Colonial America

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Colonial America
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Why Independence?

• Colonies were established separately
• However controlled by the king through a privy
  council
• Privy council- a committee of the monarch
  advisors which gave confidential advice
• However parliament took little notice

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Why Independence?

• These colonies began to survive without the help
  from Great Britain.
• The French and Indian War and expanding autonomy
  began to change the relationship with the Crown.
• Taxes were imposed on the Colonies because of the
  mass amount of debt Britain had accumulated

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Why Independence?

• Parliament
• Involved in matters of trade, monetary policy and
  colonial defense
• Theory British government was to know of
  colonial affairs and make decisions
• Reality 3,000 miles away became self governing

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Early forms of Government

• Governor
• Leader of the colony appointed by the minister
  of colonial affairs
• Government represented an extension of British
  Common Law
• Common Law-the law is created and/or refined by
  judges

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Early forms of Government

• Governors Council
• Judicial, administrative and legislative
  functions
• Little direct taxes, that was left up for the
  Colonial Assemblies

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How does it change?

• War Debt from French and Indian War
• Proclamation of 1763
• By 1763 King George III wants the colonies to pay
  for the protection and usage of royal troops
• Series of taxes

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Sugar Act

• Actually a reduction of tax from the Molasses Act
  of 1733
• Finally collected
• Molasses and Rum distillers were affected

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Stamp Act- 1765

• All paper products were taxed
• Marriage licenses, Newspapers, playing cards
• Why did this cause a bigger problem?
• Everyone was effected
• Newspaper editors
• No taxation without representation

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Virtual Representation

• Colonial interests were being represented in the
  hearts and minds of parliament
• Even though no colony was represented from
  Parliament

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Responses

• Committees of Observation
• Boycotting of British Goods
• Force colonists not to buy British Goods
• Non importation Acts
• Do not import British goods and trade with other
  countries

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Early forms of Government

• Colonial Assemblies-elected annually by white
  property owners
• Purpose- inter-colonial affairs with taxes,
  budget and militia
• Governors Council

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The Continental Congress

• The delegates faced three different tasks
• First was to define American Grievances
• Second was to develop a plan of resistance
• The final step was to define their relationship
  with Great Britain

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Galloway Plan

• Called for a new American Legislature to
  cooperate with British Parliament if any new
  taxes were imposed. Both legislatures would have
  to pass them.
• The plan was defeated and a new declaration was
  formed
• The Declaration of Rights and Grievances

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The Second Continental Congress

• 1775-1783

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Revolution

• The aftermath of the battles of Lexington and
  Concord Congress was thrown back into session,
  but this time it was for independence
• All 13 colonies sent delegates to the 2nd
  Congress
• Congress had no army, little if any organization,
  no way to finance the war
• The next steps were pivotal for the Congress.

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Olive Branch Petition

• The petition was passed immediately by the
  Congress and called for an end to halt the war,
  repeal the Coercive Acts and to stop oppressive
  authority from Britain
• The Petition swore loyalty to the Crown. But King
  George III refused to even read the document
  because of American Aggression into Canada

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Declaration of Independence

• Passed on July 2nd and signed on July 4th 1776
  the Congress signed the document of our freedom