Revolution Begins

Pick up two sheets at Pick up two sheets at the front of the class the front of the class and do the reading and do the reading and questions for and questions for your bell ringeryour bell ringer

Boston Tea Party

-tax on tea still remained in effect

-Monopoly on tea had been granted to British Tea Company

( that means they were the only people who could sell it and it caused very high

prices) People drank tea 3-5 times a day

-Dec. 1773 colonists raided Boston harbor and destroyed the tea and burned the ships

-resulted in more troops being sent to the colonies

King George after Tea Party• I am outraged by the current actions of the colonists

of Boston. How could such injustice go unpunished? What sort of example does that set for others in our Empire? And how does that make us look to the rest of the world? It is like we cannot keep order and control in our own colonies. It makes us look weak and inferior. We must put a stop to the madness that has taken place. Very expensive British property was ruined in an act of defiance and unruliness in Boston. I cannot stress enough how we must keep order, and rule with a strong fist. My suggestion to Parliament is to act against such disrespect for Britain, and come up with a plan, to show those who go against us, that we will not tolerate these destructive displays of the defiance. I must act now before it's too late and the people begin to tell us how to run and control our own colonies.

King George III

Intolerable Acts

-Parliament passes Coercive Act to punish Boston

-Colonists called it the Intolerable acts

-closed Boston harbor: shut down colonial source of revenue, devastated economy

-suspended basic civil rights: people were arrested without being charged

-housed troops in peoples homes

(quartering act)

-Committees of Correspondence begin

1st Continental Congress

-Committees of Correspondence this group had been communicating with other coloniesthrough letters and by horse

-militias begin to formminutemen ( citizen soldiers ready in a minute)

-after Intolerable Acts they call for a meeting

-late 1774 1st meeting held in Philadelphia

-discussed rights of colonies-agreed to meet again in 1 year

Wanted to work towards a peaceful resolution/compromise with England

I just do not understand the problems of the colonists. It seems like they are trying to cause problems, instead of dealing with them. It is not like I am making their lives miserable. Sure, there are some rules they have to follow, but none more so than any British citizen. I guess if they keep playing this game of causing trouble, I will have to set up more laws and make them dislike me more than they already seem to. I am sure that their trouble-making will seem innocent enough in their eyes while my reactions will be seen with a tint of tyranny. That being the case, I still refuse to give to the demands of a few colonists when the King and Parliament have spoken.

King George III

Lexington and Concord

-April 1775

-British try to seize weapons stored in Concord (called and arsenal)

-Paul Revere, William Dawes, Samuel Prescott warn colonists

-minutemen met British at Lexington

-shots fired and colonists killed -”shot heard around the world“

-colonist conduct guerilla battle along road to Concord

Used their knowledge of the land to defeat the British

2nd Continental Congress

-May 1775

-called for an army and appointed George Washington as leader

Was dedicated to the cause of Freedom, and respected by ALL

-some talk of compromise and some of independence

People knew that England (the red coats) had the strongest army in the world, and that many lives would be lost in the WAR

Bunker Hill

-June 1775

-Colonists take hill overlooking Boston (Breed’s Hill)

-British charge the hill 3 times until colonists run out of ammo

-lots of casualties

-deadliest battle of war

-proved colonists could compete with the British army in certain situations

- Made England aware that this was going to be a long, costly war

Olive Branch

-July 1775

-2nd Continental Congress sends King George a petition to return to the peace of the past

Colonists will accept peace if they are given civil rights.

-he refuses the petition and urges the rebellion put down

Olive Branch PetitionOur most sovereign ruler,• We are writing you this petition so that the

colonies and the British Empire may return to the peace that we have so enjoyed in the past. We ask of you, that no more fighting take place between us. We ask that we may be friends again, and have that glorious freedom together. All we ask is that our objections be taken into consideration by your Highness, because it is obvious that your Highness was unaware of the tyrannical actions taken in your name. We ask this so that many lives may be spared, and so that everyone may live happily under your rule.

2nd Continental Congress

Common Sense-many colonists had loyalties that were strong to Britain- that was their ancestry, family and had been their protection

-Loyalists: People loyal to the England and the King

-Patriots: People willing to risk their lives for the cause of Freedom

Many people were in the middle, they wanted freedom, but did not want war

-Common Sense -pamphlet that urges independence for the colonies

Written by-Thomas Paine -In Jan. 1776Explained why it only made sense for the colonists to rule themselves.

Common Sense• That Royal brute of Britain… I swear that is

all I hear these days... King George this and King George that… I just do not get some people… how on earth could not gaining our independence be good… We complain of the King and Parliament’s actions everyday yet some people seem willing to do nothing about it… It is our destiny to be independent… we could trade with whoever we wanted to, for what ever we wanted, which is quite unlike our current restrictions…. and we would also be free from enemies the British have made… being independent would give us a chance to create a better society… all of this is just plain Common Sense… but some people still don't understand…. I guess I will have to help them out with some plain spoken advice.Thomas Paine