The Loss of the American Colony - 1770-83 Flashcards
What does the term ‘Protestant’ refer to, and why was it significant in the American colonies?
Protestantism refers to Christian churches that broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church.
These churches had independent beliefs and were not governed by a traditional religious hierarchy.
In the American colonies, many settlers were Protestants who had fled religious persecution in Britain, shaping a culture that emphasized literacy, individual salvation, and participation in religious congregations.
What were the main reasons that tensions between the American colonists and the British government escalated between 1770 and 1775?
Customs Collection and Tea Duties: British attempts to enforce taxation laws led to widespread colonial resistance and unrest.
Nature of Colonial Society: American colonies had developed distinct identities and a tradition of self-governance, making them resistant to British interference.
Political Participation: A much larger percentage of white men could vote in the colonies compared to Britain, fostering a sense of political independence.
Local Loyalties: Colonists felt stronger ties to their communities than to Britain, furthering a sense of separation.
Economic Differences: The colonies’ economies varied significantly, with New England relying on fishing and small farms, the Middle Colonies focusing on wheat production, and the South dependent on slave labor for tobacco farming.
How was the political experience of American colonists different from their British counterparts?
Each colony had a governor appointed by the British Crown and a legislative assembly responsible for financial decisions and local laws.
The franchise (right to vote) was broader in the colonies, with 50-80% of adult white males eligible, compared to only 10% in Britain.
Colonial assemblies acted as self-governing bodies and frequently resisted British control.
Many colonists viewed themselves as autonomous political participants rather than subjects of direct British rule.
Why did Britain attempt to tax the colonies after 1763?
Britain had accumulated massive debt from the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) and needed funds to manage its expanded empire.
The British sought to station 10,000 troops in North America to defend new territories, particularly against potential French retaliation and Native American attacks.
Colonial administration and defense costs had risen dramatically, from £70,000 in 1748 to £350,000 in 1763.
The British believed the colonies should contribute to their own defense through taxation.
How did the American colonists view British taxation?
Colonists believed that taxes should only be imposed by their own elected assemblies, not the British Parliament.
They viewed British attempts to collect taxes as illegal extensions of power.
The slogan “No taxation without representation” became central to the colonial opposition.
Many colonists saw British taxation as a form of tyranny, influenced by Enlightenment ideas about government and individual rights.
What was Britain’s national debt, and how did it contribute to tensions with the colonies?
National debt refers to money borrowed by the British government through bonds and securities.
Britain’s national debt doubled during the Seven Years’ War, rising from £75 million to £133 million.
The need to repay this debt led Britain to enforce stricter taxation policies in the colonies.
What were the Townshend Duties, and why were they controversial?
The Townshend Duties (1767) were a series of British taxes on imports such as glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea.
They were introduced by Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Townshend to generate revenue from the colonies.
Colonists viewed them as a violation of their rights, arguing that they had no representation in Parliament.
Resistance took the form of boycotts, petitions, and in some cases, violent protests, particularly in Boston.
How did the British respond to colonial resistance?
British officials refused to repeal the duties, leading to increased military presence in the colonies.
The New York Assembly was suspended for refusing to fund British troops.
The Sons of Liberty, a paramilitary group, actively resisted British taxation efforts and persecuted tax collectors.
Who were the Agents of the Crown, and how were they treated by the colonists?
Agents of the Crown were customs officials and tax collectors tasked with enforcing British duties.
Many faced public humiliation through tarring and feathering, where they were stripped, covered in tar and feathers, and paraded through the streets.
Some were attacked or had their homes ransacked, leading many to resign from their positions.
What was the Boston Massacre, and why was it significant?
On March 5, 1770, British soldiers fired on a crowd of angry colonists in Boston, killing five people.
The event was used as propaganda by revolutionaries like Sam Adams to fuel anti-British sentiment.
It marked a turning point in colonial resistance but did not immediately lead to war.
Why didn’t the Boston Massacre trigger the American War of Independence?
Britain repealed most of the Townshend Duties soon after the massacre.
There were still many loyalists who supported British rule.
The colonies lacked unity, and some still hoped for a peaceful resolution.
Who was Sam Adams, and what was his role in the colonial resistance?
Sam Adams was a key revolutionary leader in Boston and a founder of the Sons of Liberty.
He organized major resistance events such as the Boston Massacre protests and the Boston Tea Party.
Adams played a crucial role in forming the Committees of Correspondence, which helped unify colonial opposition to Britain.
How did Benjamin Franklin contribute to colonial resistance?
Franklin initially sought to negotiate with Britain but opposed taxation without representation.
He represented the colonies in London and later helped draft the Declaration of Independence.
He was instrumental in securing French support for the American Revolution, which proved decisive in the war.
What factors made the outbreak of war between Britain and the colonies inevitable by 1775?
Continued British insistence that the colonies pay taxes.
Growing unity among the colonies in opposing British policies.
