Lecture on Prelude to the American Revolution

1. PRELUDE TO THE
AMERICAN
REVOLUTION
(1650-1776)
FROM SALUTARY NEGLECT TO GETTING “GROUNDED”
(1650-1776)

2. GOVERNMENT IN THE COLONIES
• Colonists levied their own taxes
• Passed laws
• Royal Governors could veto colonists
- However, colonists could get around Royalist vetoes
• Period of Salutary Neglect
Royal Governors: Governors who kept the king, George III, up to date and who
enforced laws passed in Parliament
Taxes: Percentage of purchases that goes toward the funding of government.
Salutary Neglect: Although the British government was supposed to tax goods from
the colonies, they simply let the colonists continue without many checks or supervision
from Britain.

3. NAVIGATION
ACTS IN 1650S
• These acts were put in place to
regulate raw materials and goods
from America.
• The acts decreed that goods from
America could only be sold to
non-British nations AFTER they
had reached British ports.
• Britain wanted to keep these
goods out of rivals such as France
and Spain.
• Although Britain passed the
Navigation Acts in the 1650s, they
did not actually enforce these acts
until 1763.

4. GROUP  CLASS DISCUSSION
• Critical Thinking: How would Salutary Neglect
towards British laws, such as the Navigation Acts
affect colonists feelings towards Britain?

5. FRENCH AND INDIAN
WAR (1754-1763)
• Conflict caused by the Seven Years’ War
(1756-1763)
• Fights between France and Britain in
Europe and in America
• Both nations wanted control of the
Ohio River Valley
- Fresh water and farmlands
• Britain won the war, but it was
extremely expensive
• British Parliament decided to begin
enforcing Navigation Acts and tax
colonists in 1763 as a means to repay
war debts.

6. GROUP  CLASS DISCUSSION
• Critical Thinking: Explain the significance of the
French and Indian War.

7. FROM SALUTARY TO
REGULATORY
• After winning the French and Indian
War, British government decides its
time to start collecting taxes from the
colonies to pay back loans from the
war.
• Britain sent in troops to protect
borders in America
• Proclamation of 1763 - prevented
colonists from settling west of the
Appalachian Mts.
• Colonists had gotten used to Salutary
Neglect.
• So, many became bothered even
though these acts had been in place
since the 1650s.

8. GROUP  CLASS DISCUSSION
• Critical Thinking: How might the Proclamation of
1763 annoy or anger American Colonists?

9. KING GEORGE III & PRIME MINISTER GEORGE
GREENVILLE
• The king of England George III and Prime Minister George Greenville, the leader
of Parliament, decided it was time for colonists to start paying their taxes.
• They felt that the colonists had gotten away without paying for far too long.
• George III wanted to take control of the colonies from Parliament.
• Whig Party – Political party in England that wanted separation of powers between
Parliament and the King.
• Tories – Political party. Rival to the Whigs and friendly towards the king.
• George Greenville – Believed that the colonies should be used to raise revenue
through taxation.
• Greenville would push several bills that would anger colonists because these acts
either levied (to enact, raise taxes) taxes or increased Britain’s control of trade in the
colonies.

10. GROUP  CLASS DISCUSSION
• Based on this lecture thus far, what are some of the
reasons why colonists were upset at the King and
Parliament?

11. EXIT SLIP
• “Do you think Britain had the right to levy taxes
on the colonies?
• Summarize the event/document/person you
think was most important for convincing
colonists to revolt. Explain why you think this.”