American Revolution

Revenue Act

1764 The purpose of the Revenue Act was to get more money after the French and Indian War. The tax on sugar and molasses was decreased due to the fact that more people would buy it if it's cheaper and more consumers means more revenue. If anyone tried to smuggle the goods they would get sent to trial because the chances of being caught are increasing. The British parliament wanted to end the policy of salutary neglect where they allowed smuggling without taxes. There were other items taxed including silk, wine, coffee, indigo and pimentos which were luxury items that weren't necessary. The colonists argued that it hurt trade and it went against English rights. Merchants who were accused of smuggling were presumed guilty until proven innocent and officials could also seize goods. Pamphlets were handed out by James Otis where he famously said, "No taxation without representation" and people complained to the parliament. To help slow inflation, the parliament passed the Currency Act of 1764 which banned the use of paper money in the colonies. The colonists could only use gold and silver to pay taxes and everything else.

Nationalization

A post office system was created throughout the thirteen colonies. Each colony will be a part of the process of negotiating treaties with Native Americans. The colonies had been reliant on the Great Britain navy so they must turn ordinary merchant ships into battle ships with cannons.

New British Tactic

cut trade by law and by naval force to hurt the colonists.

British Strategy

#1: Take Control of the Hudson River to cut off New England communication from the rest of the colonies #2: Naval blockade of the colonies which cuts off supplies and trade and they can't sell what they've produced. #3: Go after Philadelphia because that's where the Congress meets. #4: Come in from the north and west to sandwich the colonies from both sides. The Native Americans help because they are upset with the settlers. #5: Control the south because there are more loyalists (anglicans that wouldn't protest the church), more dependent on trade (less manufacturing there & heavily reliant on cash crops), and hoped to entice slaves to join them.

Townshend Act

1767, created by Charles Townshend- The Townshend Act put customs duties on glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea. These items were necessities to the colonists because lead was in paint and glass, lead, and paint were needed to create houses for the growing population. The Parliament needed even more revenue and created more taxes on imports. They were forced to lower property taxes and put taxes on goods. John Dickinson published essays stating that only assemblies elected by the colonists had the right to tax them. Merchants signed nonimportation agreements. Created the Virginia Resolve which states only the House could tax Viriginians. Each colony had their own government which were small republics, in Virginia it was the House of Burgesses. People boycotted British goods and stopped buying items brought by British ships. The boycotts were now on an individual and shop owner level. The Daughters of Liberty had begun creating homespun clothes and weaving. The colonies no longer buy the nicer textiles from British factories. The Massachusetts assembly organized resistance and the circular letter criticized the act. The British government demanded the circular letter be revoked. The MA legislature voted 97-17 against repealing and the British sent more troops to deal with the violence against custom officers. The Parliament repeals much of the townshend act but leaves the tax on tea.

Tea Act

1773- Refunded four-fifths of the taxes the company had to pay to ship tea to the colonies, leaving only the Townshend Tax. It allowed them to sell directly to shopkeepers, bypassing American merchants. Britain's prime minister decided to help the British East India Company after corrupt management and war left the company in debt.​ They wanted to stop the colonists from smuggling Dutch tea because legal tea will now be cheaper. The colonists are angry because they must buy tea from East India Co. Colonial merchants will lose out and that might become future policy. In October 1773, 1,253 chests of tea were shipped to Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Charles Town. New York and Philadelphia colonists forced the tea to return and Charles Town had the tea seized and never sold it. In Anapolis, colonists burn a ship and the tea on it. The Committees of Correspondence was created to warn neighboring colonies about incidents with British soldiers which broadens the resistance movement. In Boston, the tea was dumped in the harbor while the men were dressed as Native Americans. They wanted to represent the strength of the Iroquois Nation. That was the last straw for the British and the Parliament passed four new laws intended to punish Massachusetss and end colonial challenges to British authority.

