*1. Mercantilism

*Policy of encouraging exports and discouraging imports – pushes imperialism

*Navigation Acts – would not allow Americans to ship things to other nations which would ensure a British monopoly over colonies

*British Action:

*Designed to crack down on colonial smuggling

*Search warrants that allowed British officials to search any place, seize anything at any time

*Colonial Response:

*Outraged the merchants of Boston

*British Action:

*Designed to keep trade in England and support mercantilism

*Colonists could only trade goods with England

*All colonial ships must stop in a British harbor before going to another country

*Colonial Response:

*Ignored them (profitable to trade with other countries)

*Salutary Neglect (relaxed enforcement for continued loyalty)

*2. Taxes

*Used to pay war debts from the French & Indian War

*1765 Stamp Act – tax on virtually everything paper (newspapers, wills, cards, etc)

*Virtual Representation – colonists had no representation in parliament so argued “no taxation without representation” – British government argued the colonies were a part of the British empire and parliament made laws for the good of the empire therefore the colonists were virtually represented

*Colonists began boycotting goods under the Stamp Act until repealed*Townshend Acts – 1767 – a tax on all imports*“Boston Massacre” in 1770*Tea Act 1773 – led to the Boston Tea Party*After the Boston Tea Party, King George III enacted the Coercive Acts – 1774*Colonists called these The Intolerable Acts*Restricted colonists rights including fair trial by jury*Allowed soldiers to search homes*Allowed quartering of soldiers

Class Discussion: Why would quartering soldiers make colonists angry?

*Using 40 words or less take one of the acts discussed in class today and create a small newspaper article about the act. You can be either for or against the act.

*The writing should be in column form. There should be a catchy heading to grab the attention of the reader.

What side is this cartoon supporting? How are the colonists being treated according to the political cartoon?

*Colonists response to the Coercive Acts*September 1774 – 12 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia*Georgia did not – governor was loyal to the King & colonists wanted support of British soldiers to fight Creeks

*Sent a letter to King George III demanding restoration of their rights. *Representatives voted a ban on all trade with England till the Intolerable Acts were repealed. Also, colonies to start training soldiers.*This is the 1st time colonies acted together

Site of the 1st Continental Congress

*British response – sent more soldiers which set off the Revolutionary War

*Parliament also did not repeal the Intolerable Acts, but added more restrictions

*Colonist began to get ready to fight and formed militias.

*Militias- an army of ordinary citizens.

*Colonial militias were called Minutemen because they needed to be ready to fight in a minute’s notice.

*Patrick Henry’s famous speech “Give me liberty, or give me death!”

*Colonists started a spy network to get information on the British.

*English spies found out that Minutemen were hiding guns and ammo at Concord and headed there on April 18, 1775

*Paul Revere and his Midnight Ride warned the Minutemen that the British are coming. *Revere was captured in Lexington, but let go without his horse thus ending his ride.

*Regarded as the first battles of the Revolutionary War*Lexington – 70 minutemen waited for 750 British – resulting in 18 American casualties and 1 British casualty*Concord – minutemen began firing on the British – 250 British casualties & 100 American casualties *Shot heard around the world!*British retreated to Boston and the Revolutionary War began April 19, 1775.*Americans divided on two sides.*Loyalists- colonists who supported the British (Tories)*Patriots- colonists who supported freedom from British rule

*May 1775 – Philadelphia – deliberated on next steps

*January 1776 – Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense – influenced many colonists to join the side for independence

*It is only common sense that we be independent

*Taxation without representation

*Ability to self rule – Self Determination

*Economically hurt colonies – Mercantilism & Navigation Acts

*King George III is 3000 miles away – Salutary Neglect

*Revolutionary propaganda – ideas spread deliberately to help a cause

*By 1776, more than half of the members of Cont. Congress agreed with Paine on breaking away from England

*Halifax Resolves – April 12, 1776 - North Carolina becomes the first colony to call for independence (pg. 783 in book)

Site of the 2nd Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention

*Thomas Jefferson wrote the document*Influenced by Thomas Paine – reasons for independence*Influenced by John Locke – Natural Rights*Influenced by Jean Jacques Rousseau – All men are created equal*4 parts*Preamble – Introduction*Declaration of Rights – explained rights that all people should have*List of Grievances – all that King George III did to the colonists*Formal Declaration of Independence

*Approved on July 4, 1776*A nation is born with war to follow

*Revolution was unavoidable*1st Battles – NY & NJ*British plan – separate the New England states*Well led troops, well equipped & well trained*Enough money*Large Navy & extra help through German mercenaries - Hessians

*Americans – defending their homes*No navy*Little experience, not equipped *Well led – General George Washington*No clothing/uniforms/food

*Colonists – surprise attacks & ambushes

*British – wait for supplies & unpopular war

*Valley Forge – tough winter before the French joined

*Turning Point of war – Battle of Saratoga

*Surrender of 6,000 British soldiers

*More importantly was that the French joined the American effort

*1/3 of Americans supported the war

*1/3 were indifferent

*1/3 were Loyalists

*African Americans – controversial to allow them to fight – slaves were recruited in the end

*Native Americans – urged to attack settlers by the British

*Women – while active in the war, could not participate politically in the new nation.

*British couldn’t win the loyalty of Southerners

*Spain entered the war on American side

*Surrender at Yorktown, Virginia in October 1781

*Treaty of Paris, 1783 – Officially ended the American Revolution