The document outlines eight pivotal events that contributed to the growing divide between Britain and its American colonies, ultimately leading to the Revolutionary War. These include the end of salutary neglect, new taxes like the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, the Boston Massacre, the Intolerable Acts in response to the Boston Tea Party, and the battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the official start of the war. Taken together, these events eroded colonial loyalty to Britain and demonstrated the need for American independence.

1. Eight Revolutionary
Dominos
Eight pivotal moments that contributed to the
fracture between Britain and its American Colonies
and eventually lead to the Revolutionary War.
U . S . H i s t o r y t o 1 8 7 7 ( H I S T 1 1 0 1 - 6 1 )
W e n t w o r t h I n s t i t u t e o f T e c h n o l o g y
P r o f e s s o r – J a r e d H a a s
G r o u p W a s h i n g t o n – H a m i l t o n – S e a n C r o s b y & R o b e r t M a l l e t t
M a y 2 8 , 2 0 1 7

2. Introduction

3. English Colonization of America
England began colonization with Virginia in 1607
13th colony was Georgia which was founded in 1733
 There were 3 types of British colonies established in America:
 Royal
 Proprietary
 Joint Stock

4. British Control
Three types of British Colony
 Royal – Operated by the King/Queen
 Proprietary – Owned by Single Person or Family
 Joint Stock – Investors would buy “shares” of the venture.
While all three were started differently, they were all authorized by the
crown.
Colonies were started mostly to produce raw materials to send back to
England to enrich the homeland and investors wallets.
Boundless, 2016f

5. Colonial Life
Most colonists were farmers who unlike in England, had a vote and say in
colonial America.
The North became known for fishing, lumber and ship-building.
The South became huge producers of Tobacco, cotton and indigo.
Despite numerous acts designed to limit colonial trade to only England, a
period of Salutary Neglect allowed for a prosperous time for many colonists.

6. French and Indian
War
LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON COLONIES

7. Salutary Neglect
Unofficial policy of the British Empire
Stemmed from the changing of British crown to William and Mary who essentially ignored
the colonies
Allowed colonies to violate trade restrictions to facilitate economic growth
Meant to keep colonies loyal to the Crown
Began the Colonial feeling of separation from Britain
Allowed for almost total self-sufficiency by the colonists up until French and Indian War.
Boundless, 2016b; Boundless, 2016e

8. British National Debt
British national debt had doubled due to the Seven Years War
British Parliament believed the colonies benefited from the war and
therefore should pay their fair share of the cost
Increase in taxes was met with resistance from the colonists and
exacerbated the already strained relationship between the Crown and
Colonials
Boundless, 2016e

9. Land Restrictions
British Crown had monopoly on all future land purchases from
American Indians
Colonists objected to the restrictions
Boundless, 2016e

10. Impact on Revolution
Salutary neglect established self-government in the colonies
Added taxation began vocal resistance to British policies
Land restrictions added to colonial resentment of decisions made in
London
Boundless, 2016e

11. Sugar and Stamp
Acts

12. Sugar Act
Enacted in 1764
Lowered the previous Molasses Act (1733) tax rate
(6 pence vs. 3 pence)
Expanded measures to effectively enforce the tax
Increased Colonial concerns that British Parliament
would more directly govern the Colonies
Boundless, 2016c

13. Sugar Act (cont.)
Intended not only to tax trade but to actually raise revenue for the
Crown
Violators were tried in vice admiralty courts instead of by jury.
Boundless, 2016c

14. Stamp Act
Passed in 1765
Direct tax on the Colonies imposed by Parliament
Required printed materials on paper produced in London that carried a
revenue stamp
Boundless, 2016c

15. Stamp Act (cont.)
First tax on inter-colony trade
Met with large colonial resistance
Resistance was not anticipated by
Parliament
Boundless, 2016c

16. Townshend Acts

17. Background
Passed in 1767 by Parliament
Five laws made up the Townshend Acts
 Revenue Act of 1767;
 Indemnity Act;
 Commissioners of Customs Act;
 Vice Admiralty Court Act; and
 New York Restraining Act.
Boundless, 2016d

18. Parliament Intentions
Raise revenue to support governors and judges,
independent of colonial rule
Enforcing compliance with trade regulations
Punishing New York for refusing the Quartering
Act
Boundless, 2016d

19. Colonial Response
Economic boycotts of British goods
Daughters of Liberty home spun fabric instead of purchasing from
Britain
Non-consumption agreement
 Colonists signed pledges not to purchase or use imported British goods
Boundless, 2016d

