Road to Revolution, 17541775

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Road to Revolution, 1754-1775
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Early Call for Colonial Unity
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French and Indian War
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French and Indian War
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French and Indian War (part of 7 Years War)

• French allied with some native tribes
• Showdown for control of the NA continent
• Part of a larger European war
• England (and her colonists) defeat French (Treaty
  of Paris 1763)

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Prior to 1763

• Colonies allowed virtual self-rule (salutary
  neglect)
• Colonist remained, for the most part, loyal
  subjects of the King
• End of French Indian War signals change in
  English policy towards its colonies

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Paying Our Fair Share

• Colonists ask to foot the bill for their own
  defense
• George III tries to impose a new authority over
  colonies
• British realize their control over worldwide
  interests is too decentralized

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Proclamation of 1763

• Forbade settlement west of the Appalachians
• Attempt to limit contact between colonists and
  natives
• Land-hungry colonists seeking farms in the west,
  extremely disappointed
• Impossible to enforce
• Simply led to arguments between the two sides

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Other Early Squabbles

• Sugar Act (1764)
• Tried to eliminate illegal sugar trading
• Set up British courts to try smugglers
• Currency Act (1764)
• Colonies must not issue their own
• By 1765 No real schisms, just hard feelings

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Stamp Act Crisis of 1765

• Created by PM Greenville
• Required colonists to place stamps on legal
  documents, licenses, newspapers, etc
• Light economic burden
• Precedent of an internal tax on colonists
• Ignored colonial assemblies
• Patrick Henry, Sons of Liberty protest

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Stamp Act
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Repeal of the Stamp Act (1766)

• Colonists celebrate their first major victory
• Protest represented first coordination efforts of
  colonies
• Parliament passes Declaratory Act at the same
  time
• Parliament has full authority over colonies
• Provision ignored by Americans

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Townshend Acts (1767)

• New taxes on various Colonial imports
  (external tax)
• Tried to enforce the Quartering Act
• Disbanded rebellious NY Assembly
• Established new customs comm.
• Colonial boycotts of taxed imports
• Repealed (1770) after Townshend dies
• Except for the tax on tea

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The Boston Massacre
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The Boston Massacre 1770

• British regulars stationed inside Boston to keep
  order
• Colonists harassing Redcoats verbally and with
  snowballs with a core of rock
• Redcoats being shooting, 5 dead colonists
• Sam Adams newspapers sensationalize account,
  call it a massacre

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Other Preludes to Revolution

• Gaspee incident
• Tea Act of 1773
• which lowered taxes
• East India Co. given special tax breaks
• EIC could undersell American competion

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Boston Tea Party
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Hung over from the Boston Tea Party?

• Colonists refuse to pay for destroyed tea
• Coercive (Intolerable) Acts
• Closed Boston Harbor
• Eliminated self-govt in Mass
• Quartering of troops in Mass
• British accused tried elsewhere

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Revolutionary Philosophy

• By 1775, the split was not irreconcilable
• Organized efforts of all colonies important (see
  Comm. of Correspondence)
• Moderates dominated
• Revolutionaries still considered extremists
• Cautious action by most

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New Symbols