The Road to Revolution -- How and Why the American Revolution Began

Lecture slides on the events leading up to the American Revolution, beginning with salutary neglect and the French and Indian War, through British taxation of the colonies, and ending with the outbreak of the Revolutionary War and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

1. The Road to Revolution Humanities 11 9/19/24

2. Proudly British American??? Colonial nationality KQ: How and why did the colonists transform from loyal Brits into American patriots?

3. 1690 1776 Stamp Act Declaratory Act Sugar Act Intolerable Acts Currency Act Townshend Acts Boston Massacre Tea Act

4. Colonization Practices (Before 1756) Spain/France: England:

5. The French and Indian War (1756-1763) Colonists asked British for help repelling French advances in America Resulted in a full-blown European war Britain won  French cedes territories in North America But at a huge cost – Britain is now in massive debt

6. What was a colony FOR?

7. BEFORE Salutary neglect Colonies left independent to form own governments, basically run themselves Low-maintenance for British No British troops in colonies Not much direct revenue, but promoted trade AFTER Colonists have now relied on British soldiers Direct intervention of British in colonial affairs British in debt  Need money, and fast

8. Salutary Neglect Oh yeah that’s facts… Let’s tax them! Bro the colonies are right there Stamp Act Declaratory Act Sugar Act Intolerable Acts Currency Act Townshend Acts Boston Massacre Tea Act King George III Prime Minister George Grenville

9. Stamp Act (1765) Internal tax on legal documents Not unique as a tax itself Yet led to MASS RESISTANCE Boycotts, mob violence Sons of Liberty

10. Stamp Act REPEALED in 1765

11. Townshend Acts (1767) Tax on imports of paper, paint, lead, glass, tea Named after Charles Townsend, who came up with it To enforce, quartered British troops (redcoats) in colonial homes Tensions build…

12. Boston Massacre – March 5, 1770

13. Townshend Acts (1767) Tax on imports of paper, paint, lead, glass, tea Named after Charles Townsend, who came up with it To enforce, quartered British troops (redcoats) in colonial homes All REPEALED besides tea tax Tensions die down…

14. Until the TEA ACT (1773) Parliament grants a monopoly on tea to the East India Tea Company Selling GOOD TEA for CHEAP – what’s the catch?

15. Until the TEA ACT (1773) Parliament grants a monopoly on tea to the East India Tea Company Selling GOOD TEA for CHEAP – what’s the catch?  There’s no CHOICE

16. Boston Tea Party – December 16, 1773 92000 lbs = $?

17. Boston Tea Party – December 16, 1773 92000 lbs = $1,700,000

18. Intolerable (or Coercive) Acts (1774) Parliament considered Boston Tea Party an act of treason  these acts passed to teach them a lesson Boston Port Act – Port CLOSED until tea paid for Massachusetts Government Act – Put under martial government of Thomas Gage Quartering Act – Forced to quarter soldiers Administration of Justice Act – Accused British soldiers go back to Britain for trial Quebec Act – Special privileges for Quebec Catholics

19. Intolerable (or Coercive) Acts (1774) Britain’s goal: to make Boston an example, and so isolate it from its neighbors What actually happened: UNITY “This horrid attack upon the town of Boston, we consider not as an attempt upon that town singly, but upon the whole Continent” – South Carolina Gazette editorial Benjamin Franklin cartoon from 1754

20. First Continental Congress Convened September 5, 1774 to respond to Intolerable Acts Debated over how to express grievances without totally breaking relationship with Britain Officially supported boycotts Called colonies to start and train militias Sent petition to the king Delegates MINUTEMEN

21. The King Responds “The New England governments are in a state of rebellion. Blows must decide whether they are to be subject to this country or independent.”

22. The King Makes His Move King orders Gage to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock Patriots stockpiling weapons in nearby Concord Gage secretly makes plans to raid Concord

23. April 18, 1775 – Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride

24. Battle of Lexington and Concord

25. By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard ‘round the world . -- Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Concord Hymn”

26. Second Continental Congress Convened May 1775 to discuss war plans Authorized creation of Continental Army, appointed George Washington commander Sent the king the Olive Branch Petition

27. WAR had begun!!! … for what? Reconciliation with Britain? Or complete independence?

28. Common Sense by Thomas Paine Published January 1776 Immediate bestseller 120,000 copies in first month in print (about 3,000,000 copies by today’s standards) Argued for complete and utter separation from Britain

29. READING QUIZ! True or false: Paine considers France and Spain the natural enemies of America. What is one counterargument which Paine argues against? “Can ye give to prostitution its former innocence?” In what context does Paine use this metaphor?

30. WAR had begun!!! … for what? Reconciliation with Britain? Or complete independence?

31. Why NOT declare independence?

32. But then… Rejection of the Olive Branch Petition King further disrespects colonies Hires Hessian soldiers Common Sense published Independence begins to feel inevitable

33. Moving towards independence Colonial legislatures begin advocating independence to their delegates June 7, 1776: Virginia sends Richard Lee with the Lee Resolution “Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”  Declaration of Independence begins being drafted

34. The Committee of Five John Adams, Massachusetts Robert R. Livingston, New York Roger Sherman, Connecticut Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Thomas Jefferson, Virginia Topic sentences need work OK Mr. Franklin Significant revisions made by Congress though, including removing a clause blaming King George for the slave trade. Why?

35. The Result 1823 facsimile of official copy

36. 1823 facsimile of official copy Signed July 2, 1776 Adopted July 4, 1776 But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha , in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. -- John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776

37. The New Stakes New meaning of the war: INDEPENDENCE Patriots inspired Washington has it read to his army on July 9, 1776; fires up soldiers Loyalists appalled; British identity threatened Compromise with Britain becomes impossible “They met, they talked, they parted. And now nothing remains but to fight it out.” – Lord Howe’s secretary

38. The Legacy of the Declaration The Revolutionary War would go on for another seven years It is not a document of law Yet its influence can be seen worldwide and across ages Later revolutions, ex. French Revolution quoted it (for better or for worse) Perpetually American ideas – life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness Encyclopedia Brittanica: “It remains a great historical landmark in that it contained the first formal assertion by a whole people of their right to a government of their own choice. What Locke had contended for as an individual, the Americans proclaimed as a body politic.”

39. Reading the Declaration!

40. 1. Preamble Annotate for IDEAS What does Jefferson believe about human beings? About government? About revolution? Are these “new” ideas? Overall, what picture of American independence does Jefferson paint?

41. 2. Grievances Annotating Questions Are there any patterns you notice with the list of grievances? Which grievances correspond to historical events we’ve learned about? Mark any grievances you find especially interesting or shocking. Is this list of grievances entirely true? Is it sufficient to render King George a tyrant?

42. 3. Declaration Annotate for PURPOSE What is the end goal of the Declaration? What is being declared? How do the previous parts of it support this end goal? What does it mean to be “Free and Independent States”?

43. RESPOND: Is there a line or idea from the Declaration that you particularly resonate with? Why? Were the ideas of the Declaration worth fighting for? Why or why not? Do you think America is living up to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence today? Why or why not?