Events Leading to the American Revolution

What law sparked new protests in 1773?

The Tea Act was the law that sparked new protests in 1773.

What did the Proclamation of 1763 law prohibit colonists from doing?

1) Prohibited colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, reserving those lands for Native Americans. 2) Only the British government could buy land and make any agreements with the Native Americans. 3) Only licensed traders would be allowed to travel west or to deal with the Indians.

Summary: summarize the main points of these sections into bullet points. What are the MAIN takeaways from these sections?

* The British gravely underestimated the Colonists resolve. Every time the British imposed a new tax, it further angered the Colonists. * The British imposed a Tea Tax that resulted in the Colonists dumping a large shipment of tea into the Boston Harbor. * This action caused the British to impose the Intolerable Acts which took away Massachusetts self governing rights among other actions. * The Continental Congress was formed and called for a new boycott on British goods until the Intolerable Acts were repealed. * The British retaliated by tightening their grips on the Colonies and seeking to destroy a Colonial weapon depot. * The actions of the British led to the battles in Lexington and then Concord.

Summary: summarize the main points of these sections into bullet points. What are the MAIN takeaways from these sections?

* The British imposed many taxes on the colonists * The Proclamation of 1763 stated that the colonist could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. * The Stamp Acts taxed every piece of paper used via stamps. * The Townshend Acts taxed all imports from Britain. * The Quartering Acts required colonists to quarter British soldiers and provide provisions as needed. * The colonist protested all these acts by peaceful as well as violent protests. * For the most part, they were repealed by the British government.

What is a Protest?

A statement or action expressing disapproval of or objection to something

Date of independence day:

July 4 ,1776

Explain why Lord North decided to repeal the Townshend acts in 1770.

Lord North decided to repeal the Townshend Acts on the day of the Boston Massacre because they were costing Great Britain large sums of money. Tea was the only item left out of the repeal.

When did the Boston Massacre take place?

March 5, 1770

Describe an event that took place at Boston (March 4, 1776). What is the importance of this event?

The British were forced to abandon the city because the minutemen had cannons aimed at the city.

What was the Loyalists' view of the Boston Massacre?

The Loyalists viewed the Boston Massacre as a sign that British troops were needed more than ever to control the Patriots.

Who spoke the famous phrase "Give me liberty, or give me death!"?

Patrick Henry

What new idea did Patrick Henry bring to the First Continental Congress?

Patrick Henry introduced the idea of a united America over that of individual colonies.

Who warned that the British were coming?

Paul Revere

What do people claim that Paul Revere said? What did he actually say?

Paul Revere said "The Regulars are coming!" NOT "The British are coming!"

How did the British Government react to the protests to the Quartering Act of 1765?

The British Government refused to let the New York Assembly meet until they agreed to obey the Quartering Act.

How did the British Government react to the protests to the Proclamation of 1763?

The British ignored the arguments and increased the size of the British army presence to 7500 troops.

Who were the Loyalists and what did they believe?

The Loyalists were colonists that were loyal to the British crown. 1) They believed that the colonists were British subjects and thus should obey British laws. 2) They felt that the colonies would be too weak and vulnerable if not part o Britain.

How did some colonists protest the Quartering Act of 1765?

The New York assembly decided not to approve any funds for salt, vinegar and liquor for the British troops.

How did the colonists react to the Tea Act of 1773?

The Patriots threw 90,000 pounds of tea overboard from a ship into the Boston Harbor = The Boston Tea Party of December 16, 1773.

What was the Sugar Act of 1764?

The Sugar Act imposed a tax on non-British molasses from the French West Indies in an attempt to force the American colonists to buy the more expensive sugar from the British West Indies. It was ultimately repealed.

What was the debate over slavery?

The debate over slavery was a debate over whether or not to remove the passage Jefferson wrote about how slavery was bad.

Define "Declaration of Independence":

The document written to declare the American colonies as an independent nation, free from British rule.

Define Tyranny:

The unjust use of government power. A ruler who acts this way is called a Tyrant.

What did the Stamp Act law of 1765 require colonists to do?

Imposed a tax on all paper products. Required that printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London, and carrying an embossed revenue stamp. This was the first direct, internal tax the British Parliament had ever levied on the colonists. It was ultimately repealed.

What was the reaction to the Townshend Acts?

1) Boycott and Protest 2) Resistance groups began to come together3) 3) Tension between the colonies and England escalated

Why did the colonies declare the kid unfit to rule?

1) He tried to take away people's rights 2) No concrn for the colonists' rights

Summary: summarize the main points of these sections into bullet points. What are the MAIN takeaways from these sections?

1) The Colonists were angry at Great Britain. 2) The Colonists formed an army and began to have battles with the British. 3) Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, explaining to the world why the Colonists were separating themselves from Britain. 4) The Second Continental Congress met to debate independence on June 1, 1776. 5) They signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring war against Great Britain.

Why did the British Parliament pass the Townshend Acts?

1) To reassert its authority over the colonies. 2) Britain needed money - it had a massive national debt after the Seven Years' War. 3) Britain wanted to use the revenue raised to pay the salaries of British governors and other officials in the colonies so these officials would be independent of the colonial legislatures which had been paying their salaries.