Administration of Justice Act

1774- Allowed the governor to transfer trials of British soldiers and officials to Britain to protect them from American juries. Boston used the law and was impartial but England is moving the trials and will be biased. The Juries will let them off and the soldiers can do whatever they want.

The Quebec Act

1774- Extends the boundaries of Quebec to include the Great Lakes and the Ohio River. There are no elected assemblies in Quebec and they recognize the Roman Catholic Church.

Massachusetts Government Act

1774- Required all council members, judges, and sheriffs in Massachusetts to be appointed by the governor instead of elected. It also banned town meetings. This was upsetting because it was the closest thing to a democracy as any man who was qualified could vote and it took away the people's right to vote to represent themselves. Gage was appointed by the King and Hancock was elected by the men of the state.

New Quartering Act

1774- Required local officials to provide lodging for british soldiers, in private homes if necessary.

Boston Port Act

1774- The port of Boston was shut down until the city paid for the tea that was destroyed. This disrupts Boston's trade, harder for people to get in and out, businesses will be hurt, need resources and other colonies help smuggle food in.

Coercive Acts

Aimed at punished Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party (wanted to squash any attempt of a colonial challenge to British authority)

Concord and Lexington

April 19th, 1775 (Patriots Day) (lasted 21.5 hours) The British government ordered General Gage to arrest the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Gage wasn't aware of where the Congress was so he decided to seize the militia's weaponry and ammunition at Concord. His orders were to march and send reinforcements to destroy the weapons of the colonists which would weaken them. He didn't want the soldiers to attack private property because it would anger the colonists if they attacked innocent civilians. The soldiers dumped ammunition in rivers and seized militia resources. The goal was to secure the two bridges so the militia couldn't attack them from those angles. Paul Revere and Dawes stop at the houses of people who are in the rebellion and then those people spread the word throughout towns. Militias of towns were gathered in Concord waiting for the British because they knew that was the end location. The British soldiers led by Colonel Smith snuck out of Boston by going through the water at night, around 800-900 soldiers. Hancock was the governor and would've been targeted so he was told to leave by Paul Revere. Revere is captured and Dawes and Presscott get out to continue to spread the message. Revere then escapes and goes back to Adams and Hancock. The two men manage to stay safe from the soldiers by bouncing around houses. There were 70 minutemen who were ordered to leave and while they were backing away a shot was fired. Woods claims that the British advanced quickly and fired the first shot at Lexington while the colonists were running away. Smith claims that the colonists fired first as they went over a wall. It is unknown which account is correct as both sides have biases. The British soldiers killed 8 colonists and wounded 10. When the British went to Concord they found 400 minutemen and a fight broke out which resulted in the British retreating. While marching back to Boston, the British were being shot at and they were easy targets because of their formation. The colonists managed to kill 99 men and injure 174. The British killed 49 colonists and wounded 46. The colonists also hit a lot of British officers which left the British soldiers without orders.

Battle of Trenton

Due to winter, the British stopped their advance and dispersed into camps in New Jersey. Going against the idea that armies don't fight in the winter, George Washington attempted to lead 2,400 men across the Delaware river to surprise attack a British settlement. This was risky because there was a blizzard, the water was partly frozen and there was little visibility. Attacking in the midst of a sleet storm, they killed or captured almost 1000 British soldiers. By attacking on Christmas Eve, Washington would catch the British and German mercenaries while they were drunk making them weaker in battle. The win increased American morale and meant that more people would re-enlist to fight. After scattering several additional British camps Washington headed into the hills of northern New Jersey for the winter.

Battle of Vincennes

February 25, 1779 The Battle of Vincennes took place in Vincennes Indiana. George Rogers Clark, who was the American Commander, led a militia of 172 to a victory over the British Lieutenant, Governor Henry Hamilton. The militia was partly made up of Canadian volunteers that felt bad for the Americans. The British wanted the support of the Native Americans but the loss meant that they couldn't use the tribes. This battle shows how the British were trying to control the west in order to sandwich the minutemen but they were unsuccessful.

