The American Revolution The French and Indian War - France and Britain (another name for England) both had land in North America. o Enemies for hundreds of years and had fought many times before - Ohio River Valley o Around Ohio River o Many Native Americans lived in this valley . Traded furs with the French in exchange for guns and other goods . French Wanted to have this trade to themselves so they built forts to keep out the British . British colonists wanted to trade furs and farm the land - 1754 – Governor of Virginia ordered a young officer named GEORGE WASHINGTON to lead an army into the valley o French army met and defeated the soldiers o Britain sent a stronger army and The French and Indian War began . Britain and its colonies fought against France and its Native American ALLIES (An ally is a person/group that joins with another to work toward a goal) Most Native Americans were allies of the French (Ex: Ottawa, Shawnee, and Delaware). Some were allies of the British (Mohwak) - 1754 – representatives from the colonies (CONGRESS – group of representatives who meet to discuss a subject) met to discuss how to fight France o BENJAMIN FRANKLIN had a plan to unite the colonies (Albany Plan of Union) . Believed the colonies could fight better if they worked together . Each colony would keep its own government . The colonies would have an overall government to solve problems that affected them all . This plan was not accepted - 1757 – Britain was losing the war until WILLIAM PITT became the leader of Britain’s government o Sent many ships to North America - 1763 – France wanted to make peace with Britain o Signed an agreement called the TREATY OF PARIS . Gave Britain control of Canada and most of the land east of the Mississippi River - British soldiers stayed in the Ohio River Valley o Native Americans wanted them to leave . Started a REBELLION (a fight against a government) . Britain quickly defeated the army o To prevent any more fighting, Britain made a PROCLAMATION (official statement) . The Proclamation of 1763 – colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains Colonists were upset by this. They wanted to settle the Ohio River Valley and the British soldiers gone.
Early Conflicts with Britain - Winning the French and Indian War cost Britain a lot of money o King George III and British Parliament decided that the colonists should help pay for the war . TAXES (money that people pay to their government in return for services) . Britain usually taxed goods that were IMPORTED (brought into) into North America - 1764 – SUGAR ACT o Taxed sugar, coffee, cloth, and other imported goods o Some avoided paying the tax by SMUGGLING (to import good illegally) - 1765 – STAMP ACT o Taxed anything printed on paper - Colonists were upset by the taxes o Believed their local elected representatives, not Parliament, should pass tax laws for the colonies, o Colonists had representatives in their local government, but not in Parliament. o “NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!” o PATRICK HENRY (a member of Virginia’s House of Burgesses) made an agree speech against the Stamp Act . Said Britain was using its power unfairly . Many people agreed with him . SONS OF LIBERTY – groups formed for freedom SAMUEL ADAMS – leader of the Sons of Liberty in Boston o Organized PROTESTS (an event at which people complain about an issue) . Sometimes were violent. . Wrecked homes of a few British officials - October 1765 – 9 colonies sent representatives to a meeting (Stamp Act Congress) o Decided that only the colonial government could tax the colonies o Merchants agreed to a BOYCOTT (a group of people refuse to buy, sell, or use certain goods) . Colonists stopped buying British cloth and other goods o Parliament agreed to REPEAL (cancel) the Stamp Act – 1766 - 1767 - TOWNSHEND ACTS o Parliament created new taxes to pay for the services of British governors and soldiers in the colonies o Taxes on tea, glass, lead, paints, and paper that were imported o Colonists were angry and threatened violence against British tax officials - Daughters of Liberty o Wove their own cloth and used it to make clothes o Did this after their own chores every day - 1770 - BOSTON MASSACRE o Britain had soldiers in Boston to protect the officials there o Colonists did not want them there and often fought with the soldiers o March 5 – a fight began when a crowd of people argued with a soldier. . Yelled insults and threw snowballs . More soldiers arrived and one of them fired a shot . Several other soldiers fired their guns . Five colonists were killed . Angry colonists called it a MASSACRE (killing of many people) o PAUL REVERE – Son of Liberty . Created a picture of the Boston Massacre . Sons of Liberty used this picture to convince colonists that British soldiers were dangerous o Soldiers were put on trial . JOHN ADAMS (a colonist and Boston lawyer) defended the soldiers. Wanted to show Britain that colonial courts were fair Said the soldiers were protecting themselves (6 found innocent, 2 lightly punished) o News traveled slowly during this time period . SAMUEL ADAMS created Committees of Correspondence to share news with other colonies - 1773 – BOSTON TEA PARTY o 1773 – Parliament passed the TEA ACT . Allowed the East India company of Britain to sell tea in America at a very low price . Merchants had been avoiding paying taxes by smuggling, but this made the tea cheaper . If colonists bought the tea, they