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A New Nation Struggles to Find Its Footing: Power Struggles, 1789-1804

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A New Nation Struggles to Find Its Footing: Power Struggles, 1789-1804 What is the purpose/significance of colonies? Sugar Act of 1764. A tax on sugar By 1766, six significant groups are opposed to For over a century colonists had insisted upon o To benefit the mother country in terms of British troops in the colonies their rights as Englishmen, to be taxed only money, prestige and raw materials. Currency Act of 1764 1. Non-Anglicans in the colonies with their consent o Mercantilism. Prohibits the colonists from printing their own 2. Non-English people in the colonies The general widespread belief is that the o To receive protection from mother country. currency. The colonists created their own script (Germans, Dutch, Scots, Irish, …) colonists should have the same basic o The removal of the external threat posed by prior to this, called “colonial script” which had 3. Colonists of German and Dutch heritage. rights as British citizens Spain and France allowed the colonials to no real value outside specific communities. 4. Slave owners in South Carolina who dislike lessen their dependence on England the constant dialogue about whether or not “Tory/Tories” and “Loyalists” Stamp Act of 1765 to continue the slave trade. Colonists who remain loyal to England and Conditions arising from the French and Indian A tax on all legal documents, permits, commercial 5. New England Puritans, who view England to the King. Wars set the stage for the American Revolution. contracts, newspapers, wills, pamphlets, and cards. as immoral. With victory, the British sought to reorganize o There was much resistance: 6. Poor people in the southern colonies who Mutual dislike between the British and the itself, particularly in relation to the colonies. Petitions to the British parliament; view unhappily their inequity with the colonists continues to be cultivated. o Prior to 1763, colonists largely were left to Stamp tax distributors were intimidated wealthy (they believe England supports the o The British seem arrogant fend for themselves; post-1763 London into resigning their commissions; wealthy) o Double standard seen in London, whereon sought to tighten control of the colonies A figure resembling Andrew Oliver, the England-born and colony-born British o England sought more profit from the 1767, The British parliament adopts a distributor of the stamps, was hung in and neither viewed nor treated as equals. colonies in order to resolve war-related debt. confrontational-approach to the colonies. effigy from Liberty Tree. A threat! o With the 1763 Treaty of Paris, England got “Son’s of Liberty” control of all land east of the Mississippi Townsend Acts of 1767 1765, as a form of resistance to the Stamp Act, A colonial protest organization, lead by Samuel River and all foreign (European) forces were Requires the colonies to pay an import tax on tea colonists implemented a non-importation Adams. The group attacked the apparatus and removed from North America. England and other goods agreement throughout the colonies, wherein all symbols of British authority, such as British gained sole influence over this land. o This is designed to force the colonists to pay 13 colonies refused imports from England. property and Tory supporters. o Royal Proclamation of 1763 the wages of the civilian and administrative The British viewed them as seditious rebels and Prohibited colonial settlement west of the British personnel sent by the King. “No Taxation Without Representation” referred at the group maliciously as “Sons of Appalachian Mountains. Purpose was to Only Colonial Assemblies had a right to tax the Pre-1767, all money went through the Violence” and “Sons of Iniquity.” organize England’s North American colonies, the colonists argued while pointing to colonial legislator; this shifts it to the The British viewed them as a terrorist group. empire and stabilize relations with Indians. historical precedent; not England. British agencies! Colonists resent measure; never enforced. A growing position in the colonies held that o Protests and widespread boycotts are initiated Some major figures are quick to join the since the colonies did not have a representative throughout the colonies in response. movement to break from England: Post-1763 victory, colonists try to re-establish in the British parliament whom they had voted Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry their ties with British to reflect their pre-1763 for, the Parliament therefore could not represent 1767, large colonial demonstration in Boston in relationship. the colonists nor import/impose laws over them. response to the Townsend Act. Circa.1770, much of the colonial population Their wants include a reestablishment of British o Colonists refuse to pay the tax remained proud to be British, and in so doing protection of trade routes to the colonies and Quartering Act of 1765 The response: Redcoats, who had grudgingly accepted how they were treated by freedom within the colonies, both of which