Evacuation Day

George Washington brings stolen cannons from British ships in the winter to a top of a hill in Dorchester. The British decided they had to retreat and Washington got them to leave without firing. March 17 is known as Evacuation Day. (1776) Battles of the Revolution

Dunmore

In the south, Dunmore organized loyalists to fight with and protect British troops. He had three units put in place differentiated by race and the slaves would be freed if they join them. This backfires because the farmers and plantation owners got angry if their slaves would be taken away and joined the patriot cause.

Stamp Act

March 1765- This was the first direct tax on the colonists which required stamps to be placed on most printed materials. This included legal documents, pamphlets, and cards which affected a wide range of colonists. This act was passed because Grenville didn't believe the sugar act would cover all of the expenses in America. Representatives from nine colonies met to create the Stamp Act Congress. This group created the Declaration of Rights and Grievances where taxation depended on representation and also petitioned King Geroge for relief and to repeal the act. The Sons of Liberty was created which included Sam Adams and they burned and hung effigies of tax collectors. Sam Adams created the non importation agreement which is an agreement made by merchants and shop owners to not buy British goods. The people in Britain who are manufacturing the goods are affected by this agreement. There were protests in both the colonies and Britain. The Stamp Act was repealed in 1766 but the parliament passed the Declaratory Act. This act affirmed that the Parliament had the power to make laws for the colonies. The colonists won't hear about his act right away and they don't react to it.

Battle of Charleston

May 12, 1780 Charleston was the largest city in the South and Sir Henry Clinton attacked the town with 14,000 troops. If they were able to take Charles Town, the majority of South Carolina would be under British control. The troops moved quickly to trap the American forces leading to the Americans surrendering and 5,500 people were taken prisoner, the most devastating American loss of the war.

First Continental Congress

Members of the House of Burgesses urged for a colonial congress to discuss what to do and people in New York and Rhode Island have similar ideas. The committees of correspondence coordinated the proposals and the First Continental Congress met on September 5th, 1774 in Philadelphia. There were 55 delegates that represented 12 of the colonies and Florida, Georgia, Nova Scotia, and Quebec did not attend. It included a range of moderate delegates and radical delegates. The first order of business was to endorse the Suffolk Resolves which urges colonists not to obey the Coercive Acts. It also wanted the people to arm themselves and stop buying British goods. The congress voted to issue the Declaration of Rights and Grievances which expressed loyalty to the king but condemned the Coercive Acts and stated they would form a nonimportation association. The Continental Association was a plan for every county and town to form a committee to enforce a boycott. The delegates agreed to hold a second Continental Congress in May 1775 if the crisis had not been resolved.

Battle of Saratoga

October 17, 1777 In June, 1777 General Burgoyne led 8,000 troops south into Quebec from New York, while an additional 900 troops and 1,000 Iroquois warriors moved in from Lake Ontario. Burgoyne easily seized Fort Ticonderoga, however, he was later forced to surrender, while the others troops were ambushed and driven back. Burgoyne retreated to Saratoga and on October 17, 1777 he surrendered. The British weren't able to control the Hudson river which meant they couldn't split the American troops. The American victory convinced the French to recognize the US as a country leading to them sending troops to aid the colonists.

Battle of Kings Mountain

October 7, 1780 The British began subding the Carolina backcountry and gaining many new followers and fighters. Many of the settlers were Loyalists and agreed to fight for Britain. Banastre Tarleton and Patrick Ferguson led the loyalist forces. Enlighted with their success, Ferguson attempted to subdue the people living throughout the Appalachian mountains. The enraged settlers intercepted Ferguson on October 7, 1780 and destroyed his army. This was a turning point in the South as many people formed their own forces because they were furious with British treatment.

