Second Quarter in Review
The “Revolution Evolution”
“The colonies exist for the sole benefit of the mother country” or do they?
(purpose of mercantilism 1700’s)
This was the beginning of the United States of America. England’s 13 original colonies had given birth to the first permanent settlements in the new world (Jamestown, VA.) Life in the colonies varied by region, whether you lived in the New England Colonies in the northeast, Middle Colonies (Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware) or the Southern Colonies (Maryland, Carolinas and Georgia) life was good with many colonists blending their old English cultures and traditions with their new freedoms (religion and politics) acquired in the new world. One main problem for Britain was her continued desire for world power and a seven years war with France that would carry over onto the North American continent. The colonists had their work cut out for them, establishing their new land. They initially relied heavily on Mother England for her supplies, economical support through trade (mercantilism) and governmental laws. King George seemed to have no problem ruling the English colonies, although they were 3,000 miles away, or so he thought. While England was enjoying the benefits of her colonies, the French and the Dutch had decided to get into the action venturing to the American continent looking to make their own mark. France set up her colony of New France, whose growth depended entirely on their fur trade. They looked to make friends with the local natives and live in peace with them, unlike the British who looked to take for themselves the land and all of its possessions. They would fall into constant conflict with the Native Americans, taking what they wanted from their land and giving nothing back in return. For this reason, the Native Americans will wind up becoming allies with the French against the British in the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Although the French and Native Americans fought a valiant fight, when the war was over, France would be all but banished from the North American continent, except for a few islands off the coast of Canada and a few islands in the Caribbean. The War officially came to an end on February 10, 1763, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. France officially ceded all of its holdings in North America, west of the Mississippi; while regaining the Islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. The most long lasting effect of the war was not negotiated between the parties rather, it was the effect the war had on the American colonies. The cost of the war and of controlling the newly acquired territories was high. The British looked to the colonies to help pay those costs in the form of taxes. That began the long spiral of events that led to the Revolution.
The American Revolution was the struggle of thirteen American colonies against Great Britain. The term American Revolution also includes the American War of Independence, and resulted in the formation of the United States of America.
Causes of the American Revolution
- Boston Massacre: The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770,between a "patriot" mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of
British soldiers. Several colonists were killed and this led to a campaign by
speech-writers to create an uprising of patriotic citizentry. The presence of British troops in the city of Boston was increasingly un welcome. The riot began when about 50 citizens attacked a British sentinel. A Brittish officer, Captain Thomas Preston, called in additional soldiers, and these too were attacked, so the soldiers fired into the mob, killing 3 on the spot (a black sailor named Crispus Attucks, ropemaker Samuel Gray, and a mariner named James Caldwell) and wounding 8 others. A town meeting was called demanding the removal of the British and the trial of Captain Preston and his men for murder. At the trial, John Adams and Josiah Quincy II defended the
British, leading to their acquittal and release. Samuel Quincy and Robert Treat Paine were the attorneys for the prosecution. Later, two of the British soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter.The Boston Massacre was a signal event leading to the Revolutionary War. It led directly to the Royal Governor evacuating the occupying army from the town of Boston. It would soon bring the revolution to armed rebellion throughout the colonies. - The Sugar Act: The Sugar Act was passed in 1764 and taxed sugar, coffee, alcohol (rum), molasses, wine and other goods imported from Britain. This tax was high and, if strictly enforced, would have caused severe hardship for the New England distilleries. Rum was the great social drink of the day and was much in demand throughout the colonies, but heavy taxation could put the beverage out of the reach of many in the lower reaches of society.
- The Stamp Act: The Stamp Act, which was passed in 1965, taxed stamps, newspapers, playing cards and anything else that was printed on paper. The main purpose of these taxes was to help Britain pay for the troops stationed in North America, for British victory in the Seven Year's War. Not only the British colonies in America, but even the British merchants and manufacturers opposed the act.
- The Quartering Act: This act passed in 1765 forced colonists to house and take care of British soldiers in their homes while troops were stationed in their homes. Most colonists objected to being forced to take care of the British soldiers because they were a constant reminder of the taxes they were being forced to pay.
- The Townshend Acts: The Townshend Acts were a series of acts passed in January 1767, by the Britain Parliament. The sole purpose of this act was to raise money in American colonies and establish the precedent that the British Parliament had the right to tax them. The Townshend Acts met with a huge resistance from the colonies, thus prompting the occupation of Boston, by British troops in 1768.
- The Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party: The Boston Tea Party was one of the key events which led to the growth of American Revolution. It was an outcome of the Tea Act imposed by British Parliament to restore the East India Company's full refund on the 25% duty imposed for importing tea into Britain. It also permitted the company to export tea to the American colonies on its own account and led to a number of protests from the colonies. On December 16, 1773, a group of colonists boarded the three shiploads of taxed tea in Boston and destroyed the tea by throwing it into Boston Harbor. The event became famously known as the Boston Tea Party.
- Other Causes: There were various other acts which prompted the people in British American colonies to revolt against the British Parliament. Amongst these were the Quebec Act and the Boston Port Bill. According the Boston Port Bill, Boston Harbor was closed to all ships till Bostonians repaid the British East India Company, for damages caused in the Boston Tea Party.
In 1772, Samuel Adams created the first Committee of Correspondence and within a year the committee led to dozens of similar discussion groups throughout the colonies. These isolated groups also came together to facilitate the exchange of ideas, provide invaluable information and organize colonial voices of opposition. In 1774, The Continental Congress was formed after the Boston Tea Party and Intolerable Acts (the Coercive Acts). By 1775, colonial resentment in many cities and towns caused the organization of volunteer militias, who began to drill openly in public common areas. Paul Revere took his famous midnight ride on the eve before the Battle of Lexington announcing to everyone as he rode through the countryside that "the British are coming." On April 19, 1775, a British commander dispatched troops to seize an arsenal of colonial militia weapons stored in Concord. The British arrived in Concord only to be ambushed by the Concord militia in the battle, famously known as the War of Lexington and Concord. It was a success for Americans as more than 270 were killed from the British troops, compared to approximately 100 Americans. In June 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought outside Boston in which the British ultimately emerged victorious. However, they suffered over 1,000 casualties, prompting British officials to take the colonial unrest far more seriously than they had taken previously.
Aftermath of the Revolution
Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams were some of the people who played an important role in the American Revolution. Thomas Jefferson “penned” the Declaration of Independence declaring for the first time that the colonies deserved their “god-given” rights of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. The revolution was followed by the Revolutionary War, an assemblage of many events like the Battles of Trenton and Princeton (1776-77), Victory at Philadelphia (1777), Battle of Saratoga (1777), France and United States form Franco-American Alliance (1778), entrance of Spain in the war against Britain (1779), Battle of Yorktown (1781) and the Peace of Paris signed to end war (1783). Ending the U.S. War of Independence, The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 officially bringing the American Revolution to a close. Things were changing in the world. Things had changed and now the daunting task lay before the colonists what to do with their freedom~ what would the democratic resolution be? It would come in the form of a government formed under the umbrella of a new, free, independent nation. The foundation of this new government would be non other than the United States Constitution.
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