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1. The American Revolution

2. Vocabulary revenue – incoming money from taxes or other sources resolution – an official expression of opinion by a group effigy – a mocking figure representing an unpopular individual boycott – to refuse to buy items in order to show disapproval or force acceptance of one’s terms repeal – to cancel an act or law rebellion – open defiance of authority propaganda – ideas or information intentionally spread to harm or help a cause
3. Vocabulary mercinary – hired soldier recruit – to enlist in the military blockade – a measure that keeps a country from communicating with other nations privateer – privately owned ship outfitted with weapons siege – an attempt to force surrender by blocking the movement of people or goods into or out of a place ratify – to approve officially ambush – to attack in which the attacker hides and surprises the enemy
4. The Proclamation of 1763 After their victory in the French and Indian War, the British controlled much of North America. They needed to protect their newly acquired territory. To meet this challenge, King George III prohibited colonists from living west of the Appalachian Mountains. This was known as the Proclamation of 1763. It was intended to keep peace between Native Americans and the English settlers, and also to keep the colonists under closer British authority.
5. Britain Needs Money After the war, Britain needed revenue, or income, to pay for its debts from the French and Indian War. The king and Parliament felt the colonists should pay part of these costs. Therefore, the British gov’t issued new taxes on the colonies. They also began enforcing old taxes more strictly. To avoid taxes, many colonists resorted to smuggling.
6. Sugar Act Passed by Parliament in 1764 Imposed a tax on imported molasses Allowed officers to barge into colonists’ homes and seize goods from accused smugglers The act angered many colonists. They believed it violated their rights. Colonists felt they had a right to trial by jury.
7. Stamp Act Passed in 1765. This law taxed almost all printed materials, such as newspapers, legal documents, and even playing cards. These items needed a stamp to show that the tax had been paid. The act outraged the colonists. They argued that only their own assemblies could tax them.
8. Stamp Act In Boston, Samuel Adams helped form the Sons of Liberty. Its members took to the streets to protest the Stamp Act. Protestors burned effigies (stuffed figures) made to look like unpopular tax collectors. Colonists began boycotting British goods in protest. In March 1766, Parliament repealed the law. But… it also passed the Declaratory Act, stating it had the right to tax and make decisions for the British colonies “in all cases.”
9. Townshend Acts Passed by Parliament in 1767 Taxed imported goods, such as glass, tea, and paper Protests began immediately Many women protested this act by urging colonists to wear homemade fabrics rather than buying fabrics made in Britain. Some women called themselves the Daughters of Liberty
10. Rebellion in Massachusetts In 1768, British officials received word that the colonies were on the brink of rebellion. Parliament sends troops to Boston to keep order. As angry colonists jeered, the “redcoats” set up camp in the center of the city. To make matters worse, the soldiers in Boston acted rudely. For many colonists, the British had gone too far.
11. Boston Massacre On March 5, 1770, violence erupted on the streets of Boston. An argument broke out between some Bostonians and soldiers. The angry townspeople began throwing sticks and stones at the soldiers. After one soldier was knocked down, the redcoats began to fire. They killed 5 colonists. The incident became known as the Boston Massacre.
12. Boston Massacre Site 18th Century 21st Century
13. After the Boston Massacre Colonial leaders used the Boston Massacre as propaganda. Samuel Adams put up posters that described the Boston Massacre as a slaughter of innocent Americans. Paul Revere made an engraving that showed a British officer giving the order to open on an orderly crowd. Troubled by the growing opposition, Parliament repealed all of the Townshend Acts taxes, except the one on tea. In response, the colonists ended their boycotts, except on tea. Trade with Britain resumed. Clip
14. Boston Massacre Assignment (worth 20 points) You are to create your own visual representation of the Boston Massacre, but from the British perspective. It should be noted that the most well-known illustration of the Boston Massacre was created by Paul Revere, an ardent patriot. Your finished product should include: A visual representation that depicts the Boston Massacre (5 points) Accuracy of content (5 points) Neatness (5 points) Color (5 points)
15. Committee of Correspondence Formed by Samuel Adams in 1772. The group called for action against Britain. Soon committees of correspondence sprang up throughout the colonies, bringing together protestors opposed to British measures.
