Ch 7: The Road to Revolution (1763-1775)
How Differences in Political Ideology Gave Birth to a New Nation
A) American Principles
1. Republicanism
B) Mercantilism
1. Main principles
C) Brit incurs £140 million debt for defending colonies in Seven Years’ War, so…
1. Navy ordered to begin strictly enforcing Navigation Laws
2. Sugar Act 1764 increased duty on foreign sugar from W Indies
4. Stamp Act mandated use of stamps certifying payment of tax on items & legal docs
D) Colonist’s Thoughts & Reactions
1. Brit infringing on Am libertiesSome acts provided for trying offenders w.o juries & guilty until proven innocent
E) Great Britain Reasserts Authority→ Boston Massacre
1. Forced repeal of Stamp Act b.c Brit couldn’t afford loss of market in Am
2. Declaratory Act 1766 passed to reassert authority
F) Flames of Discontent Continued Burning→ Tea Party→ Intolerable Acts
1. Nonimportation hurt Brit→ Townshend Acts repealed
3. Propagandist Samuel Adams kept resistance alive
4. To save Brit E. India Co, Brit govt awarded it complete monopoly of Am tea
G) First Continental Congress & Lexington and Concord
1. First Continental Congress assembled in response to Intolerable Acts
H) Americans vs. British: Advantages & Disadvantages
1. British strengths
1. Republicanism
- All citizens subordinate private interests for common good
- Opposed to hierarchical & authoritarian institutions
- Always on look out for threats to liberty→ preferred elected representatives in Parl
B) Mercantilism
1. Main principles
- Country’s wealth = amt gold & silver → export more than import
- Col exist for benefit of mother country
- Col provide raw materials & market for Brit’s exports
- Parl passed laws to regulate merc; eg Navigation Law 1650
- Col experienced currency shortage (due to Brit’s surplus) → gold drained out
- Brit crown reserved rt to annul any colonial laws that interfered w. mercantilism
- Navigation Laws loosely enforced until 1763
- VA tobacco planters enjoyed monopoly in Brit market
- Protection by world’s mightiest navy & army free of charge
- Mercantilism stifled econ initiative→dependence on Brit creditors
- Colonists think mercantilism is debasing
C) Brit incurs £140 million debt for defending colonies in Seven Years’ War, so…
1. Navy ordered to begin strictly enforcing Navigation Laws
2. Sugar Act 1764 increased duty on foreign sugar from W Indies
- Col protests→duties lowered substantially, but Quartering Act kept resentment burning
4. Stamp Act mandated use of stamps certifying payment of tax on items & legal docs
D) Colonist’s Thoughts & Reactions
1. Brit infringing on Am libertiesSome acts provided for trying offenders w.o juries & guilty until proven innocent
- Cols refused to comply w. Qtring Act as suspicious of standing armies
- Parl can legislate, but not impose taxes since Ams not represented
- Stamp Act Congress which beseeched Brit to repeal, but to no avail
- Adoption of nonimportation agreements against Brit goods → colonial unity
- Sons and Daughters of Liberty violently punished violators of nonimportation
E) Great Britain Reasserts Authority→ Boston Massacre
1. Forced repeal of Stamp Act b.c Brit couldn’t afford loss of market in Am
2. Declaratory Act 1766 passed to reassert authority
- Absolute sovereignty over N Am colonies in conflict w. col’s want for some sovereignty
- Light duty on glass, lead, paper, paint, tea used to pay royal governors & judges
- Col did no rebel as much since it was light & smuggled tea available
- Col resented red-coated “ruffians” & taunted them
- Bostonians angry over death of 11-yr old boy shot 10 days ago & taunt 10 soldiers
- Soldiers opened fire, kill/wounding 11, including Crispus Attucks,
- In subsequent trial, soldiers were released after being branded on hand
F) Flames of Discontent Continued Burning→ Tea Party→ Intolerable Acts
1. Nonimportation hurt Brit→ Townshend Acts repealed
- Tea Tax remained to keep alive concept of Parl taxation
3. Propagandist Samuel Adams kept resistance alive
- Organized local committees of correspondence
- Intercolonial committees founded, which later evolved into congresses
4. To save Brit E. India Co, Brit govt awarded it complete monopoly of Am tea
- Ams see this as attempt to trick them into paying tax→ Boston Tea Party 1773
- Boston Port Act- shut down harbor until damages paid & order restored
- MA Govt Act- severely restricted town meetings
- Administration of Justice Act- accused royal officials could be tried in Eng
- Quartering Act- gave authorities right to lodge Brit soldiers in private homes
- Quebec Act- extended boundaries of Fr Quebec & sanctioned practice of Cath
G) First Continental Congress & Lexington and Concord
1. First Continental Congress assembled in response to Intolerable Acts
- 12 colonies’ reps (e.g. Sam Adams, J Adams, G Wash) met in Philadelphia 1774
- Wrote Declaration of Rights & Grievances to King
- Created The Association, which called for complete boycott of Brit goods
- Brit try to seize gunpowder & bag ring leaders, Sam Adams + John Hancock
- Redcoats forced to retreat due to murderous fire from militia; 300 Brit casualties
H) Americans vs. British: Advantages & Disadvantages
1. British strengths
- Greater pop’n → more money
- Professional army of 50,000+ & navy
- Hired Hessians & Loyalists
- Ireland, France
- Inept govt
- Many Brit didn’t want to kill Ams
- Gen’ls 2nd rate, scarce provisns, harsh treatmt of soldiers
- No urban nerve center
- Outstanding leadership
- France foreign aid
- Self-sustaining agriculture
- Just cause→ moral advantage
- Badly organized
- Sectional jealousy
- Econ difficulties
- Mil supplies scanty
- Lack of food & manufactured goods
- Poorly trained troops
- Only few Ams dedicated to cause; profiteers continued selling to Brit
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