Boston Massacre

On March 5, 1770, a crowd of colonists began taunting and throwing snowballs at a British soldier guarding customs house. Captain Thomas Preston and his man came outside for backup. During the commotion, the crowd was yelling, "Fire" and the soldiers began to shoot at the crowd. After the shooting ended, three people were dead and six others were wounded. (two would die later) John Adams defended Captain Prescott and the soldiers on trial. Captain Prescott was actually standing in front of his men instead of behind like the colonists argued. It was proven that someone else yelled at the soldiers to fire and Prescott was acquitted. The soldiers argued that it was self defense for them to shoot and six were found not guilty. Two soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter because they attacked men with their guns while they were not a threat lying on the ground. The British papers call it an unhappy disturbance while propaganda is spread around the Colonists.

Battle of Brandywine Creek

September 11, 1777 The British began to move south and hoped to start a Loyalist uprising after they captured Philadelphia. General Howe was unable to coordinate the attack with General Burgoyne and Howe attacked Philadelphia from the south. He moved 13,000 men by ship to Maryland. Howe believed capturing Philadelphia and the Continental Congress would cripple the Revolution and convince Loyalists to rise up and take control. He defeated Washington at the battle but the Continental Congress was able to escape and there was no Loyalist uprising. The Continental Congress could no longer meet in Philadelphia and British morale was boosted.

Battle of Savannah

September 16, 1779- October 18, 1779 Colonel Archiblad Campbell led a British army consisting of 3,500 British soldiers. He and his troops successfully took control over Savannah, Georgia. Savannah is one of the largest port cities which is why the British wanted it. They seize control of Savannah's backcountry and then return the British Royal Government back into power. The British government began to treat the backcountry brutally by raiding civilian homes and attacking them which led them to change their views. At this point, Savannah was one of the few parts of the south the British controlled.

Battle of Yorktown

September 28, 1781 In April 1781, Cornwallis marched into Virginia and wanted to cut off the troops and supplies that were coming south. The British knew they had little time to win the war and they had to secure Virginia since more French troops were on their way. Cornwallis met up with Arnold and they began to conquer Virginia with little resistance. A large American force led by Anthony Wayne forced Cornwallis to retreat to Yorktown in order to protect his supplies and maintain communications by sea. General Washington and Rochambeau began to close in on Yorktown on September 28, 1781, preventing Cornwallis's escape by sea. Once Hamilton led an attack on British defenses Cornwallis negotiated surrender. On October 19, 1781, 8,000 British soldiers marched out of Yorkton and laid down their weapons.

British Arrive in NY

The British arrived in New York in 1776, the Americans lost every battle. General Washington was able to get troops together that weren't prisoners of war which meant they would fight for him and then re-enlist.

Mercantilism

The British government wanted to maximize exports and increase trade between the colonists and Britain. Cash crops in the south and ship building benefited Britain. Acts were passed that only allowed the colonists to trade with Britain. The colonists are the only source of natural resources for Britain. Limits on what can be traded and grown. The British wanted to sell more to the colonies than the colonies sold to them.

Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was issued by the Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776. A committee composed of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson submitted a document Jeffereson had drafted, explaining why it was time for Independence. The colonies had now become the United States of America and the Revolution had begun. The most radical part of the declaration was the idea of abolishing the power of the British government. The Declaration of Independence had to be approved unanimously by the delegates and if Jefferson included blaming the King for slavery than not everyone would agree with the document.

Colonist/British Reaction of Coercive Acts

The First Continental Congress met on September 5th, 1774. The Suffolk Resolves says not to obey the British Laws. There is a build up of militias and weapons. Boycotting British goods were enforced. The British responded by sending 2,000 more soldiers to Boston and they moved into peoples homes and Boston Commons.

Olive Branch Petition

The Olive Branch Petition was written by John Dickinson and sent by the Continental Congress to King George III in July 1775. The petition stated that the colonies were still loyal to the king and asked him to call off hostilities and resolve the situation peacefully. King George refused to look at it and proclaimed that the colonies were "open and avowed enemies" and ordered the military to suppress the rebellion.