16. Tea Act Passed in 1773. This act gave the British East India Company nearly total control of the market for tea in the colonies. The Tea Act also removed some, but not all, of the taxes on tea, making it less expensive for the colonists. Still, the colonists remained angry. They did not want to pay ANY tax, and they did not want to be told what tea they could buy. Colonists called for a new boycott.
17. Boston Tea Party Despite warnings of trouble, the East India Company continued shipping tea to the colonies. In December 1773, colonists dressed as Native Americans boarded three ships and threw 342 chests of tea overboard. Clip
18. Intolerable Acts Also known as Coercive Acts In 1774, Parliament responded to the Boston Tea Party by passing a series of laws. These laws were meant to punish the colonists for resisting British authority. The colonists detested these laws, and considered them “intolerable.”
19. The First Continental Congress In September 1774, fifty-five delegates gathered in Philadelphia. They came to set up a political body that would represent the American colonists and challenge British control. The delegates called it the Continental Congress. The delegates voted to boycott British trade. They also called on the colonists to arm themselves against the British.
20. First Continental Congress - 1774 ‘The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders are no more. I am not a Virginian, but an American.” - Patrick Henry
21. Colonial Militias / Minutemen As tensions grew between Britain and the colonies, towns began to form militias. They also began gathering and storing military supplies. Some militias were known as minutemen because they boasted they could be ready to fight at a minute’s notice.
22. Preparing for a Fight The British also got ready for a fight. By April 1775, several thousand British troops were in and around Boston, with more on the way. British general Thomas Gage had orders to seize the weapons from the Massachusetts militia and arrest the leaders. Gage learned that the arms and ammunition were being stored at Concord, a town about 20 miles from Boston. He then ordered 700 troops to seize and destroy the arms and ammunition.
23. On the Move On the night of April 18, 1775, British troops began marching out of the city. Paul Revere and William Dawes, both Sons of Liberty, rode to Lexington (east of Concord), to spread the word that the British were coming. Revere galloped along the countryside, shouting his warning of the approaching troops. Both he and Dawes were later captured, and another rider carried the warning to Concord.
24. The Shot Heard Round the World At dawn on April 19, the redcoats approached Lexington. There they ran into about 70 waiting minutemen. The minutemen were badly outnumbered and were about to give way to the redcoats, when a shot was fired. No one knows who shot the first fire, but it is known as the “shot heard ‘round the world.”
25. Lexington and Concord The American Revolution begins at Lexington. After shooting ended, 8 minutemen lay dead. The British continue on to Concord, where they were confronted by another group of minutemen. In a short battle, the British took heavy losses. As the soldiers made their way back to Boston, colonists hid behind trees and fired on the soldiers. Clip
26. Bunker Hill Following Lexington and Concord, more volunteers joined colonial militias. The British remained in control of Boston. In June 1775, colonial militias set up posts on Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill (across the harbor from Boston). The Battle of Bunker Hill was technically a British victory, although they suffered heavy losses. The British began to realize that battling the Americans would not be quick or easy.
27. Choosing Sides As news spread about these battles, colonists had to decide whether to join the rebels or remain loyal to Great Britain. Those who sided with Britain were known as Loyalists. Those who sided with the rebels were known as Patriots.
28. Writing Assignment – worth 25 points You are to create a diary (or journal) from the perspective of an American colonist living in the 1760s and 1770s. You specifically need to talk about / describe the various proclamations, acts, and laws being passed by Parliament. Have they affected your life in any way? How do they make you feel? Do you feel that the king and Parliament are out of line or are they justified? Perhaps a little bit of both? Are you going to do anything about it (protest, boycott, burn effigies, etc.)? You need to create an entry for each year beginning with 1763, and you need to go all the way to 1776. I will be giving 1 point for each entry, 5 points for punctuation and grammar, and 5 points for effort / creativity.