20. Unrest in Boston
4,000 British troops sent to Boston to quell unrest
Troops were constant reminder of British power over the colony
British troops supplanted local labor
British efforts to quell the unrest only exacerbated the animosity felt by
the Bostonians
Boundless, 2016d

21. Boston Massacre

22. Background
Occurred on March 5, 1770
Resulted from Colonial protest and aggression towards British
establishment in Boston
Known as the “Incident on King Street” by the British
5 people were killed as tensions rose
Boundless, 2016a

23. Propaganda Victory
Incident was used as a rallying cry for anti-British movement
Turned the popular tide against the British Crown
Illustrated the deteriorating relations between the British and Boston
Boundless, 2016a

24. What it showed…
Legitimate or not, the incident showed the colonists that the British
would resort to violence to maintain control
The situation was quickly reaching a point of no return and that open
rebellion was a real possibility
Boundless, 2016a

25. The Aftermath
Used as a public focus point
Annually commemorated by Patriots
John Adams defended the British soldiers involved
Boundless, 2016a

26. Tea Act
and
Boston Tea Party

27. Background
East India Company was given exclusive rights in 1698 by British Parliament
to import tea to England
Britain forbid the colonists from importing tea from anyone but England.
Despite repealing the majority of the Townsend Act, there was still a tax on
tea in the colonies.
Eventually, the accumulation of new taxes led to a huge surplus of tea in
England and the East India Company in serious financial troubles.
Boundless, 2016g

28. Tea Act of 1773
Act allowed East India Company to export
tea directly to the colonies.
Eliminated the need to go through
middlemen in London before tea went to
the colonies.
Less taxes and fewer middlemen meant
more profits for East India Co.
Act allowed for East India Co. to sell tea on
consignment through merchants in the
colonies.

29. “Taxation without Representation”
The Tea act ultimately would have lowered the cost tea in the colonies.
It was not the cost of tea that angered the colonists, but rather the
principle.
The levying of taxes without a say was against the policies of England
By unilaterally taxing tea without any colonist representation in
Parliament was humiliating to the colonists.
To the colonists, they were being reduced to the level of servants and
children – the ones without a say in England.
Boundless 2016g, Crash Course US History #6

30. Tensions Rise
The Sons of Liberty were a secret group of colonists who fought British
taxation and protected the diminishing rights of the colonists..
When the Sons of Liberty got wind of the Tea Act they embarked on a
mission to ”compel” tea consignees up and down the coast to refuse the
British tea.
Due to a multitude of different factors, all of the tea was refused
everywhere except for Boston.
Governor Hutchinson made a stand and refused to back down and the
three ships loaded with British Tea landed in Boston in December 1773
Boundless, 2016g

31. Boston Tea Party
Evening of December 16, 1773
Group of colonists dressed in various disguises, some as
Mohawk warriors, secretly boarded the three ships in
Boston Harbor.
Colonist dumped every last leaf of tea into the water, all
342 chests.
Boundless, 2016h
While the Massachusetts colonists viewed the act as their last choice to oppose taxation without
representation, it greatly angered Britain.
Instead of forcing England to back off, the Tea Party caused further turbulence for the New
England region by way of Coercive Acts.

32. Coercive Acts

33. Britain's Need to Punish
British Parliament had grown tired of
colonial resistance to any act or tax
brought to colonies.
Boston Tea Party was the final straw and
forced Parliament to punish the
Massachusetts Colony.
By coming down so harshly on
Massachusetts, Parliament hoped to set
an example and cause the rest of the
colonies to fall back in line.

34. Boston Port Act
Ordered the closing of the Boston port
until the cost of destroyed tea was repaid
to East India Company.
Angered colonists for two reasons:
1. The residents of Massachusetts were
mad they were being punished for
the acts of a few.
2. The colonists also felt they were
being punished without the option of
defending themselves (right to a fair
trial).
Boundless, 2016i

35. Massachusetts Government Act
Act immediately revoked the Massachusetts charter of 1691 and
relegated full control to the King.
All positions in state government were to be appointed by the King or
his appointees.
Effectively outlawed town meetings, allowing only one a year.
Boundless, 2016i, Britannica 2016a

36. Massachusetts Government
Act (cont.)
Scared other colonies because they feared
they too could suffer the same plight as
Massachusetts
 Massachusetts military became under
control of General Gage

37. Administration of Justice Act
Aimed at assuring British soldiers were given a fair trial.
England argued soldiers accused of capitol crimes in Massachusetts
would be unable to receive a fair trial in America.
Act allowed for trials to be moved to Britain or other countries to
receive a fair trial.
Boundless, 2016i

38. Administration of Justice Act (Cont.)
Angered colonists because trials became a façade since no witnesses
could afford to travel to the designated trial to testify.
“George Washington called [Administration of Justice Act] the "Murder
Act," as he believed that it allowed British officials to harass Americans
and then escape justice” (Boundless 3.3.1).

