Wentworth Institute of Technology Us History to 1877

1. By :Manny Moyet
Dean Bidgood
Matthew Leone

2.  Many events in early American history have
had a significant influence on the United
States forming the declaration of
Independence from British rule. After 150
years of self governing, and limited tax paid
to the crown of England, American Colonist
were being forced to comply with new tax
acts that will alter, and forever change their
way of life. These taxes were heavily
opposed, and came with great
consequences to both sides. History will
show them to be directly responsible for the
American Revolution.

4.  The Molasses Act was a tax imposed on
colonists of six pence per gallon of Molasses.
This Act was passed by parliament at the
request of the British West Indies plantation
owners. At this time, the British West indies were
Britian’s greatest trade resourcse and the
colonies were increasingly importing the lower
priced sugar and molasses from non-colonies
British Indie islands. Parliament implemented a
tax on mollases imported to the colonies from its
rival nations to drive up the sale of British
molasses. It was set to expire in 1763.
(Boundless, ch.3,sec 1)

6.  The result of this act in the colonies was not
as planned by the British. Instead of
colonists changing their molasses supplier,
they resorted to acts of smuggling and
bribery of customs officials. The act had not
set in place affective means in which to
enforce the collection of the tax. The
unwelcomed tax and its ease of avoidance
further united the people of the colonies and
their resistance of British rule. (Boundless,
ch.3, sec.1)

8.  At the expiration of the Molasses Act,
Parliament put into effect the Sugar Act. It
served as a continuance of the molasses Act
and was to assist in the payment of British
debts from the French and Indian war.
Further, the Sugar Act was devised to be
more strictly enforced than its predecessor.
The idea of the colonists paying for Britain's
war was another source of resentment.
(Boundless, ch.2, sec 3)

10.  With the increased enforcement of the act,
smuggling and bribery were becoming more
risky. Colonists began to succumb and pay
for the tax, forcing them to raise their prices
and depleting currency reserves. This greatly
decreased the rum exports of specifically
New England. In August of 1764, James Otis
and Samuel Adams of Boston led a boycott
of British goods. This movement sparkled
similar actions taken in New York and
strengthened the self-sufficiency of the
colonies with increased manufacturing.
(Boundless, ch.2 sec 3)

12.  The Stamp Act imposed by Parliament was
unprecedented in the fact that it forced the
colonists to pay for a tax stamp on many
British goods from playing cards to legal
papers( Video: The Revolution, 4:00). It was
a put into place to pay for a large peacetime
army stationed in the Colonies, largely in part
to keep the soldiers employed. British
officials felt that the colonists should pay for
their protection. The colonists did not take
well to the stamp act which directly affected
all ranks of society. (Boundless, ch.3 sec. 1)

14.  This act directly led to the formation of the
Stamp Act Congress, the first official elected
gathering of colonial representatives. This
congress met in 1765 in New York City to
organize British tax resistance. Colonists
believed they were being treated unfairly
because they had no representation in
Parliament in regards to how taxes are levied
upon them. The congress responded with the
Declaration of Rights and Grievances. They also
filed appeal to the Parliament and King. This
marks a significant unified colonial resistance.
(Boundless, ch. 3 sec. 2)

16.  In 1765 the formation of the Sons of Liberty
was done in response to the Stamp Act.
Leaders such as Samuel Adams led this
movement which quickly spread to all 13 of
the colonies. The sons had members from all
social classes and spread the word of
independence and liberty to other colonists
through writings and organized protests. As
this group grew in popularity it strengthened
to become a “shadow” government and
pushed British officials out of power in the
colonies. (Boundless, ch.3 sec. 2)

19.  The group of Boston merchants known as
the “ Loyal Nine” organized street
demonstrations and pushed for boycotting of
British goods. These demonstrations often
turned violent. James Otis, commander of
the Boston Gazette, was a prominent leader
of the protests. This lead the greater
organization of rebellion efforts (Boundless,
ch.3, sec. 1)

21.  The Virginia resolves were a publication of
resolutions by the Virginia House of Burgess
claiming the British parliament has no right to tax
them with no parliamentary representation. this
went against British law in which taxes cannot be
levied without representation. The resolves led
to many of the Stamp Act Riots. As
Massachusetts Governor Thomas Hutchinson
said “ Nothing extravagant appeared in the
papers till an account was received of the
Virginia Resolves”. Word of the resolves fueled a
colony wide dissatisfaction in the Act (
Boundless, ch.3, sec.1)

22.  The Quartering Acts of 1765 ordered the
American colonies to provide housing and
basic life provisions for the soldiers of the
British standing army occupying the thirteen
colonies.

