Beginnings%20Of%20American%20Government

1
Beginnings Of American Government

• Part II

2
Road to Revolution

• Various factors led up to the Declaration of
  Independence

3
French-Indian War

• 1754-1763
• War between England and France carried over to
  English and French colonies in the Americas
• England won, and effectively shrunk French
  influence on the Eastern American seaboard

4
However

• The war was VERY expensive
• How to pay for it?

5
Taxation!

• Parliament imposed various acts to help pay off
  the war debt, at home AND in the colonies
• In England, this seemed logical, as the war was
  expensive and for the colonists benefit
• More so because the colonists paid fewer taxes
  than British citizens at home

6
Taxation Continued

• Sugar Act - 1764
• Taxed molasses
• Indirect tax - price added to tax
• Like Michigans sales tax

• Stamp Act - 1765
• Taxed revenue stamped paper
• Required for legal or business documents
• Both these Acts led to the

7
Declaratory Act

• Declaratory Act - 1766
• Repealed Stamp Act
• BUT
• Parliament reasserted its right to make laws for
  the American Colonies directly

8
Resistance

• Many of these acts were undercut or ignored
• Boston Massacre - 1770
• British soldiers enforcing the Townshend Acts
  were targeted by Boston citizens
• Fired on the crowd of protestors
• Boston Tea Party - 1773
• Led to the

9
Intolerable Acts

• Five Act series
• Four in response to Boston Tea Party
• Examples
• Closed port of Boston until Tea Party Damages
  paid for
• Infringed on right to free elections

10
All together, these events paved the way for the
Declaration of Independence