Growing Confrontation Change in British Imperial Policy
End of “Salutary Neglect” Re-Assert authority over Colonies Taxation for Revenue What economic confrontation could this create? Post War Tension – Military
Issue Colonials British
Methods of •Indian-style guerilla March in formation or fighting tactics bayonet charge Organization •Militias served under Officers wanted to take own captains charge of colonials •No military Drills and tough Discipline deference or discipline protocols observed Colonists should pay for •Resistance to raising their own defense Finances taxes “Prima Donna” officers •Casual, non- with servants and tea Demeanor professionals Post War Tension – Military
Troop deployment British left about 10,000 troops in America Fear of French rebellion in Canada Fear of Indian attacks Keep colonists from crossing Proclamation Line Fear of independence movement What confrontation could this create? Post War Tension – Economic
War taxes British response Massachusetts refused to Currency Act of 1764 pay without military must pay with British control currency Virginia refused to pay; Parliament controls printed money to pay colonial currency debts (inflation) Revenue Act of 1762 Ensure collection of customs Royal Navy prohibit trade with French Post War Tension – Economic
Result of French and Indian and Seven Years War National debt doubles New Prime Minister Lord Bute needed payment plan New King, George III, wanted debt paid Began to strictly enforce taxes in England Post War Tension – Political Reforms
King George III = more monarchial control Real Whigs: Banks/financiers too much power greater representation in Parliament American colonies critical to economic improvement hadn’t paid fair share End of Salutary Neglect British Attempts at Control
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FROM THE AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE?
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FROM THE BRITISH PERSPECTIVE? The Sugar Act
Instituted by Prime Minister George Grenville Lowered tax on imported sugar allowed American surplus goods to be sold to French American smugglers angry “taxation without representation”? Vice-Admiralty Courts
Allowed judges to Why is this wrong, sentence smugglers from the American trial without jury perspective? Why is this right, from the British perspective? The Stamp Act – 1765
offset cost of British troops in colonies Had to pay for stamps on Court documents Land titles Contracts Cards Newspapers Other printed items Violators tried in Vice- Admiralty courts Ben Franklin proposed colonial representation seen as too radical The Quartering Act – 1765
Related to Stamp Act Colonies provided barracks, food for British troops Colonial assemblies becoming powerless Taxes Trial by juries Whether or not to have a standing army How does this represent a change? Colonial Reaction
Loyal Nine – Boston Burned tax collector Andrew Oliver in effigy Attacked Lt. Gov. Thomas Hutchinson’s house Sons of Liberty Began in New York City Artisans/Merchants (stood to lose economically) Evangelicals (worked hard; didn’t like work supporting corrupt officials) People (tyranny of king) Colonial Reaction
Boycott New York, Boston, and Philadelphia refused to import British goods Mobs forced tax collectors to turn over stamps British officials intimidated – wouldn’t require stamps Leaders were upper class British Attempts at Control
ARE THE AMERICANS JUSTIFIED IN THEIR REBELLION? Intellectual Rebellion
Merchants losing economically Lawyers (defending merchants); a political issue How do following relate? John Locke Enlightenment philosophy Magna Carta Glorious Revolution Real Whigs Stamp Act Congress (1765)
Nine colonies sent 28 British Reaction representatives (no New Prime Minister Lord GA, NC, VA, or NH) Rockingham repealed three major resolves Stamp Act Only taxed by elected Reduced sugar tax on representatives French sugar; added tax on right to trial by jury British sugar want to remain loyal subjects to King British merchants happy (suffered from boycott) Hard liners unhappy Declaratory Act Parliament has full power and authority over colonies Townshend Acts (1767)
Pitt back in power Very ill Sympathetic to colonies Charles Townshend in charge Chancellor of the Exchequer No sympathy for colonies Townshend Acts (1767)
Townshend Duties Import Duties on lead, paint, glass, tea, paper Customs Service Reorganization Customs Commissioners; Vice-Admiralty Courts New York Restraining Act New York refused Quartering Act, legislature suspended How does Townshend view the relationship? Colonial Response
John Dickinson’s Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer British only want money NONIMPORTATION Boycotts in Boston and New York Massachusetts assembly protest Colonial Response
1768 2nd non-importation movement: “Daughters of Liberty” spinning bees Riots against customs agents: John Hancock’s ship, the Liberty. 4000 British troops sent to Boston. Parliament primarily targeting Massachusetts Compromise, again!
Other problems in Empire (England, Ireland), British looked to diffuse situation Boycott hurting economy Repeal Townshend Acts (1770) Left tax on tea (demonstrate authority) Led by John Wilkes, Radical Whig in Parliament Land Issues
Colonies feeling squeezed out of western lands Indians have right to land (Proclamation of 1763) Parliament looking to make line permanent Do you feel the British are trying to meet the Colonists’ needs? Why or why not? Still Tension . . .