The failure of peaceful negotiations and increased militarization on both sides.
The emergence of radical leaders like Sam Adams pushing for independence.
The colonial belief that Britain was acting tyrannically, influenced by Enlightenment philosophy.
By 1775, these tensions had reached a boiling point, leading to the first battles of the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord.
Who were the Patriots?
Patriots were American colonists who opposed British taxation and policies, advocating for self-governance and colonial rights.
They actively resisted British rule through protests, boycotts, and armed conflict.
Many Patriots identified with the term Whigs, aligning themselves with the British Whig Party, which supported constitutional government and opposed absolute monarchy.
Notable Patriots included Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington.
Who were the Loyalists?
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown before and during the American War of Independence.
They were often referred to as Tories, a term borrowed from British politics, where the Tories traditionally supported the monarchy.
Many Loyalists had economic, political, or religious ties to Britain, including colonial officials, Anglican clergy, and merchants who benefited from British trade.
They opposed the violence and radical actions of groups like the Sons of Liberty.
Approximately 20% of the colonial population remained Loyalist, while around 40-45% were Patriots and the remainder were neutral.
What was the Committee of Correspondence?
A Patriot-led network designed to facilitate communication among American colonies.
First established in Massachusetts in 1772 by Samuel Adams, and later expanded to other colonies.
The committees helped spread information, coordinate resistance against British policies, and rally support for the Patriot cause.
By 1774, all colonies except North Carolina and Pennsylvania had their own Committees of Correspondence.
The British could not easily control this system, making it a powerful tool for unifying opposition.
How were the American colonies divided in terms of support for the revolution?
The population was divided into three main groups:
Patriots (40-45%) – Actively supported independence and resisted British rule.
Loyalists (around 20%) – Remained loyal to Britain and opposed the revolution.
Neutrals (remainder) – Sought to avoid conflict, though they might have sympathized with one side.
The belief that one-third were Patriots, one-third were Loyalists, and one-third were neutral is attributed to John Adams, though its accuracy is debated.
Neutrals often opposed British taxation but were content after the repeal of certain laws, like the Townshend Duties.
Many Loyalists had economic or social reasons for their allegiance, including colonial officials, backcountry farmers, Anglican clergy, and some recent immigrants like the Scots and Germans.
What was the Tea Act of 1773 and why did it anger the colonists?
The Tea Act was passed by the British Parliament to support the struggling East India Company, allowing it to sell tea directly to the American colonies.
The Act removed British port taxes, making legal British tea cheaper than smuggled tea, but it still included American duties.
Many colonists saw the Act as a trick to make them accept British taxation without representation.
In response, Patriot groups organized boycotts and protests.
Ships carrying East India Company tea were turned away or their cargoes left unsold in cities like Philadelphia and Charleston.
What happened at the Boston Tea Party?
On December 16, 1773, the Patriots in Boston took direct action against the Tea Act.
A group of 60 Sons of Liberty, disguised as Mohawk Indians, boarded three British ships: the Dartmouth, Eleanor, and Beaver.
They dumped 342 chests of tea, worth around £10,000, into Boston Harbor.
The event was a major act of defiance and escalated tensions between Britain and the colonies.
Britain responded with the Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts) to punish Boston.
What were the Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts) of 1774?
A series of harsh laws passed by Britain to punish Boston and Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party.
The main provisions included:
Boston Port Act – Closed the port of Boston until the destroyed tea was paid for.
Massachusetts Government Act – Allowed the royal governor to appoint and remove officials, reducing local self-governance.
Administration of Justice Act – Allowed British officials accused of crimes in America to be tried in Britain.
Quartering Act – Required colonists to house and supply British troops.
The acts were meant to isolate Massachusetts, but instead, they united the other colonies in opposition.
What was the Continental Congress?
A convention of delegates from the thirteen American colonies that met in response to British actions.
The First Continental Congress (1774):
Convened in response to the Coercive Acts.
Sought to coordinate a collective colonial response, including economic sanctions against Britain.
The Second Continental Congress (1775-1781):
Became the de facto government of the United States.
Oversaw the formation of the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as commander.
Drafted and adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
How did Britain’s response to the revolution escalate the conflict?
In February 1775, Britain declared Massachusetts in a state of rebellion.
Attempts at reconciliation, such as Pitt the Elder’s proposal to remove all duties, were rejected.
Britain began military preparations, leading to open conflict at Lexington and Concord (April 1775).
The failure of Britain to offer a compromise that balanced colonial self-governance with imperial unity ultimately led to full-scale war.
Where did the early fighting take place, and what did it reveal about British control?
The first battles of the American War of Independence occurred in and around Boston.
British General Thomas Gage had only 4,000 troops, limiting his ability to control Massachusetts, let alone the other 12 colonies.
Despite orders from London to take action, British attempts to assert control ended in disaster.
These early battles helped push political momentum toward revolution and the creation of a new nation.
