American History essay

Britain’s Glorious Triumph

Long peace ended in 1739

· France joins Spain in war against England

· King George’s War

· Petite guerre plagues colonists

· Colonists gain Louisburg

· France regains Louisburg in Treaty of Aix-la-Chappelle

· British see North America as important battlefield

· French outnumbered in North America

· Virginia takes active role

· Ohio River Valley

· Virginians claim territory

· France builds forts in territory

· Virginia sends Washington with troops

· Beginning of Seven Years War

· Braddock’s defeat in 1755

· Early on poor British leadership

· William Pitt redefines English war effort

· Pitt focuses British troops in America

· Pays Prussians to fight in Europe

· James Wolfe recognizes Quebec as key to gaining rivers

· Wolfe at great disadvantage to Montcalm

· Wolfe captures Quebec

Peace of Paris in 1763

· Britain gains Canada, Florida

· Spain gains Louisiana

· France loses New World empire

· Britain new dominant power

Solving the French and Indian problem

Ohio River Valley Indians now under British rule

· Pontiac

· Indians in control of Valley and culture intact

· Had not been defeated in the war

· British General Amherst refuses to give Indians manufactured goods

· Indians rebel in 1763 led by Pontiac of Ottawa Tribe

· Attack Detroit and Fort Pitt

· British put down rebellion at Bushy Run

The Proclamation of 1763

· British close land west of Appalachian divide to settlement

· Reaction to Pontiac’s conspiracy

· Temporary measure due to Indian unrest

· Colonists greatly resent being denied land

· Lined moved gradually westward

British send 10,000 troops to America

· Intended for defense

· Reaction to Pontiac’s Conspiracy

· Did not want war veterans at home

· Quartering Act: Americans must provide food and shelter

· Perceived as oppressive standing army

· Had financed war by borrowing

· Left with large national debt

· Costs of governing empire was up

Parliament and King

· Parliament moves to cut costs

· Patronage and corruption part of politics

· A few families dominated politics

· No real political parties

King George III

· King no longer rule by proclamation without parliamentary approval

· George had “common touch”

· Good person, husband and father

· But not very bright

George Grenville

· First Lord of Treasury in 1763

· Salutary neglect created chaotic colonial policy

· King and Parliament want coherent policy

· Salutary neglect becomes history

· British national finances

· Cost of colonial government soaring

· Heavy taxes on British at home

· Huge debt due to Seven Year War

· British cut some costs; need new revenue sources

· Americans pay few taxes

· Americans gained most from war

· Decides to tax colonies as part of reforming colonial policy

The Sugar Act of 1764

Overhaul of Molasses Act of 1733

· Reduced cost of duties on molasses and other goods

· Enforced by vice-admiralty courts with no juries

Colonials protest of Sugar Act

· Cities like Boston and New York boycott British goods

· Partly colonists do not want to pay taxes

· See tax as violation of their rights as British subjects

Rights of British Subjects

British subjects consent to taxes they pay

· Colonists do not elect members of Parliament

· Sugar Act primarily to raise revenue, not regulate trade

· Colonists believe Sugar Act “taxation without representation”

Trial by jury

· Right to be tried before jury of peers

· Sugar Act violates this right

· Protest “noisy” but not violent

The Stamp Act Crisis – 1765

British citizens pay stamp tax

· Stamp Act taxes documents, etc. in colonies

· Enforced by vice-admiralty courts

· Money used to defend colonies

· Grenville stamp collector positions to prominent colonists

Colonials objected to Stamp Act

· See tax as internal tax

· Say only colonial assemblies can pass internal taxes

· Taxation without representation

· Heaviest on people able to raise a fuss: editors, lawyers, tavern keepers

· Heaviest on people concentrated in cities

· Arouses the lower classes to violence

Sons of Liberty

· Boycotted English goods

· Turned to violence

· Stamp Act rioters popular

Stamp Act Congress

· Protested of wealthier colonists

· Criticized Stamp Act, Sugar Act

· Acknowledged loyalty to King

What is Representation?