Key concepts:

1) Why did the American Revolution occur? What specific events contributed to the start of the American revolution? 2) Be able to determine and identify the causes in chronological order (in a timeline). 3) Be able to analyze and make connections between the causes (events) that led to the war. 4) Describe the differences between the Patriots and Loyalists, and how the attitudes of individuals helped to start a revolution. 5) Describe the community organizations or . opposition/resistance groups that were formed/active during the events leading to the American Revolution? 6) What were the effects of the American Revolution? What groups were formed?

Describe THREE ideas in the Declaration of Independence and EXPLAIN why they are important.

1. He introduced the idea of natural rights which all people are born with. These rights cannot be surrendered to any government. 2. Governments are formed to secure these natural rights which was the opposite of what King George's idea of government was. 3. If the government fails to protect it's peoples' rights, then the people can create a new government to protect their "Safety and Happiness." Thus if King George fails to protect the Colonists rights, they were justify to replace his government.

Why did the British make The Proclamation of 1763?

After the conclusion of the French and Indian War in America, the British Empire issued this proclamation mainly as a peace offering to the Indians to keep them out of conflicts by limiting encroachment of settlers on their lands. Theoretically, this would serve to decrease the attacks by colonists on the Indians and visa versa, which would hopefully avoid a war with the Indians and save Britain money.

Describe the "Second Blow at Concord" - what happened?

4000 armed and angry Minutemen shot at the British soldiers while they were burning some wooden tools, tents, and other supplies in frustration for not finding the weapons they were looking for in Concord. The British soldiers were at a disadvantage b/c the minutemen knew the land/territory better!

Describe the "First Blow at Lexington" - what happened?

700 of General Gage's best British troops fired upon colonists ("The Shot Heard Round the World") called Minutemen at Lexington Apil 19, 1775, killing 8 and injuring 10. The troops were on their way to Concord to seize a supply of gunpowder and weapons the colonists were hiding.

Define "Petition":

A formal, written request made to an official person or organization.

Define "Petition":

A formal, written request made to an official person or organization.Df

What was the opposition group the Sons of Liberty?

A group of colonial merchants, lawyers, and prosperous tradesmen, created by Samuel Adams in Boston, Massachusetts. Their motto was "No Taxation , without Representation". They organized protests to create a spark of rebellion in the colonies.

What was the opposition group the Daughters of Liberty?

A group of women who rebelled against the British taxes in the Townshend Acts. They organized and promoted boycotts of British goods, and by making home goods (such as homespun cotton clothes) instead of buying them from the British,

Define "Common Sense":

A pamphlet published in 1776 by Thomas Paine that persuaded many American colonists to support independence.

What is a Boycott?

A refusal to buy certain goods or from a certain vendor/store

How did colonial women play a role in opposition groups?

Colonial women did most of the shopping; therefore, they were instrumental in the boycotting, as well as making homespun cotton dresses instead of buying it from the British. They only bought American-made goods.

How did the British Government react to the protests to the Stamp Act 1765?

Eventually the British Parliament decided to cancel the Stamp Act.

What were the 3 Early British Actions in the Colonies that colonists did not like? And why did Britain place these taxes and laws on the colonies?

From 1763-1765, British Parliament and King George passed three laws that affected the colonists: 1. Proclamation of 1763 2. Stamp Act (1765) 3. Quartering Act (1765) Britain passed these laws to (1) limit conflicts with the Indians to keep them out of a war and save Britain money, (2) to raise money for Britain which was in deep debt after the French Indian War, (3) to re-demonstrate Britain's authority over the colonies.

What did George Washington do in the revolutionary war?

George Washington commanded the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783).

Who did John Adams propose should be commander-in-chief of the Continental army?

George Washington.

Record 4 important details about the Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed's Hill).

It happened on June 16, 1775 The Americans didn't fire until the British troops came extremely close to them. The British only took the hill because the Americans ran out of gunpowder and were forced to retreat. 1,000 British soldiers died and only 500 American soldiers died.

What was the main reason he suggested this person?

John Adams thought that George Washington was a man whose "Skills and Experience as an Officer, whose ... great Talents and excellent universal Character, would [unite] the colonies better than any other person."

What role did John Adams play after the Boston Massacre? Why?

John Adams was the lawyer who defended the British soldiers in court and tried to prove that they had been protecting themselves from the crowd. He did this because he believed that every man deserved a fair trial and wanted to show Britain that the colonial courts were fair..

When did the Second Continental Congress meet to debate independence?

June 1, 1776 was when the Second Continental Congress met to debate independence.

How did King George's feelings toward the colonies change after the Boston Tea Party?

King George became very angry with the Colonists after the Boston Tea Party and planned to impose stricter control over them. He passed the Intolerable Acts of 1774 to punish the colonies.

Define natural rights:

Natural rights are rights common to everyone, as opposed to those given by law.

On July 2, which colony did not participate in the vote?

New York did not participate in the vote.

What did the Quartering Act law of 1765 require colonists to do?

