Moving toward War 1770-1775. Changes in Colonial Relations with Great Britain At Albany Congress...

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Moving toward War

1770-1775

Changes in Colonial Relations with Great Britain

At Albany Congress (1754) during the Fr-Indian War, some argued for continental congress with executive.

• Britain tried to get colonists to pay a greater share by – raising taxes– enforcing mercantilist laws.

• No more “salutary neglect” from Mom!– Colonists resent direct orders from

Parliament

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Colonial Resistance

• Despite differences among colonies, opposition to taxes and regulations brought unity.

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Leaders Arise

• Patrick Henry (VA): against Parliament’s power to impose Stamp Act QuickTime™ and a

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Leaders Arise• John Dickinson

(PA): wrote Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania - Parliament had no right to ax commerce just to raise revenue.

Leaders Arise

• John Hancock (MA): Parliament is hurting trade; gave aid to “Sons of Liberty” who protested Br policies.

Leaders Arise

• Samuel Adams (MA): helped form committees of correspondence to keep other colonies informed about unfair Br actions.

Result: Most Taxes Repealed

• By 1770, most taxes were repealed.

• Only one left: small tax on tea.

• But that was one tax too many for the strained relations.

Objections to Troops

• 1768 Br sent troops to Boston to protect Br officials.– Bostonians protested!– Standing armies are “tyranny”!

Boston Massacre• March 5, 1770: Minor

disturbance outside customs house turned into violent confrontation.– Crowd couldn’t be

restrained.– Troops fired back at crowed;

five killed (Crispus Attucks)– Sam Adams played it up as

a “massacre” of defenseless citizens.

Boston Tea Party

• Protest of Tea tax!

• December 1773 group of colonists dressed up as Indians and threw cargo of tea off British ships.

• The British got REALLY angry…

Result of Tea Party: Intolerable

• Prime Minister Lord North imposed Boston Port Bill: port closed until tea was paid for.

• Also, new Quartering Act: troops demanded housing on private property.

• ALSO, governor had new powers and town meetings were limited.

First Continental Congress• 12 of 13 colonies met in

Philadelphia in fall 1774.– Most wanted to make up

with GB.– Unhappy, but still loyal.– Still the majority

supported Boston and wanted Intolerable Acts to go.

Declaration of Rights and Grievances

• Congress demanded rights:– To assemble (get in a

group)– To petition (ask for help)– To be tried by peers (trial

by jury of fellow citizens)– To be free of a standing

army.– Also NO TAX to regulate

external commerce.

Dear King George III,

• Parliament is the problem, not you. We LIKE you. Bad Parliament, naughty Parliament.

What to do?

• Boycott British goods!– Don’t import.– Don’t consume.– Don’t export.

• If the British merchants feel it in the pocket, they’ll convince Parliament to stop!

Outbreak of Fighting• April 1775 General

Thomas Gage was supposed to arrest troublemakers in Boston.– But he couldn’t catch

them.– Instead, he set off to seize

weapons at Concord.– On their way, they went to

Lexington and then Concord--few weapons!

Concord / Lexington• Colonists thought the

British were burning down the town!– Minutemen arrived on the

scene.– They harrassed the British

on the 16-mile trek to Boston

• British lost hundreds of men in enemy fire.

• Colonists had sense of success: ability to pull off an armed conflict.

Battle of Bunker (really Breed’s) Hill

• June 1775 British defeated the colonists.

• BUT, British suffered 1000 casualties to 100 Patriot casualties.

Moving toward War 1770-1775. Changes in Colonial Relations with Great Britain At Albany Congress...

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