would be paying Britain a tax. . Merchants decided not to sell the tea. It sat in the Boston Harbor unloaded. British officials would not take the tea back Colonists decided to get rid of the tea o December 16, 1773 – several dozen Sons of Liberty boarded the ships dressed in Native American clothing and threw the tea in the harbor . Shocked the British. Parliament passed laws called the COERCIVE ACTS to punish colonists Colonists called these The INTOLERABLE ACTS Laws stopped trade between Boston and Britain, ended most town meetings, and gave Britain more control over the colony’s government British soldiers returned to Boston where the colonists were forced to QUARTER (give food and shelter) the soldiers - First Continental Congress – September 5, 1774 o Colonists sent DELEGATES (someone chosen to speak and act for others) to meet in Philadelphia to discuss the Intolerable Acts o Congress wrote a letter to Britain and the colonies . Said that colonists should have the same freedoms as other British citizens . Asked King George III and Parliament to stop taxing colonists o Decided to meet again in May if the king refused their demands o Stopped trade with Britain and began to train for battle o The king responded by sending more soldiers to Boston. He declared the colonists had begun a rebellion War Begins - Colonists felt the Intolerable Acts were too harsh. o More than 3,000 British soldiers in Boston o British navy blocked Boston Harbor to keep ships from entering or leaving - PATRIOTS (colonists who opposed British rule) spoke out against the British government o Mercy Otis Warren (Patriot writer) wrote plays criticizing British officials o Patrick Henry said that he was eager for war with Britain - Militias (a group of ordinary people who train for battle) prepared for war The Battles of Lexington and Concord - General Thomas Gage (a British governor of Massachusetts) had orders to stop any rebellion o Learned that Patriots were storing gunpowder and cannons in Concord . Sent soldiers to destroy the supplies . Could not keep his plan secret (patriots soon found out) . Used lanterns to warn other Patriots that the British soldiers were coming . Two Patriots rode out to warn the militia Paul Revere and William Dawes o April 18, 1775 - 700 British soldiers set off for Concord . Revere and Dawes galloped ahead, alerted sleeping MINUTEMEN (militia with special training) . “THE REGULARS ARE COMING OUT!” (Regulars = British soldiers) . British soldiers reached Lexington before sunrise on April 19 . Told the small group of minutemen to leave . As they turned to leave, someone (no one knows who) fired a shot . Both sides began to shoot – 8 colonists died, 9 were wounded. Only 1 British soldier was hurt. . The British marched on to Concord As they searched Concord for weapons, more minutemen gathered nearby Fighting soon began The minutemen forced the British to turn back toward Boston with “The shot heard ‘round the world” (Poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson) . As the British soldiers marched back, Patriots between Concord and Boston were ready Colonists shot at them from behind trees and stone walls More than 250 British soldiers were wounded or killed o News of the Battles of Lexington and Concord spread quickly. . Soon thousands of armed colonists surrounded the city. The British in the city were trapped. The Battle of Bunker Hill - Militia leaders built a fort on Bunker Hill, across from the Charles River o Chose hill so they could fire cannons at the British soldiers o Made it difficult for the soldiers to attack them. - When the militia reached Bunker Hill, they decided to build their fort on Breed’s Hill instead (because it was closer to Boston) o They worked through the night on June 16, building a fort with dirt walls 6 feet high o More than 2,000 British soldiers began to attack the hill. As they marched up the hill, William Prescott (A Patriot leader) told the militia, “DON’T FIRE UNTIL YOU SEE THE WHITES OF THEIR EYES!” o When the British were close enough, the militia began shooting o The British were forced back o Attacked three times. On the third time, the Patriots ran out of gunpowder and the British captured the fort o The British won the battle, but the Patriots proved that they could fight well. A Colonial Army - When Britain refused to meet the demands of the First Continental Congress, the delegates met in the Spring of 1775 in Philadelphia. This became known as the Second Continental Congress. o Decided to create a new army called the Continental Army . Would be trained soldiers o Looked for a COMMANDER (an officer in charge of an army) . June 1775 – chose George Washington Brave and skilled soldier Fought in French and Indian War Began to organize the Continental Army - Many delegates did not want war with Britain and only wanted to be treated fairly o Sent King George III a PETITION (a written request) the Olive Branch Petition (the olive branch is a symbol of peace) . Asked the king to help end the conflict . The king refused to read it. Sent more soldiers instead - British army stayed in Boston for the next 9 months o Washington trained his soldiers during this time o Washington sent Henry Knox to New York to bring back cannons that the Americans had captured . The cannons were dragged back to Boston . When they arrived, the British soldiers sailed out of Boston on March 17, 1776
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