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The Seven Year War
Started by Washington fighting French troops in the Ohio Valley. The seven year war started in America but was also fought in Europe. The main focus was to obtain the Ohio Valley territory before France did. In 1756 during the first year of the war, Britain struggled against French and their Indian allies but with the help of William Pitt and attempt at colonial unity, Britain eventually won. -
The Seven Years War : Treaties of Hubertusburg and Paris
The Seven Years War ended with the signing of the Treaties of Hubertusburg and Paris. The outcome were as followed: France lost all claims to Canada, Louisiana wa obtained by Spain, and Britian also claimed Spanish Florida, Upper Canada, and many French holdings. -
The Navigation Laws
Originally began in 1651, The Navigation Laws (English Navigation Acts) were a series of laws which restricted the use of foreign shipment for trade between England and its colonies. It was followed besides the Molassas Act which involved smuggling but in 1763 Prime Minister George Grenville ordered British navy to start strictly enforcing the laws. -
Navigation Laws: John Hancock
"Oh dreary waters, it seems my smuggling days are over. The new British troops have seized my ship, Liberty. There goes that new order I had placed last Monday. Bother. Hmm, it seems rather funny that the officials are not dealing any harshness towards me, I do question why. Oh, and another new development, a group of colonists seems to be gathering around the named officials. Whatever do they want?" -
The Stamp Act
Britian was in vast debt after the end of the Seven Years War. Instead of forwardly asking it's colonies to help pay, Prime Minister George Grenville imposed several acts of taxation with the worst of them being the Stamp Act. This act raised revenues to support the new military force. The act mandandated the use of paper or the affixing of stamps which was the certifying payment of tax. Stamps were needed on bills of sale of 50 items, playing cards, newspaper, pamphlets, and documents and more. -
The Quartering Act
Passed on March 24, 1765 The Quartering Act required colonists to provide his majesty's troops with a place to sleep, food and transportation, and supplies. Of course this was unwelcomed by the colonists but they were forced to obey for the troops were protecting them from the French, who the colonists truthfully did not see as a threat. -
Virtual Representation
Americans were protesting the intoleable acts because they claimed that parlament had no right to tax them because there was no Americans seated in Parliament. They felt only their own colonial legislature could tax them. Prime Minister Grenville dismissed their protesting saying that Parliament was supreme and Americans were represented within. Granville clarified the theory of "Virtual Representation" claiming that every member of Parliament represents all Americans in Boston as well. -
"American" Consumer Boycotts
Colonists who usually stood by and never spoke out united with protesters and refused to purchase British goods, specifically textiles. They made their own woolen garments and some of the colonial women would gather at the center of town and create the garments there. -
Declaratory Act
Issued by Parlament after the repeal of the Stamp Act, the Declarator Act said that Parlament could take,"whatever action they thought fit for the good of the empire." The colonists failed to recognize the importance of this act since they were to busy flaunting their victory over the end of the Stamp Act. Because of this Parlament issued several Acts against America and the colonists could not do anything about it. Such included the Quartering and Townshend Acts. -
The Townshend Tea Tax
Proposed by "Champagne Charlie" Townshend, a notable speaker in parlament, in attempt to degrade the colonies with minimal protest. The act placed a light import duty on white lead, paper, paint, glass, and tea. Compaired to the infamous Stamp Act, the Townshend Tea Tax had a dubious distinction between internal and external taxes. -
British occupation of Boston
On October of 1768 a vessal with a cargo of British troops stopped in the Boston Harbor with the mission of somewhat reclaiming the rebelious colony. They made sure to see that taxes were being collected and sent to the mother country, England. The presense of British was not welcomed upon. -
Boston Massacre: John Adam
"The deaths should not be held against the Captain and his men. The only reason they opened fire on those people was because their potesting became uncontrolable. No killings would have occured if the rebelious spirit had not increased. And the other two guilty men, their sentence is unjust for I feel they, too, had no choice but to fire." -
The Boston Massacre
Caused from resentment towards the British troops enforcing the Townshend Acts in Boston. British Captain Thomas Preston and his troops were being harrased by rioting "patriots" and when the fighting became too much his troops open fired. 5 were killed and 6 injuried. A town meeting was held insisting on removing British troops and the trial of Preston and his men. Only 2 were charged with manslaughter while Preston and the others were aquitted. A signaling event leading to the Revolution -
Committess of Correspondence
Samuel Adams formed a committee of correspndence in Boston, Massachusettes which became the example that around 80 other towns used when setting up their similar organizations. Their main goal was to spread propaganda and information using interchanging letters. It was the most effective way for creating resistance against Britain within the colonies. -
Committees of Correspondence : Samuel Adams
"I am rather tired of British rule. It would seem that no one in America is partaking in the acts of rebellion. Although it seems the idea of my committee of correspondance has been taken note of and spread throughout the cities. With our spread of English defiance increasing I believe in time the colonies can achieve political freedom. We will be able to disregard all the acts of a tyranous king and restart the way we should have since the first settlement." (p.s. CoC are all the rage nowadays) -
