

Question 3

How did the colonists right to vote compare to that in England at the time?

Answer 3

high % (50% to 80% of the male population) could vote for the lower house. of the assembly, unlike in England where about 10% could vote

Question 4

What was the role of each colony’s legislative assembly?

Answer 4

raising revenue to provide local services, pay local officials and pass local legislation

Question 5

In what way did the assemblies start to do more than was their role?

Answer 5

discussion and protests about taxes following Sugar Act 1764

Question 6

When was the Seven Years War?

Answer 6

1756-63

Question 7

What land did Britain gain by end of Seven Years War?

Answer 7

French Canada, land east of Mississippi and most of French Caribbean islands

Question 8

How many extra citizens did British Empire gain from French Canada?

Answer 8

80,000

Question 9

What two groups did American colonies need defending from at end of Seven Years War?

Answer 9

French and Native Americans

Question 10

Why did Britain not want American colonies to expand to the west?

Answer 10

Already enough land to have to defend from French and Native Americans likely to want to stop colonies expanding.

Question 11

What size army did British believe would be needed to be based permanently in North America after Seven Years War?

Answer 11

10,000 men

Question 12

How did Britain pay for the Seven Years War?

Answer 12

increasing national debt

Question 13

At end of Seven Years War, what were the interest payment on national debt and how did that compare to government income?

Answer 13

interest of £4.4m
government income of £8m

Question 14

How did Britain attempt to raise revenues from North America?

Answer 14

more effective collection of duties outlined in the Navigation Acts

Question 15

What became the colonists “protest cry”?

Answer 15

no taxation without representation

Question 16

What was the effect on Britain’s national debt of the Seven Years War?

Answer 16

increase from £75m to £133m

Question 17

Give examples of what happened to some Agents of the Crown in the 1760s?

Answer 17

• house of Thomas Hutchinson, governor of Boston, was ransacked
• others were tarred and feathered

Question 18

What were the Townshend Duties?

Answer 18

series of Acts passed from 1767 relating to collection of custom duties from the American colonies

Question 19

Name seven items that Townshend Duties were applied to?

Answer 19

lead
glass
tea
paint
paper
wine
china

Question 20

Which Assembly was suspended until it agreed to pay to support troops based there?

Answer 20

New York

Question 21

Who led the Bostonian resistance?

Answer 21

Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams

Question 22

Give three reasons why the Boston Massacre did not immediately lead to the American War of Independence.

Answer 22

• British repealed the Townshend Duties
• many colonies still loyal to British
• lack of unity between colonists

Question 23

When were the Townshend Duties (except those on tea) repealed?

Answer 23

5 March 1770

Question 24

Who proposed the Committee of Correspondence and when?

Answer 24

Samuel Adams in September 1771

Question 25

What was the role of the original Committee of Correspondence?

Answer 25

to communicate in writing the colonial grievances to all towns in Massachusetts

Question 26

Did all colonies set up a Committee of Correspondence?

Answer 26

all except North Carolina and Pennsylvania

Question 27

When was the Tea Act introduced?

Answer 27

1773

Question 28

What was the aim of the 1773 Tea Act?

Answer 28

to allow East India Company to trade directly with America (rather than previous requirement to trade through British ports) and therefore increase its profits

Question 29

How would the Tea Act have increased profits of. East India Company?

Answer 29

EIC would be exempt from duties it would have paid at British ports, so tea cheaper so would sell more

Question 30

How was the Tea Act supposed to increase duties for British government?

Answer 30

As no British duties, price lower so would sell more so more American duties

Question 31

Which three ships were involved in the Boston Tea Party?

Answer 31

Dartmouth
Eleanor
Beaver

Question 32

What were the cargoes worth on the three ships involved in the Boston Tea Party?

Answer 32

about £10k

Question 33

What happened to the 342 chests of tea on the ships involved in the Boston Tea Party?

Answer 33

thrown overboard by 60 Sons of Liberty who boarded the ships

Question 34

What were the four main aspects of the Coercive Acts 1774?

Answer 34

1. closure of Boston port until all tea paid for
2. allowing governor to appoint and remove most officials
3. allowing murder trials to be transferred to England
4. more powers to military commanders to arrange quartering of their troops