Causes of American Revolution
Stamp Act 1765
The Stamp Act was introduced to pay for the cost of the French and Indian war. It was the first direct tax on the American colonies. Newspapers, pamphlets, bills, legal documents, almanacs, dice and playing cards were taxed. The colonists were infuriated because they felt they should be taxed only by their own government. The Sons of Liberty formed to oppose the Stamp Act and used violence and intimidation to fight against it. Samuel Adams lead the group in Boston. October 1765 representatives from nine colonies met in New York and sent a petition to King George and Parliament asking for the Stamp Act to be repealed. The petition stated taxation without representation violated their basic rights. The colonist refused to use the stamps when the Stamp Act went into effect November 7 1765.
The Stamp Act Stamps
http://ushistoryimages.com/stamp-act.shtm
The Townshend act
The townshend act was introduced because the English Parliament was cutting british land taxes. To compensate for the loss in money Charles Townshend promised to tax clonists. The act taxed goods such as paper, red and white lead, glass, paints, tea shiped from england. The tax were very unpopular with the Colonists, so they protested the tax, and they restarted the boycott on english items. Sam Adams wrote a letter to oppose taxation without representation. The letter asked colonists to rised up against the british. Lord hillsborough, secretary of state ordered the colonists to stop assembling to talk about Sam Adams methods. New hampshire, connecticuit, and new jersey approved the method. The govenor shut down the general court and because they refused to repeal the approval of the letter. Residents were told to bear arms incase they had to fight british soldiers that were increasing the a lot. George mason wrote a set of resolutions, the list opposed taxation without representation, it also opposed british plans to try colonists in england. The colonists united in their opposition to the Townshend Acts. King George III had to send more troops to keep control. The townshend acts except taxes on tea were repealed in march 1770.
Colonists protesting the townshend acts
https://rootsoftherevolution7-3.wikispaces.com/The+Townshend+Acts
The Boston Massacre
The massacre started because of conflict between colonist and bitrish soldiers. They began to throw snowballs and rocks, Private Hugh Montgomery was hit by a club thrown from the crowd. Soon other British soldiers started firing wildly. Three colonists died instantly and two more died later from the injuries. Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, james Caldwell, Samuel Maverick, and Patrick Carr all died and six other people were injured. Crispus attucks was probably the first man killed in the massacre. The captian and the soldiers were arested and charged with murder. Two soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter. The captain and the four other soldiers were found not guilty. The Massacre increased the hatred between the colonies and britain.
The boston massacre
http://ushistoryimages.com/boston-massacre.shtm
The Boston Tea Party
The english Parliament passed the Tea Act, so the East India Company could sell goods to the colonies without paying taxes. This meant the company could sell their tea cheaper than colonist merchants. The tea act did not impose any new tax on tea. It would still be taxed the three-penny per pound, but the price of tea would go down. The colonists were angry because it gave the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales. They decided to restart the boycott of tea. The women who drank most of the tea joined the boycott. The colonies united in a way they hadn’t before. They stoped the Company from docking their ships in colonial ports. Colonists met to discuss what they are going to do to oppose the tax. Colonists forced British tea agents to leave the colonies. The people of Boston met and decided to do what they did in Philadelphia. They tried to get their British tea agents to resign, but they refused to decided to send the tea on one ship back to England without paying tax. The Royal Governor of Massachusetts didn’t agree and ordered the customs officials not to let the ship sail from the harbor. At night fifty men dressed like Mohawk Indians and walked the streets, someone blew a whistle. The men headed for the harbor and boarded the three ships. They broke into the chests and threw all the tea overboard. They marched back through the city and headed for the Liberty Tree. In the morning colonists went to the shore and crushed the tea leaves, this became the destiny of most ships that decided to force their way into harbors. The colonists refused to pay for the tea they had destroyed.
The destruction of the ships and the tea
http://ushistoryimages.com/boston-tea-party.shtm#
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were passed in 1774. There were three major acts involved. The Boston Port Bill closed the Boston Harbor people of Boston paid for the tea. The Administration of Justice Act, which said British soldiers could not be tried in the colonies for any crimes, this meant soldiers could do anything they wanted and not be punished for their crimes. The Massachusetts Government Act restricted town meetings to one a year. The governor would appoint all the officials, juries and sheriffs. The Quebec Act, this act extended the Canadian borders. The Quartering Act, this requires authorities to provide housing and supplies for the British troops.Impartial Administration of Justice Act gave British troops freedom from the law. So just like Administration of Justice Act, British troops could do whatever they wanted. These laws made the people and all the colonists very angry. The Boston Port Act helped to bond the colonies because they needed supplies until the port. The Intolerable Acts also helped the colonies bond together. They joined together in boycotting British goods. This prepared the colonists to declare their independence.
