American Revolution: The Birth of a Republic Britain and its American Colonies - PowerPoint Presentation

American Revolution: The Birth of a Republic

Britain and its American Colonies The combined population of Britain and its colonies were about 2,150,000 in 1770. An increase from the 250,000 in 1700. New sense of identity Each colony had its own government, and people were used to a great deal of independence. Seen less British but more Virginians or Pennsylvanians. New laws → Navigation Acts(1651) All goods carried on English ships; products such as tobacco, wood, sugar could be sold only to England or its colonies ; European imports to the colonies had to pass through English ports; tax colonial goods not shipped to England, higher taxes on imported French and Dutch goods Colonists resented laws . Difficult to enforce. → led to smuggling Did not truly enforce until after the French and Indian War

Americans Want Independence Due to French and Indian War → huge debt for the British Colonists expected to help cover the costs Stamp Act: colonists had to pay a tax to have an official stamp put on wills, deeds, newspapers, and other printed material “No taxation without representation”!!!! Growing Hostility Leads to WarOther events led to further hostility

Britain passes the Stamp Act (1765) , a tax law requiring colonist to purchase special stamped paper for printed items (wills, contracts, newspapers, diplomas).

Reaction to the Stamp Act “NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION ” Colonist harass stamp distributors, boycott British goods, and prepare a Declaration of Rights and Grievances (petition to the king protesting the Act). It declared that the right to tax the colonists belonged to the colonial assemblies, not Parliament. First time colonists united in opposition to British policy.

Reaction to Stamp Act The colonists’ complaints against Parliament were bitter, loud and sometimes violent. The most effective protest was the boycott (refusal to buy British goods). The colonists’ targeted British merchants (declining sales). Parliamentary Leader William Pitt spoke out against Stamp Act. “The Americans have not acted in all things with prudence and good temper. They have been driven to madness by injustice. Will you punish them for the madness you have caused… My pinion… is that the Stamp Act be repealed absolutely, totally, and immediately.” Parliament repealed Stamp Act in 1766 (colonists’ tactic worked)

Townshend Acts (1767) British Action With the Stamp Act repealed, Britain still needed to raise money. A new series of duties, or taxes on imports proposed. The duties were placed on glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea . Also, British officers were able to use search warrants to enter homes/businesses for smuggled or illegal goods.Britain’s finance MinisterCharles Townshend

Reaction to Townshend Acts People furious that Parliament, once again, passed a tax without their consent!!!! Many people thought the acts were illegal (against natural rights, as defined by Locke). “We cannot be happy without being free….we cannot be free without being secure in our property…we cannot be secure in our property, if taxed without our consent.” John Dickinson, letters from a farmer in Pennsylvania Began to BOYCOTT goods once again

The Boston Massacre 1770 British troops stationed in Boston are taunted and surrounded by an angry mob of colonists. The troops, thinking they are about to be attacked fire into the crowd, killing five men, including Crispus Attucks . Are the soldiers represented fairly in Revere’s etching? What impact would Paul Revere’s etching have? Paul Revere’s etching

Reaction to Massacre “ The British officer is said to have ordered the troops to fire, and to have repeated that order. One gun was fired first; then others in succession and with deliberation, till ten or a dozen guns were fired.” Anonymous Colonial agitators label the conflict a “massacre” and publish a dramatic engraving depicting the violence. Colonies flooded with anti-British propaganda. Attucks and the others seen as heroes and British soldiers as evil villains.Soldiers arrested and charged with murder. Acquitted, acting in self-defense.

The Tea Act 1773 Parliament repeals the Townshend Act, but leaves tax on tea (to show the colonies that it still had the right to tax) Colonists stopped buying luxuries from Britain and began smuggling tea from Holland. British tea companies lost money. Britain’s Action Britain gives the East India company the exclusive right to sell tea in the colonies and shuts out colonial tea merchants

Reaction to the Tea Act British Action BOSTON TEA PARTY In Boston rebellion: Colonist (disguised as Native Americans) board three tea ships and dump 15,000 pounds of East India Company tea into Boston Harbor.

Reaction to Tea Act “ We then were ordered by our commander to open the hatches and take out all the chests of tea and throw them overboard… In about three hours from the time we went on board, we had thus broken and thrown overboard every tea chest to be found in the ship; while those in the other ships were disposing of the tea in the same way, at the same time.” George Hewes , A Retrospect of the Boston Tea Party Why did the colonists react so violently to the Tea Act?

1774 Intolerable Acts After the Boston Tea Party: King George declares, “We must master them or totally leave them to themselves and treat them as aliens. Britain chose to “master” the colonies. Closed port of Boston, until colonists paid for tea Banned town meetings Replaced elected council with appointed councilIncreased governor’s powerAllowed British officers to house troops in private homes

Colonial Reaction to the Intolerable Acts Colonial leaders form up the First Continental Congress (1772) and draw up a declaration of colonial rights. Voted to ban all trade with Britain until intolerable acts repealed. This meting planted the seeds of a future independent government.

1775 Lexington and Concord “ Gentlemen may cry peace, peace, peace-but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.” Patrick Henry, the Patriots British Action:General Gage learns (from his spies) that the Mass. militia was storing arms and ammunition in Concord. He orders troops to march to Concord, MA, and seize colonial weapons.

Colonial Reaction Paul Revere and William Dawes (“midnight ride”) were sent to spread the news; “The British are coming.” Minutemen intercept the British and engage in battle -- first at Lexington, and then at Concord.

The Shot Heard 'Round The World Lexington and Concord were the first battles of the Revolutionary War. Americans would now have to choose sides and back up their political beliefs by force of arms. Loyalists: supported BritainPatriots: supported rebels

Americans Win Independence Enlightenment Ideas Influence American Colonists Enlightenment ideas used to justify independence King George III broke the social contract July 1776: Declaration of Independence Written by this man →Firmly based on the ideas of John Locke List of George’s abuses and the colonies absolving of allegiance to Great Britain.

Americans Win Independence Success for the Colonies Washington’s ragtag army beat the strongest army in the world Why? Americans’ motivation stronger than British Overconfident British generals made mistakes.Time was on Americans side.Americans did not fight alone.

Americans Create a Republic Articles of Confederation (1781) Created a loose confederation in which each state held most of the power. No executive or judicial branches, only one body of government → Congress Created problems: Congress needed $$ to operate so asked for contributions → states create their own $$ and tax goods from other states Led to rebellions such as Shays’s RebellionA New ConstitutionFebruary 1787: Constitutional Convention to REVISE the AOCThe 55 delegates were well-rehearsed in the theories of Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau Created a new system of government

Americans Create a Republic The Federal System Established three separate branches – legislative, executive, and judicial. This provided a built-in system of checks and balances Set up a federal system where powers were divided between national and state governments. The Bill of RightsNeeded to be ratified by 9 out of 13 statesFederalists (those who support new Constitution) provided better balanceAntifederalists (those who don’t support new Constitution) feared the Constitution gave too much power to central governmentWanted a Bill of Rights to protect rights of citizens. Federalists approved the idea of ten amendments that would be called the Bill of Rights (i.e. freedom of speech, own guns, etc.)

THOMAS PAINE: “Common Sense” “But where, say some, is the king of America? I’ll tell you, friend, he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal Brute of Great Britain… Let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter (constitution); let it be brought forth placed on the divine law, the Word of God; let a crown be placed thereon, by which the world may know, that so far as we approve of monarchy, that in America THE LAW IS KING. For as in absolute governments the king is law, so in free countries the law ought to BE king, and there ought to be no other” What did Paine believe should be the highest power in a new American?