23.  The intention of the Quartering Act was for the colonists to
alleviate the cost of boarding for British soldiers during
peacetime, after the Seven Years War.
 Before the Act:
 Colonists supplied goods and provisions during the war
but took issue to supporting them post war
 The colonists felt it was not their duty to facilitate the
soldiers during a time of peace, as they were not occupied
before the French and Indian War
 Lt. Gen. Thomas Gage asked Parliament for assistance in
persuading the colonists to support the troops

24.  Parliament passed the Quartering Acts as an amendment
to the Mutiny Act. The Acts surpassed what Lt. Gen. Gage
had expected.
Why the colonists disputed the Acts:
• The colonists disputed the legality of the Acts because
they interpreted this as a violation of the Bill of Rights of
1689
• They questioned the need of a standing army while at
peacetime
• Again, the Americans cried “no taxation without
representation” as they had no voice in Parliament to rebut
the Act

25.  The Parliament felt the taxation was
justifiable because the troops had previously
fought for the colonies in the French and
Indian War and considered the tax as dues
owed. They believed it was time for the
colonists to support the cause that earlier
supported them. The Parliament expected a
sense of gratitude from the Americans and
began to view the colonists as a drain on
their economy. They also anticipated help
alleviating the additional cost of the standing
army..

26.  1766- New York, Colonists refused the entry of a shipload of
1,500 British troops
 Parliament suspended New York’s Governor and legislature for
failing to comply with the Quartering Act.
 The suspension was not upheld, as the Assembly of NY would
eventually contribute money to the quartering of the troops.
 The Quartering Act was circumvented in all colonies other than
Pennsylvania, and would expire in 1967
 Proper representation of the colonists in Parliament may have
been the only possible way to avoid the conflict that followed the
Quartering Acts
Reference: Boundless Text; US History to 1877, Chapter 3, Section
1

27.  “ In 1768, the Townshend Acts were placed upon the
colonists to tax a variety of common items that were
manufactured in Britain and exported to the
colonies.”
 The colonists were fervently opposed to the
Townshend Acts and there was general unrest in the
port city of Boston
 The British colonials in Massachusetts and
throughout the colonies believed the Act was an
encroachment on their constitutional rights
 In May of that same year, British troops were sent to
Boston to protect crown appointed officials and to
enforce the recently passed taxations.

28. “ On that night, the foundation of American Independence was laid.”-
John Adams

29.  A young boy, Christopher Seider, is shot and killed by a customs
employee on February 22nd,1770 peaking unrest and anger towards the
crown.
 11 days later on March 5th, an altercation at the Custom House between
colonist Edward Garrick and a British soldier escalates to the point of
physical violence.
 British Private Hugh White is enraged to the point of striking Garrick with
the butt of his rifle.
 Back up in the form of 8 armed soldiers arrived to support Private White.
Shortly after, 100 or more colonials would hear of the incident and gather
around the scene.
 Taunting, name-calling, and the launching of objects,( including the
infamous ice ball) by the crowd would drive the soldiers to the hasty
discharge of their weapons leading to the death of 5 Bostonians.