The First Continental Congress
Every colony sent representatives except Georgia to the First Continental Congress. They did not want the British to know that the colonies were uniting. 44 delegates met in Carpenter’s Hall. Peyton Randolph of Virginia was chosen president. Joseph Galloway suggested they work out a way that the colonies could find freedom, but not many delegates agreed. They wrote a list of basic rights they wanted and a list of complaints. They signed a petition demanding the Intolerable Acts be repealed. John Adams thought the First Continental Congress was like a school. George Washington, Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry were all part of this Congress. Benjamin Franklin was in England. They wanted to stop all trade with Britain until their demands were met. Patrick Henry said: “I am not a Virginian, but an American.” John Adams’ wife, wrote him to warn him. This showed the men at the Congress that the people were ready to stand behind their decisions. The men adjourned the Congress and decided to meet in may at philidelphia. King george III answered: “The die is now cast. The colonies must either submit or triumph.” Patrick Henry said “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! ”
The first continental congress meeting in philidelphia
http://www.historycentral.com/Revolt/Cont.html
The Components of The American Revolution
The battle of lexington and concord
KIng george told General Thomas Gage to use forse when necessary to make certain the british rule was matained in the colonies. The men in massachusetts were known as minute men because they always ready the fight, the colonist called them selves the patriots. April 1775, Gage heard theat the patriots had gathered weapons in concord, He ordered his soldiers to go to concord and take the weapons, they went through lexington to look for Sam Adams who they wanted arrested. The vritish march into lexington on april 19 and were met by 70 minute men. the british fired two volleys, the minute men scattered, but eighteen were killed. The british marched into concord, but very little happened there, on their way back to Boston they were shot at by minute men. The british were caught between the sea and the patriot millitia, 73 british died and 247 were wounded or missing, and the minute men lost 93 soldiers. Gage decided he would not use force until he got reinforcements.
The Battle of Lexington And Concord
http://www.kidport.com/reflib/usahistory/americanrevolution/lexingtonbattle.htm
Map of The Battle of Lexington and Concord
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Lexington_and_Concord
The battle of bunker hill
the british led by General William Howe had a strong presence in Boston, they needed to fortify a possition by taking control of dorchester heights and the charleston peninsulas. On june 16 1775, colonel Isreal Putnam and Colonel Samual Prescott led the patriots, their mission was to settle in at bunker hill but they ended up on breeds hill. on june 17 1775 the british immediatly attacked, Howe led his men on the assult on the ground. The first two times the british attacked it was unsucesful but the third time they were more sucesful, it was a very costly battle, 226 british were killed and 828 were injured, only 145 americans died and 274 were injured and 30 were captured. Major General Joseph Warren was killed, he was respected as much as John and samual adamshe was a president at a congress in 1775. The americans are more confident and they believed they could fight the british rule and win.
The battle of bunker hill
http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/battledetail.aspx?battle=5
Map of the battle of bunker hill
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bunker_Hill
Common Sense
in 1776 americans tryed to negotiate with brittain to resolve the taxation without representation. Thomas paine wrote common sense in january but wasn’t published until february. he explained people must fight against unfair and unjust ways. there was no other way to protect their rights but to declare independance. thomas paine was an englishman and was probably prejudice but he started to show more desire to fight for freedom for the laws of king george.
Front cover of the common sense pamflet
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Sense_(pamphlet)
declaration of independance
Between the first and second congress many events happened, like the battles of lexington and concord and the fight against the oppressive taxation and laws. There was a debate to declare independance and risk a war or try to negotiate with king george. they had offered the “olive branch petition” but king george refused, Common sense changed a lot of peoples minds to declare independance. the patriots had a build up of artillery at dorchester and a victory at Charleston when they fought against admiral Howes navy. thre was frustration because some of the patriots didn’t want independance. On june 7 1776 Richard Henry Lee made a proposal that the colonies declare independance. congress appointed five men led by Thomas Jefferson to write the declaration. they agreed that Thomas jefferson was the best writer so he wrote the declaration. personal liberty was the basic theme, and things that king george did were also on it. congress debated that aceptance on july 2 but most thought it was premature. South carolina, pennsylvania, delaware and new york were against it, but a delegate in changed delewares vote. later 12 colonies voted to declare independance, new york abstained.
