Why did the Colonists finally declare independence from Great Britain Do Now Why did relations with Britain and the American Colonies continue to get worse Name of Act What did this Act state ID: 134952
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Slide1
Aim:
Why did the Colonists finally declare independence from Great Britain?
Do Now:
Why did relations with Britain and the American Colonies continue to get worse?Slide2
Name of Act:
What
did this Act state?
How did the Colonies respond?
Mercantile Laws
All trade must be done on British/Colonial
Ships.
Smuggled Goods
The Sugar Acts
Taxed sugar,
indigo, coffee, wines, molasses, and linens.
Began to question
Britain’s right to tax them without their representation in government.
The Stamp Act
Affected almost
every aspect of commercial life.
Required
written documents to be marked with a British Stamp.
Colonies denied Britain’s right to tax them without their representation/agreement.
Fiercely
opposed, had the act repealed.
The Declaratory Acts
Stated
that Parliament had SUPREME authority in the colonies “in all cases whatsoever”.
They began to unite and work together.
Resistance
groups, such as the Sons of Liberty, formed.
Townshend
Acts
Taxed
glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea.
Enforced existing trade laws and created new taxes.
Strongly
opposed these acts.
Customs Agents mobbed, tarred and feathered.
Boston Massacre occurred.
The Tea Act
Made British Tea
cheaper
in the colonies.
Staged
the Boston Tea Party.
(mostly smugglers)
The Coercive Acts
(“Intolerable” )
Closed Boston’s Port,
Increased British control, could house soldiers in colonial homes.
Colonists begin
to propose outright rebellion.
Lead to the First and Second Continental Congress.Slide3
The Beginning of the Revolutionary War
In early 1775, the dispute between the British Government and the colonists took a drastic turn. Following the passage of the Coercive or “Intolerable” Acts, British military commander General Thomas Gage had been named governor of Massachusetts. John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and other colonial leaders then convened a Provincial Congress to govern Massachusetts without Gage. They also began to stockpile arms and ammunition.Slide4
Battle of Lexington and Concord
April 19th
, 1775: War erupted in Massachusetts.
General Gage provoked the battles by sending troops to arrest John Hancock and Sam Adams.
The Patriots were tipped off by
Paul Revere
of the imminent attack and
militia
men drove the British troops back to Boston.
Result:
200 British Casualties, beginning of the Rev. War.Slide5
Patriots vs. Loyalists
Most colonists supported the Second Continental Congress and the boycotts of British Goods, they were known as the patriots.
However, a large minority still supported Great Britain. They were known as
Loyalists
or
Torries
. Slide6
The Second Continental Congress
Congress assumed responsibility for the war.Middle and Southern colonial t
roops marched north to join the Patriot’s siege of Boston.
George Washington appointed general of the
Continental Army.
Result: The Olive Branch Petition
, King George III rejected this attempt at peace and sent more soldiers to Boston. Slide7
Thomas Paine
Author of the book,
Common Sense.
Swung Colonies in favor of Independence.
“I propose Independence, Republican Government, and a union of new states.”Slide8
The Declaration of Independence
July 4
th
, 1776: Drafted by
Thomas Jefferson
.
Embraced
Enlightenment ideas, Natural
Rights, Unalienable Rights
.
“
All men are created equal
”Slide9
Key Questions
What actions did the Second Continental Congress take in response to the outbreak of war with Britain?
What was the Olive Branch Petition?
Why did some colonists refer to themselves as Patriots and other as Loyalists?
What ideas did Thomas Jefferson apply when he drafted the Declaration of Independence?
Why was the Declaration of Independence significant?