events leading up to the declaration of independence #1-5

Events leading up to the Declaration of Independence

#1-5

Proclamation of 1763Proclamation of 1763

What happened: What happened:

British barred British barred settlement west of settlement west of the Appalachian the Appalachian Mountains to keep Mountains to keep settlers from fighting settlers from fighting with nativeswith natives

Result/reaction:Result/reaction:

difficult to enforce; difficult to enforce; colonists get mad, colonists get mad, move west anywaymove west anyway

Sugar Act, 1764Sugar Act, 1764

What happened: What happened: Britain put a tax on Britain put a tax on sugar and sugar and molasses entering molasses entering colonies to raise $colonies to raise $

Result/reactionResult/reaction

Colonists are angry Colonists are angry because England because England enforces this law, enforces this law, unlike earlier lawsunlike earlier laws

Stamp Act, 1765Stamp Act, 1765

What happenedWhat happened

England placed a England placed a tax on all printed tax on all printed matter; ads, matter; ads, newspapers, newspapers, playing cards, etc. playing cards, etc. had to have special had to have special stamps to show tax stamps to show tax had been paidhad been paid

Result/reactionResult/reaction

colonists claimed colonists claimed there should be there should be

“ “no taxation no taxation without without representation,” representation,” signed non-signed non-importation importation agreementsagreements

Non-importation agreementsNon-importation agreements

Date: ongoing; mainly after Stamp Date: ongoing; mainly after Stamp ActAct

What happened: merchants signed What happened: merchants signed agreements promising not to buy or agreements promising not to buy or import British goodsimport British goods

Result/reactionResult/reaction

Not all merchants Not all merchants honored the honored the agreementagreement

Some mass Some mass demonstrations got demonstrations got violentviolent

Sons of Liberty When: ongoing What happened:

committees of lawyers, merchants, artisans, politicians formed; used pamphlets, petitions, meeting and violence (tarring and feathering tax collectors)

Result/reaction Revolutionary spirit is getting stronger;

important colonists, such as Samuel Adams, participate

Stamp Act Congress, Stamp Act Congress, 17651765

What happenedWhat happened: after a lot of protests in the : after a lot of protests in the streets, delegates from 9 colonies gathered to streets, delegates from 9 colonies gathered to voice objections to the Stamp Actvoice objections to the Stamp Act

Result/reaction:Result/reaction:

more colonial unity; more colonial unity; Britain repealed the Britain repealed the Stamp ActStamp Act

Declaratory Act, 1766Declaratory Act, 1766

What happenedWhat happened: English Parliament : English Parliament asserted full power and authority to asserted full power and authority to make laws for the colonies in all make laws for the colonies in all casescases

Result/reactionResult/reaction

Colonists did not Colonists did not pay much attention pay much attention to this act, but it to this act, but it was clear that was clear that England still England still intended to tax the intended to tax the coloniescolonies

Townshend Acts, 1767Townshend Acts, 1767

What happened:What happened: England placed England placed import duties import duties (taxes) on tea, (taxes) on tea, lead, glass, and lead, glass, and dyes for paintdyes for paint

Result/reactionResult/reaction

Colonists were very Colonists were very angry, especially angry, especially because writs of because writs of assistance (special assistance (special search warrants) search warrants) were used to were used to enforce this lawenforce this law

Quartering Act, 1765Quartering Act, 1765

What happenedWhat happened: colonists were required : colonists were required to provide money to quarter (house and to provide money to quarter (house and supply) British troopssupply) British troops

Result/reactionResult/reaction

Colonists Colonists increasingly increasingly refused to refused to provide money provide money and became and became angrier at angrier at taxationtaxation

Boston Massacre, 1770Boston Massacre, 1770

Does Paul Revere’s Does Paul Revere’s engraving tell the truth?engraving tell the truth?

