1. • What were the origins of the American Revolution?
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Giving a background (years before) to the Revolutionary War –
First problem – loosening ties with England –
In the early part of the 18th century, there was an ongoing shift in England, where
Parliament was gaining more influence and power over the Empire, while the
King’s power slowly diminished
The prime ministers and members of their cabinets depended upon merchants and
landholders for their power, this is one reason they did not want to disrupt
commerce – and allowed the decentralized, yet organized rule of the colonies to
continue
Royal governors in the colonies were also contributing to the loose ties the
colonies had to the imperial system – sometimes they used bribery to
obtain offices
Second problem – the French and Indian War (7 Years War)
War broke out on the continent – that had less to do with what was going on in the
colonies than what was happening in Europe. In between the 1750s and 1760s,
there was a struggle for power in between England and France.
In Europe, this was referred to as the 7 Years’ War, in the colonies it was known
as the French and Indian War
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The ideals of mercantilism
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The Peace of Paris
“It ended French power in North America, and Britain took all of
France’s North American possessions east of the Mississippi River,
several islands in the West Indies, and all of Spanish Florida.” – 101
British troops and settlers move back onto the frontier – as a result
provoke Indians living there (similar to the conflict that started the
French-Indian War)
King signs the Royal Proclamation of 1763 – draws an imaginary
boundary along the Appalachians
Pontiac agrees to the peace in 1766, yet pioneers pushed on: by 1770
Pittsburgh has 20 homes, 4 years later Daniel Boone cut the
Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap to the KY River
With complete disregard to the terms of the Proclamation
2. Pontiac somewhat hesitantly accepts the frontier settlers, but insists
the “French never conquered us, neither did they purchase a foot of
our Country, nor have they a right to give it to you” – 104
This was in response to the Proclamation terms
“In compensation for the loss of Florida, Spain received Louisiana
from France” – 104
After losing Louisiana, the French lost all holdings in North
America
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Some of the new mercantilist policies included –
Remember the definition of mercantilism – the idea that the colonies only existed
for the benefit for the mother country
The Molasses Act of 1733 – a little earlier than the French and Indian War “set a
sixpence-per-gallon customs duty on molasses in order to prevent trade with the
French sugar islands.”
Protectionist, would harm colonies – 111
American smugglers avoided this tax, trading with the French in order to
make rum
The Sugar Act (1764) – written in response to the failure of the Molasses Act
George Grenville passed it, which cut the tax in half
Designed by Grenville to provide “the necessary expenses of defending,
protecting, and securing” the colonies. The costs had to be covered by taxes.
-111
The Act itself would tax other items as well
The Currency Act (1764) – colonies begin issuing their own paper money. Due to a
shortage of available currency
Grenville prohibits the colonies from printing their own currency
“The value of existing paper money soon plummeted, since nobody was
obligated to accept it in payment of debts, even in the colonies.” – 111
The Stamp Act - enacted Feb 13, 1765 – “created revenue stamps that were to be
purchased and attached to printed matter and legal documents of all kinds” – 111
3. NEW SLIDE –
Stamp Act crisis (and other final straws)
Colonists were outraged. “Grenville could not have devised a better method of
antagonizing and unifying the colonies than the Stamp Act” – 101
Colonists’ rights were not being protected or exercised, did not have the
same rights as English in the homeland – “the English had the right to be
taxed only by their elected representatives.” This was the major difference
for the colonists, they could not vote on members of parliament. – 112
Protest slogan – “No taxation without representation”
Most colonists were outraged, this Act affected most of them
“And it affected most of all the articulate elements in the community:
merchants, planters, lawyers, printer-editors-all strategically placed to
influence public opinion.” People with power, influence, position – 112
Patrick Henry gave a passionate speech to the VA House of Burgesses that
was intended to call Americans to action – in May of 1765. He also
introduced a set of resolutions – and declared his belief that colonists had the
right to tax themselves and represent themselves, these became known as
the Virginia Resolves
There were seven of them, some of which passed by a slim margin
Virginians were used to being governed by laws they had written and
passed. They had a history of self-rule and independence, dating back
to the House of Burgesses.
They believed in representative government within the colonies – not
from across the Atlantic
Boston protestors burned an effigy of the royal stamp agent (Andrew Oliver)
from the city’s liberty tree (mid-August 1765). This was a big rallying event
Stamp agent eventually resigned out of fear, as well as most stamp agents
within the colonies
