Chapter 6 Notes: The Road to Revolution

Main Ideas:

-Britain was in debt from the French and Indian War -To make up this money they began a series of taxes on the colonists -With each new tax the colonists became more and more angry that their rights were being trampled -Eventually protests lead to violence and the colonists declared their independence from Britain and the Revolution was fought

Lesson 1: Tighter British Control

A. The Colonies and Britain Grow Apart

-During F and I War colonists and England were united -After the War problems arose -England tried to take tighter control over the colonies -Proclamation of 1763

B. British Troops and Taxes

-King stationed troops in colonies to enforce the Proclamation of 1763 -wanted colonists to pay for them so they passed the Quartering Act -Started directly taxing colonies (instead of asking assemblies to do it) -Sugar Act- a tax on sugar with harsh punishments for smugglers -Colonists were angry: No taxation without representation!

C. Britain Passes the Stamp Act

-Stamp Act, 1765: tax on all official documents and printed paper

D. The Colonies Protest the Stamp Act

-October 1765 Stamp Act Congress was held -Representatives from colonies met to protest the new taxes -They sent a petition to King -later a boycott of British goods was organized -Sons of Liberty were formed to organize the protests -Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, but passed the Declaratory Act -stating that parliament had supreme power over the colonies

Lesson 2: Colonial Resistance Grows

A. The Townshend Acts are Passed -Britain still needed money to cover its debt -Passed the Townshend Acts (1767) -Suspended NY assembly until they housed the British troops -taxed goods as they were imported into the colonies -glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea -thought that this would anger colonists less than direct taxation -included writs of assistance (search warrants) to search for smuggled goods

B. The Reasons for Protest

-colonists viewed these laws as a threat to their freedom

C. Tools of Protest

-set up another boycott of British goods -Sons of Liberty pressured shop keepers not to sell British goods -As unrest grew, Britain sent more troops

D. The Boston Massacre

-A group of Bostonians starting insulting troops guarding an armory -a fight broke out- and several colonists were killed -John Adams, though a Patriot, defended the soldiers in court -soldiers were acquitted

E. The Tea Act

-On the same day as the Massacre Parliament repealed most of the Townshend Acts -1773 Parliament passed the Tea Act, giving Britain control of the Tea Trade

F. The Boston Tea Party

-Colonists all over the colonies protested the Tea Act -In Boston a group of colonists gathered, raided three ships, and threw their tea into the harbor -This move angered the British

III. The Road to Lexington and Concord

A. The Intolerable Acts

-Britain was furious over the Tea Party -passed a series of laws to punish the colonists, the Intolerable Acts -closed the port of Boston -troops could be housed anywhere -troops would be tried in England -these laws in turn infuriated the colonists

B. The First Continental Congress Meets

-In Sept. 1774, delegates from all the colonies except Georgia met in Phili. -voted to ban all trade with Britain until Intolerable Acts were repealed -begin training troops -This was a big step towards Revolution (forming united government)

C. Between War and Peace

-Boycott did not work -colonists felt war would not come, but that Britain would give in

D. The Midnight Ride

-British heard that the colonists were storing arms in Concord, MA -General Gage decided to confiscate them -Paul Revere and William Dawes rode to warn the colonists that the British were coming

E. Lexington and Concord

-Fighting broke out when the British arrived in Lexington -By the time they arrived in Concord more colonists had joined in the fight and forced the British to retreat under gunfire -The Revolution had begun

Lesson 4: Declaring Independence

A. The Continental Army is Formed

-Ethan Allen lead group of militiamen to attack Ft. Ticonderoga -captured fort and its artillery -Second Continental Congress met -They decided to form the Continental Army -Also begin printing new money

B. Battle of Bunker Hill

-colonists occupied Bunker Hill outside Boston -British attacked, hoping to control the city -British won, but only after losing many troops C. A Last Attempt at Peace

-1775 Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition, hoping for peace -the King rejected the petition -Colonists under Benedict Arnold attacked Quebec, but lost

D. The British Retreat from Boston

-after getting cannon from Ft. Ticonderoga, Washington pushed British out of Boston -Many Loyalists left with the retreating army

E. Common Sense

-in 1776 most Americans were still against war with Britain -Thomas Paine published Common Sense, a pamphlet arguing for American independence -The pamphlet convinced many Americans to lean towards war

F. A Time of Decision

-Declaration of Independence was passed on July 4, 1776 -it listed the ways the King and Parliament had violated their rights -it said that people have rights governments can’t take away -From the British point of view this was treason