-
Benign Neglect
From the beginning of the colonies to the summer of 1754, Great Britain showed indifference to the colonies. They did not see them as being politically equal to them. This gave the colonies a change to be autonomous and free. They were able to get a feel of being an independent nation without actually being independent. -
Period: to
Seven Year's War (French Indian War)
-
Celebration of Seven Year's War Victory
Americans felt extremely loyal to Britain after defeating the French in the war. Except, Britain still viewed them as second class citizens who did not try hard enough to support the them in the war. They called the Americans cowards and tightfisted. The fact that Britain's view after the colonials helped to successfully defeat the French proved to the colonials that they would always be looked at as inferior, no matter what they did. -
Proclamation of 1763
Britain's Board of Trade restricted white settlement past the crest of the Appalachian Mts. in order to ease Indian tensions and keep better control of the colonials. This, however, did not work well to keep colonials out. In addition, this angered the colonies because they assumed they would be able to explore the new land now that the French were gone. -
Sugar Act
Parliament actually lowered the tax on molasses, but all shipmasters were required to submit papers listing their inventory every time they entered or cleared colonial ports. If they caught a smuggler, they were tried by a royally appointed judge rather than a colonial jury. The colonials became angry because Britain took away their right to have a jury present if accused of a crime. -
Stamp Act
Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which required all colonials to buy a stamp to have on all official documents. This proved to colonials that they were still thought of as second class citizens because people in Britain did not have to follow this law. This also reinforced colonials need to have representation in Parliament. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act forced colonials to allow British soldiers into their home and provide food and shelter for them. An invasion of privacy and an extra strain for money contributed to the colonial's disapproving view of this act. -
Sons of Liberty Formed
The Sons of Liberty were a group of men that resisted and rebelled against the acts that Parliament passed. This formation encouraged participation from people of all social classes to stand up for their rights. In addition, many peoples hatred for Britain intensified once joining this resistance group. -
Extreme Rioting in Boston
The leaders of the Sons of Liberty were stunned when they heard that the resistance group destroyed the governor of Massachusetts's (also the brother-in-law of the colony's stamp distributor) mansion. The Sons of Liberty were supposed to support the protection of private property. This event shows how high tensions were and how much the colonials resented the Stamp Act. -
Stamp Act Repealed
Grenville's replacement, the Marquis of Rockingham, secured the repeal of the Stamp Act with the support of the English merchants. This showed Americans that they are able to make a difference. -
Townshend Acts
Soon after the repeal of the Stamp Act, Charles Townshend planned again to make revenue off the colonies. He put a tax on lead, paint, paper, glass, and tea. He suspended the NY Assembly until it obeyed the Quartering Act. This control Britain held over the colonies without giving them any representation in Parliament fueled the fire of the revolution. -
Daughters of Liberty Formed
The women of the colonies formed the Daughters of Liberty and boycotted the Townshend Acts by making their own clothes instead of English finery, serving coffee rather than tea, and boycotting shops selling British goods. This group, like the Sons of Liberty, get to share their distaste for Britain, intensifying the tension. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred when several colonials were insulting and throwing things at some British troops. Once one of the soldiers was hit, he fired as did his fellow men. When the smoke cleared, 5 of the colonials were dead. This event was publicized in all the colonies as "The Boston Massacre" by Paul Revere. He depicted the colonials as innocent, unarmed victims in order to recieve sympathy from the colonies and keep moving towards breaking away from Britain. -
Tea Act
Although this tax on tea actually made tea cheaper for everyone but merchants. Americans still belived it was a trick to accept Parliament's authority over them. The fact that even when Britain passes a law that actually helps the Americans, the colonials still distrust them, shows that their relationship can never be fixed and will inevitable come to an end soon. -
Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty threw 90,000 pounds of British tea into the harbour in order to deny the British's power over them. This act of resistance proved to Britain that the colonies were serious about their rights. -
Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts)
The British responded to the Boston Tea Party by passing the Coercive Acts. 1. They closed the Boston Harbour. 2. Massachusetts Government Act - MA had to give their goverment over to royal officials. 3. Impartial Administration of Justice Act - Any royal offical accused of a crime could be tried in England or another colony. 4. Quebec Act (on timeline) This continual cycle of Parliament passing more acts and the colonies resisting them would eventually lead to a revolution. -
Quebec Act
Parliament established a permanent government in what had been French Canada. Colonials soon began to believe that all British political leaders were planning to enslave the colonials. They also began to believe that they were no longer English. -
First Continental Congress
After agreeing on their mistrust of Britain, 55 delegates came to discuss how to resist the Coercive Acts, how to justify their rights, and how to deal with Parliament. They decided to cease all trade with Britain until the Coercive Acts were repealed. They also agreed that if the red coats attacked one colony, all the colonies would help to defend it. This united attitude helps to soldify the nation that will soon be independent. -
Lexington and Concord
At Lexington, 60 colonials fight 900 British soldiers in order to buy time for the militia in Concord to take and hide all the weapons. Once the British got to Concord all the weapons had already been taken by the colonials and they had to go back to Boston, while the colonials fought them all the way there. These battles signify the colonies commitment to earning their freedom and independence, and the beginning of the American Revolution.
