The Path to Revolution

1. The Path to Revolution 1763-1776

2. Proclamation of 1763 • Rationale: Cost too much money to defend the colonists past the Appalachian mountains. • Colonies reaction: Moved across the line anyways • Rationale: Great Britain 3K miles away, could not stop/enforce the Proclamation of 1763

3. Sugar Act • Sugar Act- cut down on smuggling, tax on sugar, and other imports. • Rationale: G.B. needed money for French and Indian War debts. • Colonial reaction: boycotts-did not import British goods. • Rationale: boycott would hurt British merchants; did not want to pay tax.

4. Stamp Act • This required colonists to purchase special papers for every legal document, license, newspaper, pamphlet, cards and dice. • Rationale: Act to help raise revenue;help pay off the debt of the French and Indian War. • Colonial reaction: Son’s of Liberty and Stamp Act Congress harassed British officials and boycotted British Goods. • Rationale: Wanted the Stamp Act repealed; did not want to pay the tax.

5. Repeal of Stamp Act and passage of Declaratory Act • Rationale: British officials were getting harassed and no new money was coming in. • Declaratory Act- This act stated that Parliament had full rights to make laws in all the colonies in all cases. • Colonial reactions: Rejoicing over not having to pay the Stamp Act tax; but ignored the Declaratory act. • Rationale: Colonists were glad that the tax was taken away, though the Declaratory Act was just words, no authority.

6. Townshend Duties (Acts) • An indirect tax on imported materials- glass, lead, paint, and paper. Tax on tea. • Rationale: A new set of taxes to gain revenue from the Colonies in 1767 • Colonists reaction: Boycott British Goods; women also got involved in the Boycotts. • Rationale: “No Taxation without Representation”

7. Boston Massacre • John Hancock's ship, the Liberty, is seized by the British for smuggling. • Riots against customs agents, the Crown put 2,000 “Redcoats” in Boston. • Colonists and Redcoats were competing for jobs • A fist fight broke out over jobs; later a mob taunted guards at a customs house. • The Colonist mob and armed British Guards grew violent, the Guards opened fired on the colonists, killing 3 and wounding 2.

8. Boston Massacre

9. Tea Act • This Act helped the British East India Company, it excused them from paying taxes to parliament. • Rationale: Helped the B.E.I.C. have a monopoly. • Colonial reaction: The Colonists protested violently;“The Boston Tea Party.” They threw 18,000 pounds of British Tea into the Boston Harbor. • Rationale: This would cut out the Colonist Tea Sellers of making money.

10. The Boston Tea Party

11. Quartering Act • Food and housing for troops in homes and empty buildings. • Rationale: It would lower cost for Great Britain to station troops there, and they could watch Boston. • Colonies reaction: First Congressional Congress, support protest and colonial rights. • Rationale: Boston was put under Marshall law, or military law.

12. Coercive or “Intolerable” Acts • Shut down the Boston Harbor. • Issued the Quartering Act- British Soldiers put in empty buildings/homes. • Boston Under Marshall Law, with General Gage; the Governor. • Rationale: King George III issued the Intolerable Acts in response to the Boston Tea Party. To Punish Boston. • Colonial Reaction: First Congressional Congress-declaration of colonist rights.

13. Cont: • Rationale: Defended the Colonial rights of the colonists, supported the protest in Mass. ; also declared that if the British were to use force against the colonies, the colonies would fight back.

14. Lexington and Concord • First battle of the war • Rationale: Colonists stockpiling arms and gunpowder. Adams andHancock were in Concord, sent troops to seize it all/them. • Colonial Reaction: “Common Sense”, a pamphlet, came out stating that the colonies need to declare for independence, so they could make a society free of tyranny.

15. Cont: • Rationale: Wanted support for independence, though the Second Continental Congress offered the “Olive Branch Petition”, a peaceful settlement of the war. They were trying all options.