The Road to Revolution

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Chapter 7

• The Road to Revolution
• 1763-1775

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• Victory for Britain brought a great domain at a
  great cost
• American colonists were reluctant revolutionaries
• Very different political principles emerge
• The New World had new ideasnot haunted by the
  past
• 2 key ideas republicanism and Whig principles
• Republicanismall citizens submit to the greater
  good a position opposed to aristocracy
  monarchy
• Whig attackBritish, political commentators who
  wrote about the threat to liberty by monarchy
  (too much patronage bribes)
• American colonists simply used to running their
  own affairs
• Mercantilism wealthpower national wealth amt
  of gold silver
• M requires HIGH exports and LOW imports
• Colonies were guaranteed markets London saw Am
  as tenants

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Navigation Laws 1650goods to travel in British
vessels Later Navigation Laws ship goods to
Britain first New regulations create shortage of
money Benefits of M (ship parts-tobacco-Naval
protection) George Grenville takes over huge debt
looks to colonies 1763 royal navy ordered to
enforce Navigation acts 1764 Sugar Act is 1st act
to raise revenue in colonies (duties lowered, but
Quartering Act 1765 heats up dispute w/
England) 1765 Stamp Act Grenville thought it
just/Americans thought it a strike at local
liberties Sugar Stamp Acts tried offenders in
admiralty courts (no juries) Cry becomes no
taxation without representation legislation OK,
taxes not Grenville argues that its virtual
representation
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Response SA Congress non-importation ? 1st
effort to unite The mechanism of tax collection
breaks down 1766 Britain repeals Stamp Act
respond to howling British merchants Declaratory
Act passeddeclares absolute sovereignty of
Britain Charles Townsend takes over puts light
import duty on glass, white lead and paper (tax
to pay for royal governors judges here) 1767
NY legislature suspended for not following
laws Colonial reaction again less effective
(light indirect tax) 2 regiments of troops
landed in Boston, 1768 March 5, 1770-60 colonists
surround 10 troops (Boston Massacre) John Adams
defends redcoats only 2 convicted of
manslaughter released after branding of the hand
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March 5, 1770-60 colonists surround 10 troops
(Boston Massacre)

• An angry crowd surrounds 10 soldiers
• Soldiers pelted with iceballs oyster shells
• One Brit panics shoots into the crowd
• 11 killed wounded, including Crispus Attucks
  (runaway slave)
• John Adams led legal team that got 8 men freed of
  charges
• Only 2 convicted of manslaugher released after
  branding of the hand
• Townsend died in late 1770

Boston Massacre
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King George III surrounded himself with
sycophants (yes men) Townsend Acts failed in
another way failed to produce revenue Sam Adams
of Boston helped engineer rebellion w/
propaganda Adams organized the Committees of
Correspondence 1773 Revolution NOT inevitable
(non-importation weak, most paying the tea tax
that was cheaper here than in England) Problems
of British East India Co. impacted tea situation
here Mass. Governor put back in the spotlight
with tea problems ordered merchants to take
shipment and kept boats in harbor until they
did December 16, 1773 Boston Tea Party 342
chests of tea dumped into harbor
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• Britain passed the Coercive Acts (called
  Intolerable Acts here)
• Closed port of Boston
• Revoked the charter of Massachusetts (its legal
  right to exist)
• New Quartering Act put into effect
• British officials promised the right to have
  court cases held in England
• Last straw to colonists? Quebec Act kept a part
  of North America as French territory and gave
  much land to French
• 1st Continental Congress gathers in Philadelphia,
  Oct.1774
• Representatives from all colonies demand change
  in British policy (NOT rebellion)
• All agree to meet again as a unified group the
  British attack Lexington Concorde before that
  meeting can occur

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Strengths weaknesses

• Britain had 2x population
• George III used treasury to hire mercenaries
• Problems with Ireland still smoldered France
  waiting to pounce
• Whigs believed that success in colonies would
  make George III a tyrant
• Poor generals suppliesall forces were 3000
  miles from home

• Colonists had outstanding leaders
• Rebels poorly organized
• Jealousy among colonies
• Economic problems abounded (weak ability to tax
  to fund the fight)
• Guns not in widespread ownership
• Colonial troops unreliable
• American profiteers hurt morale
• War fought by a minority of Americans