Road+to+Revolution


 * ROAD TO REVOLUTION MODULE**


 * Learning Objectives**:

1. Causes and consequences of the Seven Years War (French and Indian War).

2. Through an examination of the development of the colonial resistance movement, explain the reaction of the colonists to Parliament's actions in the period 1763-1774.

3. Examine the ideological and constitutional arguments presented by the colonists against the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Townshend Acts.

4. Explain the role of each of the following in the development and spread of the colonial resistance movement:


 * Pamphlets
 * Legislative protest (e.g., Virginia Stamp Act Resolves)
 * Crowd action
 * Economic protest
 * Public rituals
 * Committees of correspondence.

How have recent enemies of the US used similar tactics against us?

5. How did demonstrations against imperial policy include obvious violations of the law? How did the colonists justify their actions? Are those justifications valid?

6. Trace the development of the theory that Great Britain was conspiring to oppress the colonists, and explain how that theory became especially important in relation to the Tea Act, the Coercive Act, and the Quebec Act.

French and Indian War

Albany Plan of Union https://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/albany-plan http://www.benfranklin300.org/exhibition/_html/5_1/

The Seven Years War and the Great Awakening (Crash Course US History #5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vKGU3aEGss&feature=youtube_gdata_player

George Washington begins the Seven Years' War (History.com This Day in History | 5/28/1754) []

George Washington's role in French and Indian War (Clements Library exhibition) []

Battle of the Plains of Abraham/Battle of Quebec []

Peace Treaty of Paris (1763) []

Overview: French and Indian War (Seven Years' War), 1754-1763

Really a French versus British war with Indian allies on both sides.

French began to encircle the British colonies.

French—from today's Canada—claimed the Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley. French established New Orleans to anchor the southern end of the Mississippi River. French claimed the Pittsburgh area (originally called Fort Duquesne by the French, Fort Pitt by the British). Three rivers come together at Pittsburgh: Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio

Static map of the battles. []

Animated Map: French and Indian War http://www.revolutionarywaranimated.com/index.php/the-french-and-indian-war

The Seven Years War and the Great Awakening (Crash Course US History #5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vKGU3aEGss&feature=youtube_gdata_player

See also:

Incidents leading up to the French and Indian War, 1753-54 (Historian of the State Department) http://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/Incidents

French and Indian War (Historian of the State Department) http://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/FrenchIndianWar

The War That Made America (PBS) http://www.pbs.org/thewarthatmadeamerica/index.html

The Real First World War (French & Indian War) And The Making Of America (American Heritage) http://www.americanheritage.com/content/real-first-world-war-and-making-america?page=show

Clash of Empires exhibit [this is great] http://www.fortedwards.org/gazette/clash/clash.htm Huntington Library http://www.huntington.org/huntingtonlibrary_02.aspx?id=7010 http://www.huntington.org/uploadedFiles/Files/PDFs/7yrsgg.pdf


 * Albany Congress** (1754)

Albany Congress

Albany Plan of Union (Historian of the State Department) http://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/AlbanyPlan

Join or Die cartoon (Teaching History.org) http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/19227

Plan of union proposed by Benjamin Franklin (but not approved):
 * Supreme governor chosen by England
 * Supreme assembly represented by colonists.
 * Plan could possibly have averted Revolution.
 * Same plan later used with Canada and Australia.

See also:

Albany Plan of Union The Spirit Of ’54 (American Heritage) http://www.americanheritage.com/content/spirit-of-54?page=show

The Spirit Of 1754: Albany Congress (American Heritage) http://www.americanheritage.com/content/spirit-of-54?page=show

Empire and Identity in the American Colonies (EDSITEment) [|http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/empire-and-identity-american-colonies#sect-background] Launchpad: Albany Congress http://edsitement.neh.gov/albany-congress-and-political-identity-north-american-colonists

Albany Plan of Union (Avalon Project) http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/albany.asp

Mohawk Leader Hendrik Criticizes British Inaction (History Matters) http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/7804/


 * French and Indian War**:

[|The Seven Years War: Crash Course World History #26 - YouTube]

George Washington's role

George Washington's French and Indian War (Theodore Crackel) (Gilder Lehrman) http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/thirteen-colonies/essays/george-washington%E2%80%99s-french-and-indian-war

His initial victory—then defeat, capture, and release—began the war.