What happenedWhat happened: Five colonists : Five colonists (including Crispus Attucks, an (including Crispus Attucks, an African-American) were killed when African-American) were killed when shots were fired by the Britishshots were fired by the British

Reaction/resultReaction/result: Sons of Liberty : Sons of Liberty gave the event the name gave the event the name “massacre,” and poems, songs, “massacre,” and poems, songs, visuals were produced to get visuals were produced to get colonists to support the warcolonists to support the war

Other views of the Other views of the massacremassacre

Committees of Correspondence 1772 and later What happened: Samuel Adams and other Bostonians

created such committees to keep colonists informed about ways England had tried to limit their rights

Result/reaction: colonists were better informed

Tea Act, 1773Tea Act, 1773

• What happenedWhat happened: the English Parliament : the English Parliament tried to save the British East India tried to save the British East India Company from bankruptcy by letting it Company from bankruptcy by letting it sell tea directly to the colonies at a lower sell tea directly to the colonies at a lower priceprice

Result/reactionResult/reaction

• Even though prices on tea were Even though prices on tea were lower, colonists feared that the lower, colonists feared that the company would have a monopolycompany would have a monopoly

• Boycotts, protests, Boston Tea PartyBoycotts, protests, Boston Tea Party

Boston Tea Party, 1773Boston Tea Party, 1773

What happenedWhat happened: colonists dressed as Indians and : colonists dressed as Indians and threw 342 chests of tea into Boston harborthrew 342 chests of tea into Boston harbor

Result/reactionResult/reaction

Some colonists Some colonists cheered while others cheered while others were horrifiedwere horrified

Britain was extremely Britain was extremely angry and passed the angry and passed the Intolerable ActsIntolerable Acts

Intolerable Acts, 1774 What happened: England passed 4 acts 1) closed the port of Boston 2) took away Massachusetts charter and

stopped town meetings 3) allowed British officials charged with

crimes in the colonies to be tried in England 4) created a new Quartering Act THIS DEEPENED COLONIAL HOSTILITY

Quebec Act, 1774Quebec Act, 1774

What happened: What happened: England extended England extended Quebec’s boundary south to the Ohio Quebec’s boundary south to the Ohio River and granted full religious rights to River and granted full religious rights to French Roman CatholicsFrench Roman Catholics

Result/reactionResult/reaction

Colonists were angry because they Colonists were angry because they wanted that land; Protestant colonists wanted that land; Protestant colonists were upset because they did not like were upset because they did not like Catholics having more rightsCatholics having more rights

First Continental Congress, First Continental Congress, 17741774

BIG STEP TOWARD BIG STEP TOWARD COLONIAL COMMUNICATIONCOLONIAL COMMUNICATION

What happened:What happened: delegates from delegates from every colony except Georgia metevery colony except Georgia met

Result/reaction:Result/reaction: some favored some favored independence, while others wanted independence, while others wanted the colonies to stay with England; the colonies to stay with England; issued Declaration of Resolves issued Declaration of Resolves pledging loyalty but demanding more pledging loyalty but demanding more rightsrights

Pledged to meet again in May 1775 if Pledged to meet again in May 1775 if demands were not metdemands were not met

Lexington and Concord, Lexington and Concord, 17751775

What happenedWhat happened: first shots were fired between : first shots were fired between the British and colonial minutementhe British and colonial minutemen

Result/reactionResult/reaction

A lot of debate between PATRIOTS and A lot of debate between PATRIOTS and LOYALISTS at the Second Continental LOYALISTS at the Second Continental CongressCongress

22ndnd Continental Congress Continental Congress

What happenedWhat happened: met : met in Philadelphia in May in Philadelphia in May 17751775

Result/reaction: Result/reaction: elected George elected George Washington as Washington as commander of a new commander of a new army to defend the army to defend the colonistscolonists

Battle of Bunker Hill, June 1775Battle of Bunker Hill, June 1775

What happened: What happened: the colonists lost control the colonists lost control of two hills by Boston Harbor when they of two hills by Boston Harbor when they ran out of ammunitionran out of ammunition

Result/reactionResult/reaction

British took the hills, but suffered a lot of British took the hills, but suffered a lot of casualtiescasualties

Colonists were undecided about Colonists were undecided about independence and some still tried to make independence and some still tried to make peace with Englandpeace with England

Olive Branch Petition

What happened: colonists send a petition to the King pledging loyalty and asking for his help in ending the conflict

Reaction/result: the king rejected the petition and sent Hessians (German mercenaries) to help defeat the Americans