39. Quartering Act of 1774
Replaced previous Quartering act which expired in 1770
Original Act called for Massachusetts colonists to house British Soldiers
in their home.
After much resistance the Act of 1774 was passed
Boundless, 2016i

40. Quartering Act of 1774 (cont.)
Allowed British leaders to take over vacant
buildings to house soldiers.
Was a reaction to the rising cost of
supporting and housing so many soldiers in
America at the time.

41. Results of Britain's Actions
Sent waves of fear throughout the colonies.
Colonial responses were ultimately the start of the American Revolution
Led to Massachusetts drafting a set of resolutions that:
1. Disobey the Coercive Acts
2. Stop paying taxes
3. Prepare for war
Also led to the First Continental Congress
Crash Course US History #6

42. First Continental
Congress

43. Background
While the Coercive Acts were levied to assert
their power over the colonies, England
accidentally galvanized the people of America.
The colony-wide response to the Coercive
Acts was to establish the first government of
America – The First Continental Congress.
First meeting of Continental Congress was on
September 5, 1774 in Philadelphia
Boundless, 2016j

44. First Meeting
Comprised of 56 members who were appointed by their respective
states legislatures
Only 12 of the original 13 colonies were represented.
Georgia held out because they were hoping for help from England with
the Native problems they were having.
Boundless, 2016j

45. Grievances to the King
Aim was to petition King George to meet their grievances without
severing ties with Britain.
There were differing opinions about the ultimate goals of meeting.
While everyone worried for their rights being respected, there was not
an overwhelming movement for independence.
Boundless, 2016j

46. Grievances (cont.)
The petition asked for their grievances
over the Coercive Acts to be addressed by
the King
The petition also called for a boycott on all
trade with England, import and export,
unless their issues were addressed.
Boundless, 2016k

47. Response from England
Passed Northeast Restraining Act
Act forced northeast colonies to only trade with Britain
Also blocked access to North Atlantic fisheries.
It was becoming apparent another meeting of the Continental Congress
was going to be needed.
Boundless, 2016k

48. Battles of Lexington
& Concord

49. Background
As the relationship with England quickly deteriorated, tensions rose
between the colonists and British Soldiers.
By the middle 1770’s, General Thomas Gage had over 3000 troops
stationed in Boston.
At the same time, militias in Massachusetts were preparing for
imminent war
Gage would have the soldiers regularly raid towns they suspected of
stockpiling guns and munitions.
Boundless, 2016l

50. Precipice of War
General Gage received orders to seize
munitions in Concord and arrest the leaders
of the rebellion.
Hoping to arrive undetected, he sent 700
troops out of Boston in the middle of the
night on April 18, 1775
Despite his plans, several Patriots rode ahead
on horseback to warn the militias.
Boundless, 2016l

51. Lexington
When the British soldiers arrived in Lexington
they found a collection of around 80
Minutemen waiting for them.
The militia was told to stand down and
disperse.
The “Shot Heard Around the World” was fired
by an unknown person which led to the battle.
Eventually the Minutemen retreated and the
British soldiers marched onto Concord.
Boundless, 2016l

52. Concord
When The soldiers arrived in Concord they were unable to find the
munitions they were looking for.
Advanced warning of their raid allowed the militia to hide the
munitions better.
A small battle broke out at the North Bridge before the militia drove
them back.
The Soldiers retreated and began the march back to Boston.
Boundless, 2016l

53. After Effects
On their march back to Boston, thousands of militia had lined the road
to Boston and began firing on the troops.
4000 militia men took part in forcing the British soldiers retreat to
Boston
73 British Soldiers and 43 militia men died along the march.
The war had been started, but not everyone was yet aware.
Boundless, 2016l

54. Conclusion

55. Final Thoughts
There were many missteps throughout the years from first settling in
America through The Declaration of Independence.
Years of Salutary Neglect caused the Colonists to be self sufficient and grew
apart from England.
Many failed attempts by England to reign the colonists in only further
exacerbated the fractured situation.
A resort to force and more violations of the colonists perceived rights left
the American settlers with no other option than to fight for their freedom.