End of Salutary Neglect To address to huge debt from the Seven Years War, Britain looks - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

End of Salutary Neglect

To address to huge debt from the Seven Years War, Britain looks to tax colonists on every day items. Paper, candles, salt, beer, tea, sugar and numerous other items are all taxed for the first time.

In addition to paying the war debt, Britain now has decided to station over 7500 troops in North America to keep their territorial gains. Costs to house and feed these troops is 225,000 British Pounds annually (in 1760’s dollars).

Stamp Act 1764

- Taxes all printed materials

Quartering Act 1765

– Colonists must house and feed British soldiers

The debate over taxation and representation has begun. Some in the colonies feel that they cannot be represented in Parliament because of the distance to mother country. Parliament responds by saying the colonies already have

Virtual RepresentationSlide2

Response to the S

tamp Act

Stamp Act Congress (1765)

– Representatives from nine colonial assemblies met to discuss the situation and determine to peacefully petition the King to repeal the tax.Crowd Action -Boycotts of British goods. -Sons of Liberty used intimidation tactics like burning effigies and taring and feathering tax collectors. Caused riots that end in the destruction of tax collector’s homes. The language of the Enlightenment fuels the action of these protests. Natural Rights.Slide3
Slide4

Tar and Feather

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFWZ925zK0ASlide5

Continued Drama

In response to rioting and boycotts in the colonies, the British agree to repeal the Stamp Act but upset colonists again by passing the Townsend Acts.

Townsend Acts

(1767) – Named after governor Charles Townsend. These taxes cover a bigger variety of every day items. Impacts even more colonists. Internal vs. External Tax debate: Many colonists say they would accept external taxes on trade, but not internal taxes. Still feel unrepresented in Parliament. The response to the Townsend Acts is a massive boycott throughout the colonies called the Non-importation Movement. Boycotts are encouraged throughout communities. Merchants who don’t participate in the boycott are harassed and intimidated.

Homespun Movement

encourages colonists to make all their own clothing and necessary items. This is an important way women got involved in Revolutionary activity. Daughters of Liberty.

Edmonton Ladies Tea Party

(page 162 in book)Slide6

The colonists sustain a successful boycott for over a year. They cut their importation of British goods by over 50%. This is bad economically for Britain.

Merchants and politicians in England encourage Parliament to repeal the Townsend Acts in 1770. The taxes are repealed, except on Tea.

Large numbers of British soldiers also remain in the colonies, especially port cities like Boston. Over 10% of the population of Boston.

Boston Massacre (1770) – A large mob throws snow and ice balls at a small group of British soldiers. Five colonists are killed when soldiers fire on them. This event will be labeled a massacre and used as pro-American propaganda, leads to a turning point and more people will be in favor of more radical action.Slide7
Slide8

Trends T

oward Revolution (1765-1770)

Important to remember that even after 5 years of taxes, protests, and patriot sentiment building, most colonists still seem themselves as British subjects, and really cannot yet imagine breaking away.

In the late 1760’s most colonists just want a return to Salutary Neglect. But by 1770 the most fervent patriots (Sam Adams, Ben Franklin, Patrick Henry) are calling for independent and equitable colonial assemblies in North America. They are basically saying we are a sovereign nation on the same level as Britain, all under the king. Ideas about breaking away are slowly developing and becoming more of reality, but are still 5 years away.Slide9
Slide10

Coercive/Intolerable Acts (1774)

Laws passed by Britain to punish Massachusetts for it’s continued opposition. Specifically because of the destruction of over 10,000 British Pounds worth of tea in the

Boston Tea Party.

Closed Boston Harbor which hurts this maritime economy badly.Revoke the colony’s charter and de-legitimize the colonial assembly.Ban most town meetings.Allow all British soldiers to be sent back to England for any trials.Mostly impacts Massachusetts but most other colonies are outraged. Many send supplies and money to assist Massachusetts. Slide11
Slide12

Continental Congress

In response to the Coercive Acts, 12 of the colonies agree to meet in Philadelphia to address the situation.

Delegates are very split about what to do.

New Englander delegates (including John Adams) are more radical and advocate military defense and preparationSoutherners prefer a continued boycottMany delegates from the middle colonies including Pennsylvania and New York want to remain British subjects and reconcile with the mother country.They demand a repeal of the Coercive Acts and to be recognized as a legal body. If they are not repealed, colonists threaten that all imports from North America will be stoppedSlide13
Slide14

Second Continental Congress (1775)

By the time of the Second Continental Congress the situation has drastically changed. Not only are all of the same arguments for breaking away being made, blood has been shed at Lexington and Concord.

Colonial Delegates are still divided.

It is decided to send an Olive Branch Petition to King George IIIThis shows us that even on the brink of war, a huge number of colonists want to remain loyal.The king rejects the olive branch petition, declares the colonies in rebellion, and orders the organizers executed.Slide15

Common Sense (1776)

Written by Thomas Paine

The most influential piece of literature in favor of independence

Using the language of the Enlightenment, he calls for independence and Republican GovernmentHis language and way with words are parts of the reason the book is successful. “The hard hearted sullen Pharaoh of England” “A government of our own is our natural right, tis’ time to part”Slide16

July 1776

Colonists have been experiencing the end of

Salutary Neglect

for 12 years now.We have had riots, taxes, boycotts, massacres, and tea parties.Common Sense has been out for a few months and is widely popular.Blood has been split over a year ago at Lexington and Concord.The British have thousands of troops in and around North America and are ready to suppress the rebellion.The congress finally has a majority or delegates willing to vote for Independence. Any remaining moderates and loyalists stay home, and the Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence on July 4th 1776The American colonies have officially broken away, and now they must fight a military struggle with Great Britain to achieve Independence. Slide17