Continental Congress
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Acts What they did . Writs of Assistance allowed customs (British) officers to search any location for smuggled goods (especially ships) . Stamp Act taxed all printed material; newspapers, pamphlets, playing cards, and wills (Colonists rioted and boycotted British goods, smuggling) “ No taxation without Representation” British Acts Acts What they did Townshend Acts Tax on glass, tea, paper, lead (imported goods) Boycott of British Goods – Nonimportation Agreement Tea Act Law that let British East India Company bypass merchants to sell directly to colonists (Britain had excess tea that was not being purchased and they needed to get rid of it) Quartering Act Housing British troops http://images.metmuseum.org/CRDImages/dp/original/DP827936.jpg Boston Massacre • Redcoats set up camp in Boston to support the tax collectors who were being threatened by colonists • Redcoats acted rudely and violently • They were poor so they often stole from colonists • March 5, 1770 • Bostonians and Redcoats argue • Bostonians moved through the streets to the Customs House • British soldiers panic • A shot is fired • 5 Bostonians lay dead • Soldiers were arrested and tried for murder. • John Adams was the lawyer who defended them Boston Tea Party Because of the tea act, East India Company’s tea was cheaper than any other tea. The colonists again boycotted British goods to show their dislike of British tea control. Boston Tea Party Colonists in Boston and Philadelphia planned to stop the company’s ships from unloading. In all colonial ports except Boston, colonists forced the company’s ships to return to Britain. Boston Tea Party In Boston Harbor in December 1773, the royal governor ordered the tea unloaded. At midnight on December 16, the Boston Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawks boarded the ships and threw 342 chests of tea overboard. Boston Tea Party This became known as the Boston Tea Party. The king and Parliament vowed to punish Boston and the people of Massachusetts for using the Boston Tea Party to resist British rule. Boston Tea Party It’s estimated that the protestors tossed more than 92,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor. That’s enough to fill 18.5 million teabags. The present-day value of the destroyed tea has been estimated at around $1 million. Intolerable Acts also known as Coercive Acts Punishment for the Boston Tea Party 1. Closed Boston Harbor- (until the tea was paid for) 2. No town meetings 3. Quartering Act 4. Try British criminals in GB In September 1774, over 50 leaders from 12 colonies (not Georgia) met in Philadelphia. The delegates agreed to send a respectful message to King George, urging him to consider their complaints and to recognize their rights. Among the delegates were: The delegates called for repeal of the Intolerable Acts. They voted for a new boycott of all British goods and trade. They also passed a resolution to form militias – which were small armies of volunteer colonists who agreed to fight. In New England, the volunteer army called themselves Minutemen. Can you guess why? An Example of Minutemen King George refused to answer their message. The British prepared themselves for battle. April 1775, a spy told British General Gage that colonists were hiding large supplies of gunpowder and weapons in the village of Concord. Gage gave orders to take away those weapons and arrest militia leaders. Paul Revere and others rode to Lexington to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Night of April 18, 1775 British were on --They needed to ride from Boston their way to to Lexington to seize (take) all warn Patriots and weapons to prepare. “The regulars are coming out." The redcoats approached Lexington were Met by minutemen who were trying to slow down the British soldiers from arriving in Concord. A battle ensued and several colonists lost their lives (8). The British continued on to Concord. They found that the gunpowder was removed, but they destroyed the remaining supplies. The minutemen were waiting all along the trail from Concord to Boston. •The militia ambushed the British. More than 200 British were wounded, and 73 of them were dead. •The battles of Lexington and Concord began the struggle for independence from Britain. British Soldiers Redcoats was the name the Patriots used to describe British soldiers. The patriots also called the British bloodybacks and lobsters to ridicule their bright red uniforms. Militia From the Latin miles, which means “soldier,” comes militia. During the Revolutionary War, the term referred to all able-bodied men between the ages of 16 and 60 (who were potential soldiers). .