Fort Necessity (Today in History, Library of Congress) http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun04.html

Lieutenant Colonel George Washington begins the Seven Years' War (History.com This Day in History | 5/28/1754) []

Lieutenant Colonel George Washington Builds Fort Necessity (History.com This Day in History | 6/4/1754) http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lieutenant-colonel-george-washington-builds-fort-necessity

George Washington's role in French and Indian War (Clements Library exhibition) http://www.clements.umich.edu/exhibits/past/g.washington/case.08/case08.html

His combat experience will later be important to American Revolution.

At first, the war went poorly for the British.

Braddock expedition http://www.nps.gov/fone/historyculture/upload/FONE%20Braddocks%20Grave-web.pdf http://www.nps.gov/fone/planyourvisit/upload/FONE-Braddock-Pathway-2.pdf []

Wilderness Ordeal: Roberts Rangers Fr & Indian War (American Heritage) http://www.americanheritage.com/content/wilderness-ordeal?page=show

Battle of Fort William Henry ("Last of the Mohicans")

Then the new British Prime Minister, William Pitt, spent big bucks to change the tide.

This crucial British victory won the war. "Je me souviens" on Quebec province license plates
 * Battle of Quebec** (1759)

Battle of the Plains of Abraham/Battle of Quebec (1759) This crucial British victory won the war. http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-of-quebec.htm

A Soldier's Account http://www.militaryheritage.com/quebec1.htm

Commanding Generals of both British and French died in this battle

James Wolfe http://www.militaryheritage.com/wolfe.htm

Louis-Joseph de Montcalm http://www.militaryheritage.com/montcalm.htm


 * Peace Treaty of Paris** (1763)

Treaty of Paris 1763 (Historian of the State Department) http://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/TreatyofParis

Britain's victory in the war was a major turning point in American history. Altered the balance of power in North America.

Check out these maps: North America in 1750 (prior to the war) [] North America in 1763 (after the war) []

This map is even better! []

British got all of Canada. France out of America entirely. British got all French North American possessions east of Mississippi River==all of Canada.

Britain got all of Spanish Florida. To compensate for Spain's loss of Florida, France gave Louisiana to Spain France will later get Louisiana back from Spain We will purchase it from France in 1803

France is thereby entirely ousted from the North American continent France will want to get back at Britain for this defeat France will therefore be willing to help us win the American Revolution.

After the war, British colonists no longer feared a French threat. Indians could no longer play European powers against one another.

Before we delve further into the Road to Revolution, let's consider the following**:**


 * Ideological conflicts between Britain and the North American colonies**


 * a) Conflict over the nature of political representation**


 * English view**:
 * Parliament collectively represented the entire nation
 * Member of Parliament voted on best interests of nation not his district.
 * Virtual representation: colonists were represented even if not there in person


 * Colonists' views**:
 * Advocated individual representation.
 * Legislator instructions
 * Represented only the regions that had elected them.


 * b) Conflicts over the role of a national government.**

1. Colonists saw conspiracies in England that threatened to take away their liberties.

Colonists believed that a central government should have only limited authority over people.

Colonists felt the need for perpetual vigilance to ensure that monarchs do not corrupt and oppress the people, encroach on their liberty, and seize their property

2. Colonists believed that there was an important link between liberty and property rights:


 * Excessive and unjust taxation could take away personal freedom.
 * No taxation without representation idea, but more subtle.
 * Not so much the amount of taxation, but who did the taxing.

