THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION -1763-1778

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THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION -1763-1778

• Chapter 7

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THE DEEP ROOTS OF REVOLUTION

• American Revolution was a revolution in thought
  and perception about who the colonists were.
• Reasons?

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THE MERCANTILE THEORY

• Policy of all major European nations from 16th to
  l8th centuries.
• Mercantilism Belief that wealth was power and
  that a countrys economic wealth (both military
  and political power) could be measured by the
  amount of gold or silver in its treasury.

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MercantilismElements of the Theory

• To get gold, must export more than import
• Colonies provide export markets
• Colonies provide source for raw material
• Colonies cant trade with others
• Colonies cant produce their own finished goods
• Encourage colonies to produce what mother country
  must import

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Mercantilism Trammels On Trade

• Parliament passed many laws to enforce the
  mercantile system
• Navigation Laws most famous
• Significance

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The Money Problem

• All currency came from outside.
• Had to use British, French and Spanish Coins
• Colonists buying more than could sell under
  Mercantile policies, so chronic shortage of hard
  currency

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The Money Problem

• What did colonists use for currency besides
  coins?
• Barter
• On the eve of revolution, colonies issue paper
  money of dubious value
• Why value dubious?
• Parliament eventually bans, which is one more
  grievance of colonists

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Merits of Mercantilism

• Salutary Neglect.
• Smuggling.
• Americans did reap many direct benefits from
  Mercantilism.
• What were they?

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Benefits of Mercantilism

• Price supports and subsidies helped them compete
  against the Europeans.
• Tobacco monopoly.
• They had rights of Englishmen and opportunities
  for self-government.
• Protection of the strong British army and Navy
• Prosperity trickled down

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The Menace Of Mercantilism

• Downside to Mercantilism
• It hurt economic initiative
• Southern planters were treated more favorably.
• Cash Crop farmers forced into debt
• Mercantilism was humiliating to Americans

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The Stamp Tax Uproar

• After the war, Brits wanted to start taxing the
  American Colonies.
• Why?
• For what Purpose?
• George Grenville ordered End of Salutary Neglect.
  
• Revenue Acts

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New Mercantilist Laws

• Sugar Act1764
• Quartering Act of 1765
• Stamp Act 1765
• This Act became the most hated

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Stamp Act

• What it required
• Who it antagonized
• British view of its fairness
• American view of its fairness
• No taxation without representation
• Virtual representation

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Parliament Forced To Repeal The Stamp Act

• Stamp Act Congress of 1765
• Non-importation agreements of British goods
• Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty
• Declaratory Act

Tarring and Feathering a Tax Stamp Agent
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The Townshend Tea Tax And The Boston Massacre

• Charles Champagne Charlie Townsend emerges as
  PM
• In 1767 he persuades Parliament to pass the
  Townshend Acts
• Colonists object
• 1768 British officials landed 2 regiments of
  troops (700) in Boston

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Boston Massacre
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The Seditious Committees Of Correspondence

• Townshend Acts were a failure
• In 1770 Townshend Acts repealed. But the tax on
  tea remained
• Sam Adams, master propagandist
• Organized the local Committees of Correspondence
  in Mass
• Led to Inter-colonial committees of
  correspondence

Sam Adams
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Boston Tea Party

• 1773 the British East India Company had a big
  problem
• What was it?
• How did Parliament try to remedy it?
• Why was Parliament so motivated to fix the
  problem?

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Tea Act 1773

• Britain gave BEIC a complete monopoly on the
  American tea business.
• Consequences
• Able to sell tea more cheaply than the smuggled
  tea, even with the tax.
• Cuts out the American middle-man
• Angers colonists. Americans see as a trick to
  make the tax palatable.

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Boston Tea Party

• None of the tea cargo of the Company reached its
  destination.
• Annapolis colonists burned cargo and the ships.
• CharlestonGovernor stores in a warehouse. Is
  eventually sold during the war to pay for
  uniforms.
• Boston band of white townspeople dressed as
  Indians boarded the 3 tea ships on Dec. 6, 1773.
  They smashed 342 chests and dumped the tea into
  Boston harbor. Boston Tea party

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Boston Tea Party
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Response to Boston Tea Party

• Reactions of public
• Reaction of Parliament
• Intolerable Acts
• Boston Port Act
• Mass. Government Act
• Quartering Act
• Admin. of Justice Act

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Quebec Act - 1774

• Not part of the Intolerable Acts. But passed at
  the same time.
• What did it say?
• Colonists believed it was intolerable and
  designed to punish them.
• Why?

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Quebec Before and After 1774
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The Continental Congress And Bloodshed

• 1774--In response to the Intolerable Acts
  colonists call First Continental Congress
• Met in Philadelphia to discus ways of redressing
  colonial grievances.
• 12 of 13 colonies sent 55 men
• Drew up a Declaration of Rights

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The Continental Congress And Bloodshed

• Continental Congress helped create the
  Association.
• Attempt to get Brits to repeal the Intolerable
  Acts and taxes.
• What was it?
• Called for a complete boycott of British goods.
  non-import, non-export and non-consumption.
• Was a move toward unity.

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Lexington and Concord

• Sam Adams
• John Hancock
• Paul Revere
• Shot Heard Round the World

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Lexington
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Strengths and Weaknesses

• British Strengths
• British Weaknesses
• American Strengths
• American Weaknesses

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A THIN LINE OF HEROES