After the French and Indian War

The Results

The Frontier

• Area west of the Atlantic coastline colonies where fur traders and forts were the only sign of life.

• Backcountry: frontier region between coastal settlements and Appalachian Mts.

• Pioneers- people who first settle and area– In danger of attacks from American Indians

Frontier Cont…

• Ohio River Valley– Good area for farming (rich soil)– Large forests, good hunting– Britain now controlled, not France

• French used to give Indians gifts, British won’t– “I do not see what the Crown should be put to

that expense.”

Pontiac’s Rebellion

• Tribes united against British• Chief Pontiac of Ottawa-leader• May 1763-battle began by

Pontiac attacking British frontier forts– Fort Detroit (political and trading

center)– Defeat at Fort Pitt led Pontiac to

surrender (1766)– Pontiac Rebellion Clip

Proclamation of 1763

• Pontiac’s Rebellion caused much concern in the British government– Feared fighting would continue to take the place if

British continued to enter Indian land

• Proclamation banned any further British settlement west of Appalachian mountains., creating a dividing line between colonial and Indian lands.

• Ordered colonists who moved there to move back to the East coast.– Many people ignored (ex. Daniel Boone)

George Grenville, Prime Minister

• Needed to find a way to pay GB taxes from war

• British were already heavily taxed so he decided to tax those in America, since they did not have to pay as much

Sugar Act

• 2 Major Expenses:– Outstanding War debt– Large standing army in America

• Sugar Act – set duties (taxes) on molasses and sugar imported by colonists.– 1st law passed by Parliament that was

designed specifically to raise money in the colonies

Currency Act

• Parliament banned the colonies from printing their own money.

• Meant to prevent colonists from paying taxes or debts in colonial currency, which British thought was unreliable.

Other New Laws

• Smugglers– All merchants needed to list goods they carried on

ships– Needed to have lists approved before leaving to

ensure they paid their duties (taxes)– Navy searched boats

• Legal system Changes– Vice admiralty courts tried smugglers– Court with no jury assumed guilt until proven innocent

(opposite of normal courts!)

“Taxation without Representation”

• James Otis– One of first colonists to discuss the issue of

unfair taxation– Wrote essay attacking Sugar Act

• Said neither Crown nor Parliament could “take from any man any part of his property, without his consent in person or by representation.”

• Believed no one asked colonies if they wanted taxes, there were no representatives, therefore the tax was unjust and violated colonial rights.

Taxation continued…

• Samuel Adams– Local leader who agreed with

Otis– Said Parliament could not tax

the colonies without permission– Colonists followed both Otis and

Adams• This is where “No taxation without

representation” quote began

Taxation Cont…

• Committees of Correspondence– Created by the Massachusetts House of

Representatives– Committee contacted towns and colonies to

share ideas and info about British laws and how to challenge them

– Boycott: refusal to buy certain goods• Refused to not buy British clothes or other goods

until England lifted the new taxes

Stamp Act

• Grenville heard complaints of Sugar Act• Proposed Stamp Act, passed in March of

1765. – Required colonists to pay for an official stamp,

or seal, whenever they bought paper items such as newspapers, pamphlets, licenses, legal documents, and playing cards.

– Tax collectors sold stamps and turned proceeds over to British

– Don’t buy – you go to court

Stamp Act Continued

• Grenville thought this was similar to taxes in Britain

• Colonists saw Act as the first law of Parliament that directly taxed the colonists to raise money. Angered by this.

• Felt that if they could directly tax the colonists on Stamps, they could do it again and again – anytime!

• Stamp Act Clip

Colonial Reaction

• Virginia Resolution – only the VA legislature had the right to tax Virginia; protested the Stamp Act

• Sons of Liberty– Secret colonial

societies that used violence to frighten tax collectors.

Patrick Henry

• Virginian who presented many resolution ideas to the House of Burgesses in May1765.

• Stated that the Stamp Act violated the rights of the colonists as British citizens.

• Was accused of Treason, to which he responded “If this be treason, make the most of it.”

Congress Steps In

• After Patrick Henry’s speech, 9 colonies attended the Stamp Act Congress in New York (Oct 1765)– They met to issue a declaration that claimed

the Stamp Act violated their rights and liberties

– Parliament abolished the act

– BUT….

Declaratory Act

• The Stamp Act may have been repealed, but Parliament passed a new one!

• Declaratory Act: Parliament had the right to make all laws affecting the colonies in America

• Pitt became Prime Minister again, which made the colonists happy, but when he becomes ill, a new man, Charles Townsend, takes over.

Townsend Acts

• Passed in June 1767, placing a duty on imported glass, lead, paints, paper and tea.

• Crown used revenue from these to pay military expenses and governor salaries

• Writs of assistance – legal papers allowing British soldiers to enter any home in search of smuggled goods– Colonists believed this took too much power away from colonial

government and gave it to royal officials– Feared best interests of colonies was at stake– Responded with another large boycott on British goods– Daughters of Liberty –women who played key role in the

boycotts by making other goods at home instead of buying British ones. Met to sew, support boycots, and discuss political issues.