Required colonists to provide housing (ie. quarter) to British troops in barracks and public houses. Colonists also had to provide them with supplies (beer, bedding, candles, a fire, cooking utensils, salt, food).

What was one item left out of the repeal of the Townshend Act Repeal?

Tea

What was the Tea Act of 1773?

The 1773 Tea Act eliminated British tariffs (ie. taxes) from tea sold by the British East India Company in the colonies by allowing the company to sell tea directly in the colonies, effectively giving the BEIA a monopoly on the importation and sale of tea in the colonies. While the Tea Act did decrease the price of tea, it reminded the colonists of their opposition to the Townshend Act placing an import tax on tea in the first place.

Define "Independence":

The British were forced to abandon the city because the minutemen had cannons aimed at the city.

What is/who made up the Continental Congress?

The Continental Congress was made up of 50 leaders from twelve colonies

What is another name for the Seven Years' War?

The French and Indian War

What was the French and Indian War?

The French and Indian War was a global conflict in America, which occurred when both Britain and France wanted the Ohio River valley b/c of the lucrative fur trade and rich farmland there, and France claimed the territory from the Appalachians to the Rockies. Britain borrowed heavily to finance the war, leading to its desire to take the colonists. Interestingly, bitter over their loss of most of their colonial empire contributed to France helping the Patriots during the American Revolution.

What were 4 important actions of the Intolerable Acts of 1774?

The Intoleble Acts were designed to punish thne colonies for the Boston Tea Party. 1) They closed Boston Harbor to all shipping until the ruined tea was paid for. 2) They placed the government of Massachusetts completely under British control. The Colonists in Massachusetts could not hold a town meeting without British consent. 3) British soldiers who were accused of murder were to be tried in England not in a Colonial court. 4) More soldiers were sent to Boston to make sure colonists followed the laws.

How did some colonists protest the Stamp Act of 1765?

The Loyalist simply refused to by stamps. However, the Patriots formed a mob calling themselves the Sons of Liberty and attacked tax collectors' homes. Protesters in Connecticut even started to bury one tax collector alive.

What is the Olive Branch Petition? Why was it called the Olive Branch Petition? What was the result?

The Olive Branch Petition was a petition asking King George III to end the fighting. John Adams called it the Olive Branch Petition because olive tree branches are an ancient symbol of peace. By the time the petition had reached the British, the King had already declared the Colonists traitors, and there was no turning back.

What was the Patriots' view of the Boston Massacre?

The Patriots viewed the incident as a killing of defenseless people. They also called it a horrible massacre and saw it as soldiers firing on defenseless unarmed citizens.

Who were the Patriots and what did they believe?

The Patriots were colonists that rebelled against the crown (British Rule). 1) They felt they were not being treated fairly by Britain b/c they were being taxed without any say or representation in the British Parliament (ie. government). 2) They wanted freedom from British rule.

Give an argument in favor of the Tea Act.

The Tea Act did lower the price of tea for the colonists.

Give an argument against the Tea Act.

The Tea Act gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sold in the colonies.

How did the colonists, including the Loyalists, react to the Townshend Acts?

The colonies boycotted British goods. Because this is peaceful protesting, even the Loyalists supported the boycotts.

Describe an event that took place at Ticonderoga (Winter 1775-1776). What is the importance of this event?

The minutemen seized it from the British.

How did some colonists protest the Proclamation of 1763?

They argued that the land to the west was already mostly settled and that it was the only place for farmers to obtain new plantable land.

What decision did the First Continental Congress make?

They called for a new boycott on British goods until Parliament repealed the Intolerable Acts.

What two choices did the colonists have regarding the trouble with Great Britain?

They could either declare their independence or they could continue to protest, and their second choice would be to keep the colonies at peace.

The signers of the Declaration of Independence pledged to support independence with "our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." Why did they sign the Declaration of Independence under these terms?

They signed the Declaration of Independence under these terms knowing that they can be hung for treason and that they were bound together by their signatures.

What were the Townshend Acts of 1767?

They were a series of acts named after Charles Townshend and passed by the British Parliament in an attempt to assert control of the colonies by imposing new taxes on goods imported from England and gave Britain the right to search and seize property: 1. New York Restraining Act (1767) - shut down self-rule in New York until colonists agreed to comply with the Quartering Act and provide housing to British soldiers. 2. Revenue Act (1767) - placed new taxes on many good imported into the colonies, including tea, glass, lead, paint, paper. 3. Indemnity Act (1767) - reduced taxes on the British East India Company when they imported tea into England, which made it cheaper than other teas thus providing an incentive for colonists to purchase the British tea. 4. Commissions of Customs Act (1767) - created customs boards to enforce shipping regulations and increase tax revenue.

Who drafted the Declaration of Independence? What was his main job in writing this document?

Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence. His main job was to explain to the world why the Colonies were choosing to be separate from Britain.

What did Thomas Paine's Common Sense attack?

Thomas Paine's Common Sense attacked the idea that the Americans owe any loyalty to King George III. He also said that American trade was suffering under British control.

Define the word "repeal":

To take back, or to cancel