Parliamentary Taxation of Colonies (Historian of State Department) http://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/ParliamentaryTaxation

The Thirteen Colonies (Francis Bremer) (Gilder Lehrman) http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/thirteen-colonies/essays/thirteen-colonies


 * Major themes along the Road to Revolution**:


 * Development and spread of the colonial resistance movement
 * British actions
 * Colonists' responses


 * King George III** (1760–1820)

New young king; various prime ministers.

George III (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/george_iii_poisoned_well_01.shtml

George III (British Monarchy) http://www.royal.gov.uk/HistoryoftheMonarchy/KingsandQueensoftheUnitedKingdom/TheHanoverians/GeorgeIII.aspx


 * Pontiac's uprising** (1763)

Indian chief led Indian uprisings in the Ohio region to kick out colonists. British troops unable to defend the frontier against him.

Good map http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pontiac%27s_war.png

See also:

Pontiac's Rebellion (History.com | 5/7/1763)) http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pontiacs-rebellion-begins

Pontiac’s War (American Heritage) http://www.americanheritage.com/content/pontiac%E2%80%99s-war

http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/25374
 * Proclamation Line of 1763**

British tried to keep colonists out of land west of Appalachian Mountains British wanted to protect Indians British wanted to slow down land speculation . But many colonists had already settled west of the Proclamation Line They refused to respect the line.

Good map http://media.ourstory.com/49/79/92/b232b472b7d2a188a6e6bdb4526121588be231a5/ef038f37deb94e861ca21f8dc9e3bbaa0471d49a.jpg

Proclamation of 1763 [good] (Milestone Documents) https://www.milestonedocuments.com/documents/view/proclamation-of-1763

Proclamation Line of 1763 (Historian of the State Department) https://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/proclamation-line-1763

Proclamation of 1763 (Google Images) http://bit.ly/N8ES7C

George Washington's view on the Proclamation line (Library of Congress) http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/amrev/britref/crawford.html

Teaching the Revolution (Carol Berkin) [use for other purposes] http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/war-for-independence/resources/teaching-revolution


 * Great Website we will use**: **Coming of the Revolution (Massachusetts Historical Society)**

Let's see how it is organized.

1. Topic List http://www.masshist.org/revolution/topics.php

Each topic has accompanying documents: Example: Stamp Act []

2. Excerpts from John Rowe's Diary []

Resources: Useful Links []

Lesson plans for teachers []

Coming of the American Revolution (Massachusetts Historical Society) http://www.masshist.org/revolution/resources/useful_links.php See my Website Spotlight blog post http://thelearningprofessor.blogspot.com/2012/06/website-spotlight-massachusetts.html


 * Sugar Act** (1764)

Sugar Act (Massachusetts Historical Society) []

New British Prime Minister George Grenville He felt that colonists should pay a greater share of costs of empire. Particularly pay back costs of French and Indian War.

American protests limited largely to New England merchants Navigation Acts OK Collection of revenue not OK

Colonists' Responses to the Sugar and Currency Acts http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/makingrev/crisis/text2/sugaractresponse1764.pdf


 * Currency Act** (1764)

Currency Act of 1764 (Google Images) http://bit.ly/OZh4PF

British merchants complained that Americans were paying their debts in inflated local currencies. Currency Act outlawed colonial issues of paper money. The Sugar and Currency Acts hit an economy already in the midst of depression. Lacking any precedent for a united campaign against Parliament, Americans in 1764 took only hesitant and uncoordinated steps of protest.

Colonists' Responses to the Sugar and Currency Acts (National Humanities Center) http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/makingrev/crisis/text2/sugaractresponse1764.pdf


 * Stamp Act** (1765)

Stamp Act (Massachusetts Historical Society) http://www.masshist.org/revolution/stamp.php

Stamp Act (Stanford History Education Group) http://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/Lessons/Unit%203_Revolution%20and%20Early%20America/Stamp%20Act%20Lesson%20Plan.pdf

Modeled on a law in effect in Britain for over a century.