30.  “Although five years passed between the massacre and outright
revolution, and direct connections between the massacre and the
later war are somewhat tenuous, it is widely perceived as a
significant event leading to the violent rebellion that followed.”
 Paul Revere created a sketch of the Massacre that would enrage
the colonials and spark a portion of the fury that would change
the views of public opinion towards the crown.
 Tensions remained high on both sides for the following four years
as any small movement or ordeal could have pushed the
Americans into an early war and the British would do all they
could to avoid that.
 7 of the 9 British soldiers put on trial for the Massacre were
acquitted of any crime, 2 were convicted of manslaughter

31.  The Townshend Acts, meant to pay the salaries of governors and
judges in order to take the power of the purse away from the
colonies, played a large roll in the events leading to the Massacre
 Once again, the colonials were rightfully angered by their lack of
representation in Parliament.
 Had the boycotts resulting from the Acts not failed, tensions in
the city may not have been as high.
 The anger over the killing of Christopher seider may have been
inappropriately aimed towards British soldiers, an event that
added fuel to the fury of the colonists at the time of the Massacre
Reference: Boundless Text; US History to 1877, Chapter 3 Section
2 Taxes and Smuggling- Prelude to Revolution: Crash course US
History #6

33.  The Tea Act was a small tax levied on Colonists as an
attempt to get revenue and to ensure colonists buy tea
from the East India Tea company.
 It also offered tax exemptions and rebates on tea coming
from East India Tea company.
 The tax itself was minimal and actually lowered the cost of
tea for Americans
 The Act was repulsive to the colonials not for the cost
associated but for the principle involved
 The British Colonials wanted to make a point that they
would not accept any taxation without representation- no
matter how minimal.

35. • One of the acts was the Boston Port Act
which closed the port of Boston to all
commerce. The Bostonians as a whole had
to repay for the destroyed tea in the Boston
Tea Party. This enraged people who were
not involved and was seen as unjust
treatment by the King. Another part was the
Massachusetts Government Act in which the
King appointed all government officials in
Massachusetts. This destroyed the adopted
democratic organization they had enjoyed
(Boundless, ch.3, sec.3)

37.  The Coercive acts were a series of laws
passed by the British Parliament pertaining
to the British colonies of North America. They
were enacted in response to the Boston Tea
Party as punishment specifically to
Massachusetts. Parliament hoped to fear the
other colonies with a show of force in
Massachusetts and dampen the colonial
resistance. Within one year of these acts
being set forth the outbreak of the
Revolutionary War occurred ( Boundless,
ch.3, sec.3)

39.  In response to the Coercive Acts the First
Continental Congress was formed. 56 members
of 12 of the 13 colonies meet to discuss the push
against British Colonial policy. They petitioned
the King for grievances and requested their
liberties to be returned. Delegates also
encouraged colonies to from militias. Though at
this point the Congress did not request
succession from Britain, this initial meeting of
delegates would spur the meeting of the Second
Continental Congress in which they do.
(Boundless, ch.3, sec. 3)

41.  The Second Continental Congress met after
the King’s rejection of the First’s requests. By
this time blood was being shed in the war.
Official military organization was declared
necessary for colonial protection and a
resolution of independence was written. This
resolution was passed throughout the
colonies as the militias convened to rouse
the ideas of independence in all of the
people ( Boundless, ch.3, sec.3)

43.  The Articles of Association was put in effect
as a total Colonial ban of British goods. It
also blocked colonies from exporting to
Britain. The Colonists wanted the Coercive
Acts repelled in return for the trading rights.
This was countered by a British blockade of
fishing territories. This tension of back and
forth suppression and power struggle will
prove too much for war to not ensue
(Boundless, ch.3, sec.3)

44.  The Battles of Lexington and Concord are
generally considered the start of the American
Revolution. British General Thomas Gage
received instructions, on April 14, 1775, to
disarm the rebels and imprison their leaders
Samuel Adams and John Hancock among them.
In the morning Gage awoke to find Boston
besieged by a huge militia army numbering
20,000 which had marched from throughout New
England. The rumors of fighting were true, and
the Revolutionary War had begun.(Boundless,
ch.4, sec 1)

46.  When Thomas Jefferson drafted the
Declaration of Independence on July,4,1776
it signaled the beginning and the end. It
came with an incredible amount of courage,
sacrifice and pride of country. The end
severed all ties with Britain by expressing the
colonies grievances with its motherland. The
beginning was the birth of our foundation as
Americans. “That all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their creator with
certain unalienable rights, among them being
Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”

48.  Boundless Text; US History to 1877, ch, 2, 3,
4, sec.1-4
 History of America, “The Revolution Part 1”.
https://youtu.be/UWEiBwtUHWw. April 23,
2014. May 22, 2015