Colonists do not elect members to Parliament

· Colonists argue Parliament does not represent them

· Colonists say only their assemblies can tax them

British perspective

· Believe in virtual representation

· Colonists actually practiced in many colonies

· All members of Parliament represent all British subjects

· Parliament therefore represents Americans

Some British support from colonists

· Parliament torn into self-seeking factions

· Edmund Burke, John Wilkes, Charles Fox opposed Stamp Act

Lord Chatham

· Led to repeal of Stamp Act

· Parliament passes Declaratory Act

· Parliament retains right to govern colonies

· Most colonists paid no attention

· Chatham becomes ill and retires

Townshend Duties

Charles Townshend

· Chancellor of the Exchequer

· Wants to cut taxes at home; raise them in colonies

· Passes Townshend Acts (duties on various goods)

· Believes acts will be accepted as an external tax

Colonists’ response to Townshend Acts

· Americans boycott British goods

· Little violence

· English merchants demand repeal

· Townshend Acts repealed except for small tea tax

Parliament avoids provoking colonies

· Tensions appear to be easing

· Principal issue of who has what power not settled

· Several incidents indicate underlying problems

Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770

· Locals harass British soldiers

· British fire, killing five Bostonians

· Paul Revere, Sam Adams use incident as propaganda

· Most colonists blame incident on local people

Colonists dislike presence of soldiers

· Soldiers are “rough and lusty,” “dregs” of society

· Troops stationed in towns after Stamp Act Riots

· Soldiers in daily contact with working class colonials

Conflict between locals and soldiers

· Soldiers create more anti-British sentiment than taxes

· Most lower-class colonials also rough; social outcasts

· Both soldiers and lower class drink heavily

· Upper class worries about “mob rule

The Gaspée

· June 1772

· British schooner, the Gaspée, spies ship suspected of smuggling

· The Gaspée follows and runs aground

· Crew set ashore, locals burn the Gaspée

· No locals would provide any evidence for prosecution

The March Towards War

Leaders arouse Americans against British

· James Otis of Massachusetts

· Patrick Henry of Virginia

· Samuel Adams of Massachusetts

The Tea Act, May 10, 1773

· Purpose to bail out East India Company

· Gives Company tea monopoly in America

· Keeps Townshend tax on tea

· British assume Americans will obey

Boston Tea Party, December 16, 1773

· Colonists respond by destroying tea

· 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor

Intolerable Acts

· Close port of Boston

· Moves trials of soldiers accused of killing protestors

· Limits Massachusetts’ self-government

· Includes new Quartering Act

Colonies coordinate resistance with Committees of Correspondence

Responded to 1774 Acts with Continental Congress

Delegates to Continental Congress

· Gentlemen, prized education and civility

· Differed on what should be done

· Got along remarkably well

Defining Issues at Continental Congress

· Declare Intolerable Acts invalid

· Call for boycott of British trade

· Still support king, but he refuses to compromise

· Congress calls Americans to begin military training

Militias

· Many did not own their own gun

· Americans excellent marksmen

· Little military training and discipline

· Officers elected

Lexington and Concord

· April 1775

· British try to seize supplies and leaders

· Sons of Liberty spies warned

· Shots fired at Lexington

· Americans force British retreat at Concord

· British suffer severe casualties from snipers

Bunker Hill

· June 1775

· 16,000 rebels surround Boston

· British try to seize high ground

· Americans do not fire until British in close range

· Rebels inflict heavy casualties; run short on ammunition

· British win battle, but gain nothing

Ticonderoga & Quebec

· Benedict Arnold-Ethan Allen lead American troops

· British surrender Ticonderoga

· Arnold sent to take Quebec but all poorly managed

Second Continental Congress

· More militant than First Congress

· Armed rebellion a reality

· Send George Washington to lead troops

· Justify taking up arms

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

· Attacks hereditary monarchy

· Well-written propaganda, convinces Americans on independence

Independence

· Richard Henry Lee introduces resolution June 7, 1776

· Continental Congress debates for three weeks

· Officially declare independence July 2, 1776

· Adopt Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776

Declaration of Independence

· Thomas Jefferson primary writer

· Committee tones down some of Jefferson’s rhetoric

· George III bears the brunt of blame, not Parliament

· Focuses anger on visible and vulnerable scapegoat