Three aspects to remember:

Stamp Act required tax stamps on most printed material Tax stamps had to be paid for in cash (scarce) Violators would be tried in vice admiralty courts (no juries).


 * Protests against the Stamp Act**

Colonists feeling their way.

a) James Otis:

How to combat certain acts of Parliament without questioning Parliament's authority over the colonies. He concluded that colonists had to obey British laws. Many Americans, therefore, reluctantly prepared to obey the Stamp Act.

James Otis: The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved (1764) (Milestone Documents) https://www.milestonedocuments.com/documents/view/james-otis-the-rights-of-the-british-colonies-asserted-and-proved-

b) Patrick Henry

Not all the colonists were resigned to paying the Stamp tax.

Patrick Henry did not agree with James Otis

He proposed the "Virginia Stamp Act Resolves"

These resolves protested Parliament's right to tax Americans without their consent.

c) **Despite the uproar, most Americans wanted to remain loyal British subjects and were not yet arguing for independence.**

See also:

Patrick Henry (Today in History, Library of Congress) http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/may29.html

Patrick Henry: Resolutions in Opposition to the Stamp Act (1765) (Milestone Documents) https://www.milestonedocuments.com/documents/view/patrick-henrys-resolutions-in-opposition-to-the-stamp-act

Patrick Henry: “Liberty or Death” Speech (1775) (Milestone Documents) https://www.milestonedocuments.com/documents/view/patrick-henrys-liberty-or-death-speech


 * Sons of Liberty**

Colonial elites wanted to control the protests against unpopular laws.

They created an inter-colonial association, the Sons of Liberty, to protest the Stamp Act.

In U.S. history, groups who want to protest government action often will call themselves Sons of Liberty.

References:

Sons of Liberty (Massachusetts Historical Society) http://www.masshist.org/revolution/sons_of_liberty.php

Sons of Liberty http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/sons-of-liberty

The Radicals who made a Revolution (Sons of Liberty) http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/article/sons-of-liberty

Sons of Liberty (Colonial Williamsburg) http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/winter12/liberty.cfm

Samuel Adams (Finding Dulcinea) http://www.findingdulcinea.com/features/profiles/a/samuel-adams.html

Liberty Tree http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Tree

Liberty Tree (Google Images) http://bit.ly/MVrsXX

Tarring and Feathering (History Matters) http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6806


 * Non-importation association**

The first attempts to use an economic boycott to pressure British exporters to demand repeal of the Stamp Act.

Non-Importation (Massachusetts Historical Society) []

Boston Non-Importation Agreement http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/boston-non-importation-agreement


 * Stamp Act Repeal** (March 1766)

New British Prime Minister, Lord Rockingham

He repealed the Stamp Act **not because** he believed Parliament lacked the power to tax the colonies, **but because** he thought the law unwise and divisive.


 * Declaratory Act** (March 1766)

Linked to the repeal of the Stamp Act.

Dangerous implications for the colonists.


 * Asserted Parliament's ability to tax & legislate for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever."**


 * Townshend Acts** (1767)

Townshend Acts (Massachusetts Historical Society) []

1. British officials searched for new ways to generate revenue to help pay war debts from French and Indian War.

2. The passage of the Townshend Acts drew a swift response from the colonists, who were now less hesitant and better organized.

3. Townshend Acts provided as follows:
 * Duties on goods (paper, glass, tea) imported from Britain to the colonies
 * Proceeds would pay salaries for some royal officials in the colonies
 * American Board of Customs Commissioners (based in Boston)
 * Added vice–admiralty courts in Boston, Philadelphia, and Charleston


 * Townshend Duties Repealed (12 April 1770)**

Townshend Duties Repealed/Non-Importation (Massachusetts Historical Society) []

Repeal (History.com) http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-repeal-hated-townshend-act

Parliament revoked all the duties except that on tea. (This will be a cause of the Boston Tea Party)

The other Townshend provisions remained in force.