29. The Second Continental Congress Once fighting began in 1775, a Second Continental Congress is formed. Congress begins taking steps to govern the colonies. It authorizes the printing of money and sets up a post office. Most importantly, it creates the Continental Army. The Congress then unanimously chooses George Washington to command the army. Washington leaves Philadelphia at once to take charge of the forces in Boston.
30. The Olive Branch Petition The delegates of the Second Continental Congress send a petition, or formal request, to King George III. It is called the Olive Branch Petition, and it assured the king that the colonists wanted peace. It asks the king to protect the colonists’ rights. The king rejects the petition, and instead prepares for war. He hires more than 30,000 German troops (called Hessians) to fight alongside the British troops.
31. The Continental Army Washington reaches the Boston area in July 1775, a few weeks after the Battle of Bunker Hill. He finds the men disorganized and lacking discipline. Washington began the task of turning the armed civilians into soldiers. He also needed guns. In a covert operation, Washington arranged to have dozens of cannons hauled 300 miles from upstate New York. Then, under cover of darkness, he moved soldiers and cannons into position overlooking Boston, while the redcoats slept. British General Howe realized his soldiers were within range of Washington’s guns, and he ordered his soldiers to board ships and withdraw from Boston.
32. Common Sense During this time, many colonists held on to hope that the colonies could remain a part of Great Britain. Still, support for independence was growing, inspired in part by writer Thomas Paine. In January 1776, Paine published a pamphlet called Common Sense that made a strong case for independence. It became a bestseller, and it greatly influenced the opinions of the colonists.
33. A Resolution for Independence In June of 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia offered a bold resolution: “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States …and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.” Clip
34. The Debate for Independence Congress debated Lee’s resolution. Some delegates did not think the colonies should form a separate nation. Others argued that war had already begun and they should be free from Great Britain. While the delegates debated, Congress chose a committee to write a declaration of independence. The committee consisted of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman.
35. The Drafting of the Declaration John Adams asked Thomas Jefferson to write the first draft. At first, Jefferson hesitated, but eventually he agreed. Jefferson drew on ideas from English philosopher John Locke. Clip
36. The Ideas of John Locke In the 1690s, Locke expressed the idea that people are born with certain natural rights to life, liberty, and property. Locke wrote that people form governments to protect those rights, and that a government interfering with those rights could rightfully be overthrown. Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers agreed with Locke.
37. July 2, 1776 The Second Continental Congress votes on Lee’s resolution for independence. Twelve colonies vote for independence. The delegates from New York abstain from voting, but later they announce their support for independence.
38. July 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence is approved by the Continental Congress. The manuscript copy of the document is taken to a local printer, where he makes around 200 broadsides (or posters). Clip
39. The Declaration – Printed / Read / Signed Copies of the Declaration of Independence were printed and sent out to the newly declared states. George Washington had the Declaration read to his troops in New York City on July 9. Most of the members of Congress sign the “engrossed copy” on August 2.
40. The American Flag On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution, which stated: “Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a blue constellation.” Betsy Ross is given credit for making the first flag, although this is disputed by some historians.
41. British Advantages during the War When the war began, the British seemed to have a big advantage. They had the strongest navy in the world, and they had a well-trained army. They Americans had no regular army and a weak navy. American soldiers also lacked experience and weapons. In addition, not all Americans supported the struggle for independence. In general, Loyalist support was strongest in the South and weakest in New England. The British also sought support of African Americans, and many slaves were promised freedom if they fought for the British cause.
42. Patriot (or American) Advantages during the War The Patriots were fighting on their own ground. The Patriots had greater motivation, or sense of purpose. The Patriots had a greater stake in the war’s outcome as they were fighting for freedom in their own land. The Patriots’ greatest advantage was probably their leader George Washington. He was courageous and determined, and without his leadership, the war might have had a different outcome.
43. Battle of Long Island After Bunker Hill, the British realized they were going to need more troops. During the summer of 1776, Britain sent 32,000 troops across the Atlantic to New York. There the two sides clashed in the Battle of Long Island in August 1776. The British badly defeated the outnumbered Americans. After the defeat, Washington retreated from New York, which became a Loyalist stronghold.