The declaration of independence
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence
Battle of trenton
in the battle of new york the patriots suffered heavy losses, and a lot of equipment was destroyed. General Howe had a large army supported by the navy. General Washington had an army of only 500 men, they needed uniforms weapons, and equipment, plus they did not feel victorious. Washington needed to keep his men’s morales up.
december 25 1776, Washington crossed the delaware river to trenton, new jersey, which was protected by Colonel Johann Gottlieb Rall. Rall and his men were german, they were called hessians. Washington thought they would be celebrating christmas. hessians were not expecting a weak continental army and that they were protected by the frozen river, thre groups crossed, and attacked on december 26, the hesians were drunk. using suprize as their greatest weapon they captured 900-1000 prisoners. at nght they continued on to princeton, new jersey. the continental army took their captives ammunition, equipment and food.
The original map of the battle of trenton
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/battles/battle-of-trenton.htm
battle of saratoga
The colonist troops had a strong defence, and Major General Burgoynes had to retreat to saratoga, they had suffered 600 loses and the patriots lost 150 men. Burgoynes surrendered to the patriot army. the battle at saratoga was a major turning point. the british goal of taking the north died. the french joined the patriots against the british army, the pariots knew that they were more confident coming of the battle.
The revolutionary war in the south
in december 1778, the british army under Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell captured savannah, georgia, then on january 1779 Brigadier General Augustine and his 2000 men took control of Auguta, the british continued their victories and in may 1780 they recaptured charleston, they let continentals captured in charleston free. in august 1780 british took control of another major city called camden, the patriots finally won a battle at kings mountains, january 1781 General Greene defeated the british at the battle at cowpens, Cornwallis retreated north, and another battle at guilford courthouse on march 15 1781 which the british won. in april 1781 the colonist were defeated at hobkirk by the brittish led by lord Rawdons, and again in september 1781 at eutaw springs, by Colonel Alexander Stewart, both times the british technically won but were retreating each time.once the british were limited to charleston the continentals were going to attack yorktown.
The battle of yorktown
at the battle of guildford court house, british nor americans won. the battle of yorktown was important because it was the last battle of the revolution. cornwalis left the carolinas. washington wanted to attack new york, but the british men stayed in yorktown. on october 1781 Lieutenent Colonel Alexander Hamiltondelivered a letter from washington to cornwallis, he wanted to stop the useless effusion of blood, cornwallis realized there was no hope for his army. on october 19 1781 the british officially surrendered to the americans, there were still some minor fights because there were loyalists. on april 1782 the british house of commons voted to stop the war
The Consequences Of The American Revolution
Loyalists
20% of the 13 colonies remained loyal to britain. 25,000 loyalists fought on the british side and were involved with the most of the battles in north america. 62,000 loyalists left the u.s. and went to different british colonies like Quebec, PEI, and nova scotia and the new colonies of upper canada (now ontario) and new brunswick were created for the loyalists. Loyalists played a large role in canadian society and government, in this way the american revolution played a big role in creating two north american countries.
Treaty of paris
The treaty of negotiated between britain and america to end the war and recognized american independance. Britain recognized america’s independance, they also gave fishing rights for the coast of newfoundland, they gave territory from the allegheny mountains to the mississippi river, doubling the size of the nation. The U.S. used their powers to stop the prosecution of loyalists and restore the confiscated during the war.
Last page of the treaty of paris http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Paris_(1783)
Constitution 1789
The U.S. constitution is the central instrument of goverment and the supreme law of the land. It outlines the structure and power of the three branches of parliament (executive, legislative, and judical) and 3 levels of government (federal, state, local). The basic principles include: 3 branches of government are seperate and are balanced by the other two, the constitution is supreme, all persons are equal before the law as are all states and all states must democratic and respect the laws, the people can change the constitution by methods outlined within it.
Page one of the original constitution http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Constitution
Bill of rights 1789
The first ten amendments to the constitution became the bill of rights and represent ideal individual liberty, limited government, and the rule of law.
The american bill of rights
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights
Worldwide Influence
The revolution spread ideas of liberty, individual rightsand equality to the rest of the world. The example of the first revolution against a european empire, and the first establishment of republicans form of democratically elected government, provided a model for other colonial people who realized they could break free and become self governing countries with directly elected government. The american revolution influenced and inspired more revolutions around the world, such as france in 1789. The american declaration of independence had an impact on the french Declaration of the rights of man and the citizen in 1789.
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