Second Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress met on May 10th, 1775 in Philadelphia. The Lexington and Concord battle happened weeks before and the congress discussed creating a nation. The militia became the Continental Army and Geroge Washington was appointed Commander on June 15th, 1775. A few days later, the Battle of Bunker Hill happened on June 17th, 1775. The Americans are at the top of the hill and the British are going up the hill. The militia were actually on Breed's hill which is closer to the water. The British soldiers are ordered to wait and shoot because it saves ammunition which they were running out of. Technically the British won but they lost many of their men. The Americans were forced to retreat because they ran out of ammunition and the British gained the hill. This battle boosted American morale because they realized they could fight against the mighty British army. The congress sent the Olive Branch Petition and invaded Quebec. The invasion comes from two different sides led by Montgomery and Arnold. They want Quebec to join the colonies so the British won't be able to use the rivers as transportation. They will also get more soldiers but the French don't want to join the colonists. Montgomery is killed in the invasion and Benedict Arnold is wounded. The colonies can't force Canada into joining them.

Common Sense

Thomas Paine published a pamphlet called Common Sense in January 1776. Paine focused on attacking King George and argued that the monarchies had been set up by seizing power from the people. The parliament did nothing without the king's support. King George III was a tyrant, and it was time to declare independence. Within three month, it had sold 100,000 copies and one by one the provincial congresses and legislatures told their representatives to vote for independence. The parent country of the colonies must be Europe because people from different countries in Europe have fled to America for a new life and protection from being prosecuted. Not only has England treated their colonists badly, other countries have persecuted people for religious and civil beliefs which has driven them to the colonies. The ports in America will be free because trade will provide protection for the colonies from foreign invaders. They don't need protection because they have wanted resources and the colonists will buy manufactured goods. There's no gold or silver which would protect them from pirates and exhibitioners who want the money. It will help their economy to continue trading with other countries in Europe and they also want to maintain good relationships with those countries. It benefits both Europe and America for America to have free ports and it will secure peace and friendship. Without the taxes and the ports being open more countries will want to trade with America. The British restrictions will be gone which allows for imports and exports. Paine believes that the colonies will make it economically because all of their crops will sell in markets across Europe and trade will be open. The economy will be jump started if they are connected with Britain and maintain their trade routes. Specifically, corn is a needed crop that will sell across Europe and bring in money for the colonies. The imported goods must be paid for which will help the economy. Due to the connection to Great Britain, the colonies will have to rebuild relationships as Britain has been included in many wars and battles. They must renounce the alliance to Britain to show that they are not a threat to the other countries and are looking for a good relationship. Paine is referring to the French and Indian War where Britain forced the colonies to fight against other countries and tribes which weakened them and gave them debt. The logistical problem is that the colonies are far away which makes it difficult to communicate with Europe. It is hard to maintain a good relationship and trade with countries that are on the other side of the water. They are thousands of miles away and communication would take a long time.

Vice-Admiralty Courts

Vice-admiralty courts were run by naval officers and they had no juries. They didn't follow British common law which is a violation of the traditional English right to a jury of one's peers. These courts also violated their right to a speedy trial because they must go to Nova Scotia. The colonists objected to them because they denied their rights as British citizens. This is a time consuming process and costs a lot of money. The British government originally allowed smuggling and the sudden change led to many people getting caught.

Valley Forge

Winter of 1777-1778 The soldiers were crowded into cabins that were cold and they were miserable. Other European countries began to help the colonists by giving them supplies. Friedrich Wilhelm Von Steuben from Prussia started training the soldiers from the militia and gave them the idea to move the outsides away from food which would reduce sickness.

Writs of Assistance

Writs of Assistance are general search warrants that enable officers to enter any location. This includes ships, homes, and warehouses. This was enforced to try and stop smuggling and asserted power over the colonists.