44. The Need for Soldiers After the defeat in New York, the British chased Washington and his army across New Jersey into Pennsylvania. The Continental Army was near collapse. Many soldiers had completed their terms. Others had run away. The growing need for soldiers convinced most states to allow African Americans to fight. Those who fought had their own reasons for doing so.
45. The Battle of Trenton By December 1776, the Patriots were at a low point. They needed a win, and they needed it badly. On Christmas night 1776, Washington saw a chance to catch the British by surprise. He led 2,400 troops across the Delaware River to surprise the enemy at Trenton the next day. The Americans were able to achieve the victory they needed.
46. Early Battles / Northern Theater Battle of Princeton (1777) – American victory Battle of Brandywine (1777) – British victory Shortly after, the British capture Philadelphia and occupy the city. Battle of Saratoga (1777) – American victory This victory was huge, and it was a turning point in the war! It convinced France that the Americans might win the war. As a result, the French declared war on Britain and began sending money, equipment, and troops to aid the Americans. Battle of Monmouth (1778) – British victory (closer to a draw though) Associated with the legend of Molly Pitcher Last major battle in the northern theater
47. Valley Forge In the winter of 1777-78, Washington set up camp in Valley Forge (PA). There, Washington and his troops suffered through a terrible winter. They lacked decent food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. The troops lacked supplies, and many became sick and died. There were also many deserters. Several volunteers, including Martha Washington, made clothes for the troops and helped care for the sick.
48. An American Naval Victory In 1779, John Paul Jones became an American hero when his ship, the Bonhomme Richard, defeated the British warship Serapis. At one point, the British captain asked Jones whether he wished to surrender. Jones is said to have answered: “I have not yet begun to fight.”
49. Later Battles / Southern Theater 1778 – Savannah comes under British control 1780 – Charles Town comes under British control This was the worst American defeat in the war 1780 - The Battle of Camden results in a British victory As British troops advanced through the southern countryside, small forces of Patriots attacked them using hit-and-run tactics. Weakened, the British army marched to Yorktown, Virginia, where they expected to be rescued by a British fleet.
50. Victory at Yorktown In 1781, Washington secretly sent his force to Yorktown to catch the British by surprise. . There they were joined by a French fleet, and together, they surrounded the British. General Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, and his surrender convinced the British that the war was too costly to win. The Americans had won!
51. The Treaty of Paris The Treaty of Paris in 1783 formally ended the war. Under the treaty, Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent nation. The British also promised to withdraw all of their troops from the American territory.
52. Why did the Americans win? The Americans were fighting on their own land. They were expert at wilderness fighting. The Americans received help from other countries, specifically France. Perhaps most importantly, the American Revolution was a people’s movement. Its outcome depended on the determination and spirit of the people.
53. Inspiration The ideas of the American Revolution inspired people in other parts of the world. In 1789, French rebels fought a revolution in defense of “liberty, equality, and fraternity.” In 1791, enslaved Africans took up arms in the French colony of Saint Domingue and successfully shook off French rule. That nation is now known as Haiti.
54. Research Project (due 11/14) – Worth 50 points You are to choose a particular person or event from the period of the American Revolution, and conduct research on that topic. You will then write a 3-paragraph essay that explores the topic in depth. You will also create an interpretation of the topic to present to the class (a poster, brochure, poem, rap, play, story, power point presentation, etc.) You MUST cite the name of the source you used. Any students caught plagiarizing will receive a ZERO.
55. Research Project (Worth 50 Points) The written portion of this assignment is worth 25 points: Grading will be as follows: Paragraph 1 - 5 points Paragraph 2 – 5 points Paragraph 3 – 5 points Accuracy of content - 5 points Punctuation/Grammar – 5 points The presentation portion of this assignment is worth 25 points: Grading will be as follows: Presentation Effort – 10 points Creativity – 10 points Accuracy of Content – 5 points
56. Possible Topics George Washington Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin John Adams Samuel Adams Paul Revere King George III Patrick Henry Nathan Hale Betsy Ross Deborah Sampson The Continental Congress The Declaration of Independence Battle of Lexington & Concord Boston Massacre Boston Tea Party Battle of Trenton Battle of Yorktown