The Boston Port Act
In response to the Boston Teaparty, Britain passed several laws know as the Intolerable Acts, one of them being the Boston Port Act. This entitled for the Boston port to be closed until the destroyed tea was paid for. This affected the colonial merchants the most because they weren't able to make profit from trade and wished colonials would pay the tea. The colonials refused to pay. -
Boston Port Act : Sons of Liberty
"So, this is how the royal crown wants to respond? As if the tea dumping was not enough. Fine then England, supress us even further, close our Boston Port but let this be the last blow you can deal for our numbers will grow and we, Sons of Liberty, willnever cease our rebellious destruction. Let this be your warning England, you are marching into a war." -
Quebec Act
Accompanied coincidently with the intolerable acts. Britain had no idea what to do with the thousands of conquered French subjects from the Seven Years war, then finally they came up with a solution; French could keep their Catholic religion, permitted to retain most old customs and institutions (besides trial by jury or representation cases) and their old boundaries were extended up to the Ohio River. To the Americans is was terrible for everything about it contridicted with the colonials. -
Continental Congress: Patrick Henry
" The Intolerable Acts are idiotic if I may say so. What runs through the minds of our others in Parlament? How could they impose such a... a thing? Honestly only Britain gains from this and not a single shingle to our name. We must all take full action in the removal of these acts. They will destroy our America, and I for one will not stand by and let that happen." -
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The First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was led by Samuel Adams, John Adams, George Washington, and Patrick Henry. It met in Philidelphia on September 5th. The First Continental Congress despised the Intolerable Acts cause they felt that it was unfair of Britian to impose such unreasonable acts. They discused and voted in favor of abolishing trade with England until the Intolerable Acts were withdrawled. -
The Quebec Act : Marquis de Lafayette (English)
"Sacrebleu! These stupid Englishmen think they can treat my people like this? This is an outrage, what do they take us for, imbeciles?! We will cut them down so that they will feel our pain; they will know what we have went through. They will rue the day they ever defeated us. And what of the poor Americans? Does England feel that they can mistreat their own people without a care? HAHA Oh contraire, our defeated nation will combine with your colonists and take back what is ours." -
The Quebec Act : Marquis de Lafayette (French)
Sacrebleu Ces Anglais stupide pensent qu'ils peuvent traiter mes personnes aiment C'est un scandale, qu'est-ce qu'ils nous prennent pour des, imbéciles Nous allons les couper afin qu'ils se sentent notre douleur;?! Ils sauront ce que nous avons est allé à travers. ils regretteront amèrement le jour où ils nous a jamais battus. et que dire de la pauvre Américains? est Angleterre sentir qu'ils peuvent maltraiter leurs propres personnes sans soins? Oh Contraire... i.e. -
The Intolerable Acts
A series of "Repressive Acts" set to attack Massachusetts, but Boston specifically. It was issued by Parlament in response to the Boston Tea Party and the most notable act was The Boston Port Act. These acts removed many of the colony's chartered rights. Restrictions were placed on town meetings and now any enforcing official who killed a colonist would be shipped over to England for trial instead of at the colonies. Americans believed they were to be free of charges from this. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
British commander in Boston sent troops to Lexington and Concord to which they were to seize stores of colonial gunpowder and bag Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Colonial Minute Men faced the troops at the first city and were shot at when they failed to disperce quickly killing 8. The troops marched onwards to Concord but were met with a greater milita force causing them to retreat with 70 dead and 300 other casualties. -
Lexington and Concord: Minute Men
"WE WILL NOT SUBMIT TO BRITAIN ANY LONGER! Our defeat here in Lexington is not the end let it be known! As I see my brothers dying around me I must admit it seems all hope is lost. We were and are horribly outnumbered yet I remain standing. We put our ramaining hope into the rebels in Concord to change the tides of the cursed English. Take them down TAKE THEM DOWN!" -
"The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith
Britain practiced Mercantilism in it's colonies. The mother country needed financial help and who else to turn to than the "loyal" colonies who were to aid England. Adam Smith looked otherwise to this and wrote " The Wealth of Nations" to express his opposition. He wanted foreign trade and despised the high taxes. In order to gain sucession in the nation, he thought, people should work hard and save money, have a small government setup, and small metals to backup money and stop overspending. -
"Common Sense": Thomas Paine
"I'm sick of it, all these unfair taxes and acts that parliament is passing is ruining America. What we need is to be our own free country. Then we would have the power to tax what we want and pass laws we see fit to pass. This is why I have written this book, then maybe people will start coming to their senses and realize that seperation from England is the best for America. We would never have to listen to what the King of England has to say, ever again." -
"Common Sense" by Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine wrote "Common Sense" to ask for independence from Americas mother country. Thus finally seperating themselves from the burden of British influence. Paine wished for America to be a truely independent country. The books target audience was American colonists in the hope that they would see that seperation was the best thing for the future of America as a whole.