 * Boston "Massacre"** (5 March 1770)

British troops assigned to Boston to protect Customs Commissioners.

Tensions in a military garrison town: soldiers took local jobs

Was this a "massacre"?

References:

Paul Revere Heritage Project: Boston Massacre image http://www.paul-revere-heritage.com/paul-revere-copied-boston-massacre-image.html

Boston Massacre (Today in History, Library of Congress) http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar05.html

Boston Massacre Trial (Famous Trials) http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/bostonmassacre/bostonmassacre.html See my Website Spotlight blog post http://thelearningprofessor.blogspot.com/2011/10/website-spotlight-boston-massacre.html

Massachusetts Historical Society []


 * Committees of Correspondence**

Committees of Correspondence (Massachusetts Historical Society) []

Widen geographic scope of resistance movement.

Committees of Correspondence (Paul Revere Heritage Project) http://www.paul-revere-heritage.com/committees-of-correspondence.html

Committees of Correspondence http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/committees-of-correspondence


 * Boston Tea Party (1773)**

Boston Tea Party (Massachusetts Historical Society) []

[|Tea, Taxes, and The American Revolution: Crash Course World History #28 - YouTube]

Boston Tea Party museum http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/

Tea Act http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/the-tea-act

Tea Act (May 1773)

1. Monopoly: British East India Company sell off surplus tea to America 2. Patriots were making money smuggling tea from Holland. 3. Patriots feared precedent of paying even a small tax on tea.

Tea Party itself:

Tea destroyed worth almost $1 million. Colonists refused to pay for the tea.

References:

Eyewitness account by George Hewes (History Place) []

Use of "tea party" in political symbolism []

American Patriots Carry Out Boston Tea Party (On This Day, Finding Dulcinea) http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/On-this-Day-Guests-Arrive-for-the-Boston-Tea-Party.html

Boston Tea Party museum http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/

Tea Act http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/the-tea-act

Loyal Nine http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/loyal-nine

The Secret Plan (good paragraph on the symbolism of Indian dress) http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/the-secret-plan

Participants in the Boston Tea Party http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/participants-in-the-boston-tea-party

Was brick tea tossed into Boston Harbor? http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/tea-blog/was-brick-tea-tossed-into-boston-harbor

The Aftermath http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/the-aftermath


 * Coercive Acts (1774)**

Coercive Acts (Massachusetts Historical Society) __ [] __

Intolerable Acts http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/the-intolerable-acts#

Called Intolerable Acts by the colonists

British Parliament Adopts the Coercive Acts (History.com) http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-parliament-adopts-the-coercive-acts

Americans convinced British planned to take away their liberty.


 * Port of Boston closed to shipping** until tea was paid for: "Lord North is closing the port of Boston."

a. Massachusetts Government Act

Altered the Massachusetts charter Substituted an appointed council for an elected one Increased the powers of the Governor Halted most town meetings.

b. Justice Act

British officials would be sent to England for trial.

c. Quartering Act

British military commanders could house their troops in private dwellings.

References:

Frederick North, Lord North (Victorian Web) http://www.victorianweb.org/history/pms/north.html

Intolerable Acts (1774) (Milestone Documents) https://www.milestonedocuments.com/documents/view/intolerable-acts


 * Quebec Act (1774)**

Intended to ease strains of British conquest of the former French colony.

Quebec Act map http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_Act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Province_of_Quebec_1774.gif

Catholics granted greater religious freedom. Representative assembly abolished. Canada boundary extended to Ohio River. Many American colonists coveted this land.


 * Results thus far** in the arguments between the British government and the colonies:

Colonists worried over precedents of Coercive Acts and Quebec Act. Both Acts made colonists fear that Britain had a deliberate plan to oppress the American colonies.

BUT: few people wanted to take hasty action. Most patriots remained loyal to Britain and hoped for reconciliation Colonists agreed to send delegates to Philadelphia to attend a Continental Congress to consider an appropriate response.