The American Revolutionary War

1775-1783

Resistance ~ Rebellion ~ Revolution

Events Leading up to the Events Leading up to the Revolutionary WarRevolutionary War

1. Proclamation Line1. Proclamation Line

a. When: 1763b. What: Imaginary line at the Appalachian Mountains

• Colonists could not move West of the Appalachian Mountains

• Native Americans could not move East of the Appalachian Mountains

c. Why: England wanted to prevent future fighting between colonists and Native Americans

Angry ColonistsAngry Colonists***********

Virginia farmers were looking for new land for tobacco

Speculators wanted to make $ on land out West

2. Sugar Act2. Sugar Act

a. When: 1764

b. Who: George Grenville – Chancellor of the

Exchequer

(British treasurer)

c. What: Sugar act was a tax on sugar• Replaced old Molasses Act• Lowered the original tax from 6 cents to 3 cents

Additional tax on wine and coffee

d. Why: England must raise $ to pay war debts

Angry ColonistsAngry Colonists***********

• Not used to paying the tax before

• or bribed tax officials

3. Stamp Act3. Stamp Act

a. When: 1765

b. What: Tax on everyday paper products

Examples: newspapers, magazines, calendars,

insurance policies, playing cards

c. Punishment: If caught not paying the tax, then tried in England with no jury

Angry ColonistsAngry Colonists***********

• Refused to buy British goods = boycott

• Formed the Stamp Act Congress to repeal the Stamp Act (1766)

4. Declaratory Act4. Declaratory Act

a. When: 1766

b. What: England’s Parliament had the power to make all laws for the colonies

Angry ColonistsAngry Colonists***********

•100 years of self-governing colonies were over!

• The Declaratory Act of 1766 asserted that Parliament:

“had, hath, and of right ought to have, full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America, subjects of the Crown of Great Britain, in all cases whatsoever.”

5. Townshend Acts5. Townshend Acts

a. When: 1767

b. Who: Charles Townshend – new Chancellor

of the Exchequer

c. What: More taxes • Examples: paper, paint, glass, lead, and

tea

Also, the English replaced all colonial port officials with English ones

Angry ColonistsAngry Colonists***********

“No taxation without representation”

6. Boston Massacre6. Boston Massacre

a. When: 1770

b. Why: Still have angry colonists: • Refusing to import British goods• Smuggling goods• Not paying taxes

c. What: England brought in troops to force laws upon colonists

Angry ColonistsAngry Colonists***********

d. event:* Colonists threw

snowballs at the British troops

* British troops fired and killed 5 colonists

e. Propaganda: Bloodthirsty British killed innocent American colonists

f. Who: Sam Adams – colonial rebel

7. Boston Tea Party7. Boston Tea Party

a. When: 1773

b. What: British East India Co. had a

monopoly on tea• Colonists were forced to buy the tea from

that company and pay a tax

Angry ColonistsAngry Colonists***********

c. event:Colonists threw

342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor

d. Who:

led by Sam Adams

8. Intolerable Acts8. Intolerable Acts

a. When: 1774

b. What: Many new English rules• Closed the Boston port• No more town meetings• British took over the taverns• Disobeying the British laws was punishable by

death

9. Quartering Act9. Quartering Act

a. When: 1774

b. What: British officials took over colonial homes