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Mercantilism Theory
Nations increase their power and wealth by establishing a favorable balance of trade and obtaining a large amount of gold and silver. Part of the money that was made was had to be given to the King. Clonies didnt want to give up their money to the King so they went away from the British government and became a self-government -
Salutary Neglect
England loosened the reins on its enforcement of most regulations in return for the economic loyalty continued in the colonies. Parliament did not supervise closely as long as raw materials continued coming into the homeland and conlonists continued to buy English-produced goods. Under salutary neglect, the colonies started to develop a taste for self-government that created the conditions of rebellion. -
French and Indian War
As the French empire in North America expanded, it collided with the growing British empire. Both countries wanted the land in the Ohio country, When the war broke out, the French sent troops to the Ohio Valley and claimed it. By doing this, it cause many problems with bussinesses and investors in the colonies due to them being heavily invested in the fur trade. -
Proclamation of 1763
The British government bannded all settlement west of the Appalachian mountains. The ban established a Proclamation line, which did not allow any colonist to cross. There was a problem though, the British could not ban any more effectively than they could enforce the Navigation Acts, so colonists continued to move west onto Native American lands. -
The Stamp Act of 1765
Colonists were required to purchase special stamped paper for every legal document, license, newspaper, phamphlet, and almanac. It imposed special duties on packages of playing cards and dice. Every colonist had to pay and if you disobeyed you had to be tired in the vice-admiralty courts. The Stamp Act lead to many protests. -
The Stamp Act Congress of 1765
The congress was made up of delegates from nine colonies and met in New York. They issued a Decleration of Rights and Grievances that said that Parliament did not have the power to impose taxes on the colonies because the colonies were not represented by Parliament. -
The Quatering Act
This required colonial assemblies to pay for certain supplies for troops that were stationed within theirrespective colonies. -
The Declaratory Act of 1766
Parliament now had full rights to make laws "to bind the colonies and the people of America in all cases possible." -
The Townshend Acts
This was an indirect tax that was put on imported materials as they came into the colonies from Britain. Tax were levied on materials including glass, lead, paint, and paper. There was a three-penny tax on tea. The colonist reacted with rage and protested "taxation without representation." -
The Boston Massacre
A fist fight broke out over jobs on the morning of March 5, 1770. There was compettion for jobs between colonist and poorly paid soldiers who looked for extra work in local shipyards during off-duty hours. That even a mob gathered and ended up killing one man and fatally wounding two more. This fight was labeled the Boston Massacre, presenting it as a British attack on defenseless citizens -
The Tea Act of 1773
The British East India Company was granted the right to sell tea to the colonies free of the taxes the colonial tea sellers had to pay. This cut colonial merchants out of the tea trade because the company would sell its tea directly to consumers for less. -
The Boston Tea Party of 1773
A large group of Boston rebels disguised themselves as Native Americans and took action against three British tea ships in the harbor. The "Indians" dumped 18,000 pounds of tea into the Boston Harbor. -
First Continental Congress
The congress was made up of 56 delegates that met in Philadelphia and drew up a decleration of colonial rights. They defended the colonies right to run their own affairs, supported the protest in Massachusetts and stated that if the British used force against the colonies, the colonies should fight back. -
The Coercive/Intolerable Acts
King George III was infuriated by the orgaized distruction of British property during the Boston Tea Party. Parliament passed a series of laws. One shut down the Boston Harbor due to the colonist refusing to pay for the damaged tea. The Quartering Act authorized the British commanders to house soldiers in vacant private homes and other buildings. Boston was also placed under martial law. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
Due to long winter frosts, food was very scarce. General Gage forced his army on strict rations. He heard that Concord was a site that had a stockpile of food. Gage sent his tropps out ready to destroy and sieze all that they could find. Minutemen were watching th troops. At the right moment they would strike. -
Thomas Paine writes Common Sense
A pamphlet that called for separation of the colonies with the British. Over 500,000 copies were sold and was world widely applauded. -
Second Continental Congress
A plan was suggested to let each colony set up their own government and that the Congress declare the conlonies independent. -
The Declaration of Independence (1776)
Thomas Jefferson wrote this document to declare the independence from Britain. The concepts in the Declaration of Independence went along with the concepts of people should maintain their natural rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happinesss. -
The American Revolution Ends (1781)
The British surrender, ending the American Revolution. The Americans and French had won the battle. -
The Treaty of Paris (1783)
Delegates signed this confirming U.S independence and set the boundaries of the new nation. The United States stretched from Atlanic ocean to the Mississpi River and from Canada to the Florida boarder. Some parts of the Treaty promised future trouble.
