Chapter 5: Toward the War for American Independence

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Chapter 5 Toward the War for American
Independence

• Preview Parliament passed the Sugar Act, Stamp
  Act, and other measures of the early 1760s in
  hopes of binding the American colonies more
  closely to the empire. Instead, once-loyal
  Americans became convinced that their
  constitutional rights were being violated.With
  the passage of the harsh Coercive Acts of 1774, a
  break with Britain was not long in coming.
• The Highlights
• The Seven Years War
• The Imperial Crisis
• Toward the Revolution

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Learning Outcomes Empire

• Understand how the presence of the French on the
  frontier changed British Imperial design
• Understand the nature of 18th century warfare
• Comprehend the nature of the way the colonies
  experienced the Great War for the Empire
• Account for the difference in postwar
  expectations between the Crown and the colonies
• Understand how and why colonial resistance to
  Imperial control emerges between 1764 Jan.,
  1776
• Be able to describe the climate of opinion in the
  colonies in 1775

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Eroding the Bonds of Empire

• Century of Imperial War
• Seven Years War / French Indian War
• Pontiacs Rebellion
• Perceptions
• Rule Britannia ?
• Colonial Identity
• American / Briton ?

Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Gazette 1754
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The Seven Years War

• The Years of Defeat
• 1754 war starts with George Washingtons
  surrender to the French at Fort Necessity
• 1755 disastrous defeat of British regiments, led
  by General Braddock, at Fort Duquesne
• Most Indian tribes ally with France

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• The Years of Victory
• 1756-57 British fortunes worsen, but William
  Pitt takes personal control over the war
• By 1758, the tide begins to shift in Britains
  favor
• 1759-60 British capture Quebec Montreal
• Treaty of Paris (1763) ends the war, as well as
  the French presence in North America

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Battle of Quebec
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• Postwar Expectations
• Britains victory stokes colonial pride
  optimism among Americans
• English resent American tightfistedness in
  supplying the armies
• Very different expectations for postwar America
  by the English and the colonists

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New Landscapes, 1763 American/Global
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Representing Empire
Death of Wolfe by Benjamin West, 1770
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Eroding the Bonds of Empire (5)
American
Briton
Colonial Identity, 1763 Imperial Identity
Indian People
French
African
What factors shaped British Colonial Identity in
1763?
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Reshaping Colonial Identity, 1770
The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street,
Boston, March 5, 1770
Paul Revere
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The Imperial Crisis

• New Troubles on the Frontier
• Pontiacs Rebellion (1763) west of Pittsburgh
  highlights the problem of Britains large western
  frontier
• Proclamation of 1763 prohibits settlement west
  of the Appalachians

Pontiac of the Ottawa led native peoples of the
Ohio Valley against the English in 1863.
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• George Grenvilles New Measures
• Britains national debt doubled, 1754-64
• Colonial merchants evade Molasses Act of 1733
• Grenville, the first lord of the treasury,
  advocates four policies to raise revenue
• 1. Sugar Act (1764)
• 2. Currency Act (1764)
• 3. Quartering Act (1765)
• 4. Stamp Act (1765)
• Grenvilles policies prompt an incrementally
  negative reaction by colonials

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The concern for protecting individual liberties
was only one of the convictions shaping the
colonies response to Britains new policies.
Equally important was their deep suspicion of
power itself, a preoccupation that colonials
shared with a minority of radical English
thinkers(153).

• The Beginnings of Colonial Resistance
• Significance of John Lockes beliefs that
  property ownership and liberty are intertwined
• Opposition thinkers, while ignored in England,
  are revered by colonial leaders
• Postwar recession aggravates political tensions
  caused by Grenvilles measures

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• Riots and Resolves
• 1765 colonial assemblies pass resolves
  challenging Parliaments power to tax the
  colonies for the sole purpose of raising revenue
• Patrick Henrys resolves in Virginia
• Resistance groups, most notably the Sons of
  Liberty, spring up across the colonies
• Repeal of the Stamp Act
• 1766 Parliament repeals policy
• Continued angst over virtual versus actual
  representation

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• The Townshend Acts
• 1767 new Prime Minister, William Townshend,
  seeks to limit the power of colonial assemblies
• Institutes new tariffs
• The Resistance Organizes
• Efforts by colonial leaders John Dickinson and
  John Adams help colonies to unite
• 1768 Liberty riot in Boston whips up
  anti-government fervor
• Widespread boycott of British-made goods

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• The International Sons of Liberty
• Colonials follow struggle of Pascal Paolis fight
  for Corsican independence from Genoa
• The Boston Massacre
• Increasing tension between colonists and British
  troops
• March 5, 1770 situation explodes in Boston,
  troops fire upon protesters killing five
• All of the Townshend duties repealed except the
  tax on tea

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Reshaping Colonial Identity, 1770
The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street,
Boston, March 5, 1770
Paul Revere
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• Resistance Revived
• Repeal of Townshend duties reduces American
  resistance for two years
• Constant tension among Penn, his council, the
  legislative assembly, and farmers
• Gaspee incident provokes renewed tensions in 1772
  
• Samuel Adams engineers mode of communication
  committees of correspondence
• 1773 Boston Tea Party

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5-15
The Boston Tea Party proved to British
satisfaction that the colonies aimed at
independence. Lord Norths assessment was grim
We are now to dispute whether we have, or have
not, any authority in that country (162).

• The Empire Strikes Back
• 1774 Coercive, or Intolerable, Acts passed by
  Parliament
• Colonists begin to believe in a conspiracy theory
  -- the British government wants to reduce their
  liberties
• 1774 Quebec Act
• Call for First Continental Congress

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Eroding the Bonds of Empire

• Gentry Protest to Popular Revolt

Tea Ladies Edenton, NC
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Toward the Revolution

• The First Continental Congress
• Delegates, affirm natural rights, but try to
  stake out a moderate position
• Joseph Galloways plan for cooperation with
  Parliament rejected
• Decision to cease all trade with Britain until
  the Coercive Acts are repealed
• Colonial militias begin to arm

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• The Last Days of the British Empire in America
• Governor of Massachusetts, Gage, fortifies Boston
  against the growing number of rebels
• Royal authority collapses, 1774-75
• The Fighting Begins
• April 1775 first battles of the American
  Revolution, Lexington and Concord, Mass.
• Common Sense
• Thomas Paine Americans destiny is to be
  republicans, not monarchists

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Keywords and Terms (5)

• Quartering Act
• Gaspee (1772)
• Coercive Acts
• Thomas Paine, Common Sense
• Marquis de Lafayette
• Iroquois Confederacy
• Sam Adams
• Patrick Henry
• The Virginia Resolves
• Coercive Acts
• Continental Congresses
• Battle of Lexington Concord
• committees of correspondence

• Ft. Louisbourg
• Seven Years War
• Join, or Die
• Gen. James Wolfe
• Marquis de Montcalm
• Proclamation of 1763
• Pontiacs Rebellion
• Treaty of Paris
• George III
• No taxation without representation...
• The Stamp Act
• Sons of Liberty

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SummaryLearning Outcomes Empire

• Understand how the presence of the French on the
  frontier changed British Imperial design
• Understand the nature of 18th century warfare
• Comprehend the nature of the way the colonies
  experienced the Great War for the Empire
• Account for the difference in postwar
  expectations between the Crown and the colonies
• Understand how and why colonial resistance to
  Imperial control emerges between 1764 Jan.,
  1776
• Be able to describe the climate of opinion in the
  colonies in 1775