British troops in American cities Fighting in New York, Boston Massacre (1770) British fired on mob Killed five Soldiers acquitted (defended by John Adams) Mob taunted soldiers Leaders Samuel Adams Leaders Patrick Henry Leaders John Adams Leaders Ben Franklin Committees of Correspondence Purpose warn neighboring colonies about incidents with British Gaspee British customs ship burned in Rhode Island Effect Broadened resistance movement Tea Act (1773)
• Americans liked Dutch tea (illegal) • British East India Co.: • Monopoly on tea imports • Members of Parliament held shares • Company sold tea directly to colonials without colonial middlemen (cheaper tea!) • Lord North expected colonials to choose cheaper tea • Who wins and who loses? Boston Tea Party (1773)
Massachusetts (particularly Boston) = hotbed of resistance Adams cousins, John Hancock, Boston Massacre Ships arrived with tea Governor Hutchinson made sure ships cleared customs Ships couldn’t leave without unloading tea (and duties being paid) December, 1773 Patriots disguised as Indians boarded Dartmouth and dumped tea overboard Boston Tea Party (1773) The Coercive or REPRESSIVE or Intolerable Acts (1774)
Boston Port Act Port closed until tea paid for Government Act Annulled Massachusetts charter New Quartering Act Colony had to build soldiers’ barracks or people quarter them Administration of Justice Act Those accused of capital crimes could be tried in Britain Quebec Act (1774) Extend boundaries of Quebec into Ohio River Valley Restricted American colonies expansion Legally recognized Roman Catholicism
• French-Canadians happy • American colonists angry (esp. Puritans) First Continental Congress (1774)
All colonies invited
Met in Philadelphia
55 delegates from 12 colonies (not Georgia)
No Canadian colonies or Florida Agenda
How to respond to Coercive Acts & Quebec Act? New England and Southern colonies favored union and war Middle colonies favored compromise Unity? First Continental Congress (1774)
Declaration of Rights and Grievances
Condemned Coercive Acts
Demanded repeal of Coercive Acts
Denied Declaratory Act Economic attacks
Less restriction on American trade
Nonimportation
Nonconsumption First Continental Congress (1774)
• Pitt’s compromise • British
• Remove troops from Boston
• Recognize Continental Congress
• Stop taxing • Colonies
• Acknowledge Parliament supreme
• Provide Britain revenue for war debts • Lord North did opposite:
• Higher military presence
• Blockade Who were the two sides?
Patriots Loyalists (Tories)
Merchants: harmed Large landowners and economically wealthy merchants Lawyers: political (feared mob rule) injustice Rural people: upper class Farmers: heavily taxed backing patriot cause Land seekers Non-English ethnic Planters relying on groups: feared political British merchants change LIBERALS CONSERVATIVES Lord Dunmore’s War
• Lack of British control in west • Lord Dunmore
• Claimed land near Fort Pitt
• Quakers claimed, too (unarmed) • Continued into Ohio Valley
• Defeated Shawnees
• Violated House of Burgesses and crown
• Settlers claimed independence Compromise Fails
Patriots Loyalists (Tories)
Massachusetts: open General Thomas Gage rebellion became governor towns near Boston 3,500 troops in created militias Boston Set up own legislature Lord Dartmouth Amassed weapons ordered Gage to put down rebellion The British Are Coming . . .
Night of April 18, 1775 General Gage heads for Concord Paul Revere makes famous ride to warn Minutemen of approaching British soldiers The Shot Heard ’Round the World!
• Lexington & Concord
• April 18,1775 • Colonial losses
• 49 dead
• 39 wounded • British losses
• 73 dead
• 174 wounded The Second Continental Congress
Called as result of fighting in Massachusetts Met in Philadelphia (May, 1775) Radicals (John & Sam Adams, Patrick Henry, etc.) wanted war Moderates (John Dickinson – PA) looking for reconciliation The Second Continental Congress
Dickinson’s Olive Branch Petition Loyalty to King George III Asked for repeal of oppressive legislation King’s response Refused to receive Olive Branch Petition determined to crush rebellion The Second Continental Congress
Fighting continues Breeds and Bunker Hills (Boston) Patriot attempt at Quebec Capture Montreal Fail to capture Quebec City Virginia and the Carolinas rebel Washington commander of Colonial forces Merchants refused British goods Fighting in the South and West
• Battles between Loyalists and Patriots • Battles are
• Ethnic – Scots/Irish vs. English
• Class – Lower vs. upper
• Racial – slaves vs. whites • Rebels generally successful • Daniel Boone leads force to Kentucky
• Asks rebel government for recognition Thomas Paine: Common Sense
Many Americans angry with Parliament still loyal to King Thomas Paine Emigrated from England (1774) Radical Thomas Paine: Common Sense
Common Sense (January, 1776) Built on John Locke and Glorious Revolution Great Awakening: all equal in the eyes of God root of the problem was monarchy Declaration of Independence (1776) Was the Revolutionary War avoidable?