Britain

1
Britains Series of Unfortunate Events

• How England Slowly Lost Control of the American
  Colonies

2
1600s

• Britain allows American colonies to make
  legislatures laws in House of Burgesses

• Results in colonies governing themselves and
  feeling free.

3
Mid-1600s

• England passes Navigation Acts to limit colonies
  from trading with other nations
• As a result, Americans feel used and cheated by
  English government.

4
1689

• English Bill of Rights takes power from king
  gives it to people

• As a result, Americans feel more entitled to
  rights of citizenship.

5
1700s

• Enlightenment Science and logic use reason to
  fix problems of society
• Results in Americans learning about ideas of
• Montesquieu
• --
• especially Locke.

3 Branches of Government
Natural Rights Life, Libert, Property
6
1730s -1740s

• Great Awakening spreads in colonies Speaks of
  equality and spirituality
• Americans learn to question authority fairness
  in church government.

7
1756 -1763

• Expensive French Indian War is a big win for
  England
• but creates problems too
• New lands gained could not be taken from natives
  because Proclamation of 1763 forbids it.
• Colonists upset!!!!!

8
1764 -1765

• Sugar Act and Stamp Act passed by Parliament to
  help pay war debts
• New taxes on common items with no representation
  in Parliament? Angry colonists form boycotts,
  Committees of Correspondence, then Congress.

9
1766 -1767

• England repeals Stamp Act in 1766 but in 1767
  passes Townshend Acts A new set of taxes on
  common items
• For next three years, colonists are active in
  Sons of Liberty, Committees of Correspondence,
  and boycotts. Tensions rise.

10
March 5, 1770

• Boston Massacre ? 5 colonists dead
• killed by British Redcoats.
• (By luck, Parliament repeals Townshend Acts on
  the same day!...)
• Aaargh!!! S G_at_!

• Colonial bitterness increases!!!

11
1773

• Tea Act passed. Townshend tea tax remained
  colonies could only buy it under strict rules
• On December 16th, Boston Tea Party results.
  Sons of Liberty dump three shiploads of tea into
  harbor to protest. Both sides very angry.

12
1774

• Intolerable Acts Massachusetts colonists
  punished with closed harbor, restricted meetings,
  British trials, military governor, troops in
  homes (called quartering)
• Continental Congress meets about trouble. To
  help, it makes Declaration of Rights sets up
  state militias. Colonists fighting mad!

13
April 18 -19, 1775

• British march to take patriot militia weapons.
  On Paul Reveres warning, troops are ready.
  Fighting at Lexington and Concord (outside
  Boston) left 8 minutemen and 73 redcoats dead.
  The war had begun with the Shot heard around the
  world.

14
1776

• To be continuedColonists begin to move closer
  toward Independence.