had London orders all Colonial Assemblies to pay previously been on the outskirts of town, the crown. Britain’s Act’s and behavior made been suspended in 1763. for and house Redcoats in the colonies. are now moved into Boston. daily life tougher and unpredictable, but not intolerable. The philosophy of a ‘social contract’ (John 1765, the British leave 6,000 Redcoats in the All Townsend Acts are repealed in 1770, except Some prominent colonial figures are reluctant Locke) takes hold in influential parts of the colonies, to protect them from the frontier. for the tax on tea. to break from England, until specific events . colonies. Locke viewed government as an o This claim is met with great suspicion from o Benjamin Franklin – he had a fondness of agreement between those who lead and those the colonists. England suspends the (elected) New York England until three events: 1. he witnessed who followed. how poorly the Irish were treated after The Redcoats attempt to do two things: governor and legislature in 1767 and 1769 for centuries of British occupation of Ireland; 1.mantain control of the colonies, and 2. failing to comply with Quartering Act. and 2.a private letter from Thomas they drew a ‘proclamation line” which Accumulation of Colonial Hutchinson to the King was intercepted said that no colonist could go west of All 13 colonies were continuously running trade and shared with Franklin which spoke of Grievances Against England the Appalachian Mountains. deficits with England. o Shipping gold and silver to England was the the need to further control the colonies; This angers the colonists; this was 1763-1775 only way to balance this. 3.he was verbally lambasted (criticized) an attempt by the British to limit (A Chronology; Page 1 of 2) o British merchants engaged in credit sales to by the British Parliament. western expansion. the colonies o John Adams – while supportive of liberty, o Severe credit crisis of 1772 caused the it was the Intolerable Acts, particularly the Declaratory Act of 1766 British imperial reorganization begins about British merchants to call in their debts. clause about no trials in the colonies, Emphasized the message that London maintains 1763. “Act” means tax or law. The intent of o The bankruptcy rate within the colonies drove him to join the Sons of Liberty after complete decision-making control over the many Acts was to raise money for England doubled! years of moderation. colonies. “Liberty Tree” and/or “Liberty Poles” The Gaspee Affair of 1772 Edenton Tea Party, 1774 The Continental Congress is formed illegally in A tree or flagstaff pole which were rallying Gaspee was a British boat which was enforcing A political protest in Edenton, North Carolina, in response to the Intolerable Acts of 1774. points for growing resistance against England. unpopular trade regulations in accordance with response to the Tea Act and inspired by the Boston o Originally representatives of only 9 It was viewed as a living symbol of popular British law. It ran aground. The Sons of Tea Party. It was a call for economic boycotts; led colonies participated. support for individual liberty and resistance to Liberty, lead by Abraham Whipple and John by Penelope Barker o The Intolerable Acts unified the colonists. tyranny. Often decorated with lanterns/banners. Brown, ransack the ship and burn it. This was a landmark, not because of the o ‘Olive Branch Petition’ (a peace offering) Almost every colonial town had its own Liberty o Previous attacks by colonials on British stances taken – boycotts were commonplace – o ‘Petition of Causes and Necessity for Tree by 1770! naval vessels had gone unpunished. By but because it was organized by women. Taking Arms’ (to justify militia buildup) this point, the British have had enough. It is one of the first instances of political o Goal: to unify the colonies with a common Battle of Golden Hill, 1770 The Dockyard Act of 1772 allowed action by women message and (later) to arm the colonies. British sawed down Liberty Pole in New York. for those suspected of burning British Reaction in England was largely Violence erupts as colonists express their anger ships to be tried in England, and the derogatory and dismissive Writ of Assistance of 1775 over the British action. British want to charge the defendants Reaction in the Colonies was Allows the British to search anywhere they want with treason. Colonists are terrified at complimentary and inspired other to, without permission. This includes wide the idea of the captives being sent to women to participate in the ranging search warrants o Challenged by the colonists, claming this ccumulation of olonial England for trial, where they did not boycotts, and were praised by A C believe a fair trail was possible. many patriots. violated Common Law (laws of England) Grievances Against England The British said the Navigation Act Minister John Allen, visiting from London, Intolerable Acts of 1774 (aka.’Coercive Acts’) of 1751 (designed to stop smuggling) 1763-1775 preached a sermon in Boston in which he spoke This is in response to the Boston Tea Party granted the authority.
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