Events Prior to the American Revolution

1. Events Prior to the American Revolution

2. French and Indian War • a dispute between Britain and France over control of the Ohio River Valley • Most Indians fought on the French side so the war was called the French and Indian War. • Lasted almost ten years • George Washington fought in battles at the beginning of the war.

3. Effects of the French and Indian War • Britain gained control of land between Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. • Many Native American lands now belonged to Britain and the settlers wanted to move onto this land • Britain was left with huge debts

4. Proclamation of 1763 • Issued by Britain's King George III • Colonists could not move west of the Appalachian Mountains • Colonists disliked the law • Some colonists ignored it • Tensions began to grow between the colonists and Britain

5. Stamp Act 1765(p269-270) • King George III – king of Britain during the American Revolution • After fighting the F and I War, Britain needed money to pay its debts. • Parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765 – colonists would have to pay a tax on printed materials such as legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards. • Parliament – Britain’s law-making assembly

7. Colonists were angry: did not want to pay more money for things they used every day; were even angrier because they had no say in making the law (called it “Taxation without Representation”). • Protested the Stamp Act by: refusing to buy stamps; threatening and attacking the stamp collectors; protests in the streets. • Parliament repealed the law in 1766. • Repeal - to cancel

8. Colonists’ responses to the Stamp Act

9. Townshend Acts • Britain still needed money so they placed a tariff on good the colonists imported from Britain • tariff- tax on imported goods • imports- goods that one country buys from another country • British government still believed that Parliament had the right to make laws for the colonists. • Caused new protests in the colonies • Colonists boycotted British imports which hurt British business • boycott- refuse to buy • Britain sent warships to Boston Harbor

10. Boston Massacre- March 5, 1770 • British soldiers were living in the colonies. • They took jobs away from colonists by working for lower pay in their spare time. • Soldiers were unhappy about being far from home. • Relationship between colonists and soldiers grew more tense.

11. Boston Massacre (continued) • Crowd gathered around 9pm at the Customs House where a soldier was standing guard. • Colonists insulted soldiers by calling them names and throwing stones and snowballs. • Called the soldiers “lobsterbacks” • Captain Thomas Preston and 7 soldiers hurried to the area with loaded muskets. • Within minutes, 5 people lay dead or dying, and 6 more were wounded.

13. Tea Act • After Boston Massacre, Britain repealed all of the unpopular taxes on the colonists except the tax on tea. • They were trying to show the colonists that they still had the right to tax the colonies. • The Tea Act stated that the British East India Company was the only company that could sell tea to the colonies. • So now the colonists could only buy tea from the East India Company, and they still had to pay the tea tax!

14. Boston Tea Party December 16, 1773 • Sons of Liberty dressed up like Mohawk Indians. • Boarded the tea ships in Boston Harbor • Dumped hundreds of boxes of tea into the water • King George III was furious!!!

15. Boston Tea Party

16. SamuelAdams • Boston Patriot • Organized the Sons of Liberty • Formed the Committees of Correspondence

17. Paul Revere • An express rider for the colonies • A silversmith • Pictured the Boston Massacre in an engraving which shows soldiers firing at a peaceful crowd.

18. Sons of Liberty • Groups of Patriots who worked to oppose British rule during the Revolutionary Period • Organized by Samuel Adams

19. Virginia Patriot and lawyer known for his bold and inspiring speeches famous for his brave speeches in defense of colonists’ rights one of the first to speak out against the Stamp Act believed that the Virginia colonists were the ones who should decide what taxes they should pay Patrick Henry (p274-275)

20. In 1775, he warned that war was coming in his most famous speech. It ended with these words: “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” Patrick Henry (continued)

21. Intolerable Acts pg 280 • Parliament decided to punish the colonists after the Boston Tea Party • Passed several harsh laws: • Closed Boston Harbor • Colonists were ordered to house and feed the soldiers. • Massachusetts was put under control of a British general. • Colonists said that they could not tolerate the laws • Tolerate- accept

22. First Continental Congress p 281 • September 1774 • Philadelphia • Leaders from 12 of the 13 colonies met to discuss how to oppose the Intolerable Acts. • Voted to stop all trade with Britain until Intolerable Acts were repealed • Agreed to begin training militias • militia- volunteer army • Agreed to meet again in one year if situation had not improved

23. George Washington (p281, 283) • wealthy farmer; member of the House of Burgesses • represented Virginia at the First Continental Congress • was ready to fight against the British if necessary