Transcript From Empire to Independence: 1754-1776

From Empire to
Independence: 1754-1776
Part I
An Overview of the issues that
led to Independence
The British and French Fight for
and Empire
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Longtime enemies, their final struggle
occurred in North America.
The French and Indian War was fought
from 1754 to 1763.
The winner would control the Ohio River
Valley and access to Canada
Far from home, both sides needed allies.
Differing Motivations…..
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The British believed the French were trying to
“fence” them in and limit their access to the
West.
The French believed that if the British crossed
the Appalachians, it would ruin their lucrative
fur trade in the Ohio River Valley and
Southern Canada.
Native Americans groups were opportunists siding alternately with both the French and
the British to preserve their self interests.
Colonists wanted access to the Ohio Valley
and agreed to help the British.
Who fought Who?
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Ultimately more
Indians sided with the
French who were less
interested in changing
their habitat.
The Colonists sided
with the British who
promised access to
the Ohio Valley.
An end and a Beginning
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In 1763 the French
surrendered
They lost all of their North
American possessions
except Martinique and
Guadeloupe
The British, with
substantial aid from the
Colonists were victorious
The Treaty of Paris
marked the formal end to
the war
The British now dominated North
America
They would now try and dominate the Colonists as well!
Review Quiz 1
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What were the differing points of view that
helped lead to the French and Indian War?
Why did more Indian cultures support the
French?
What were two reasons for the colonists support
of the British?
How much land did France retain in North
America?
How do you think the war influenced relations
between the Colonists and the British?
FROM LOYAL SUBJECTS TO
REVOLUTIONARIES
FROM LAW ABIDING BRITISH CITIZENS
TO TERRORISTS
FROM COLONISTS TO INDEPENDENCE
WHY?
PART II – THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE
REMEMBER THIS?
The Proclamation of
1763 forbade colonists
from moving west of the
Appalachians.
They had been
promised this land in
return for service in the
F&I War.
Times had changed, attitudes had
changed
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During the next 13 years
a series of events would
occur that would sever
ties of loyalty and lead to
Revolution
The British wanted to
dominate the colonists
The Colonists would have
none of it
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The Stamp Act, The Tea
Act, The Currency Act,
The Quartering Act, The
Coercive Acts, The
Intolerable Acts, The
Boston Massacre
Sons of Liberty, The
Boston Tea Party,
Lexington and Concord,
Richard Henry Lee’s
resolution, and finally…,
The Declaration of
Independence
Key Ideas and Events on the
Road to Revolution!
Proclamation of 1763
 The Boston Massacre
 The Stamp Acts
 American Nationalism
 The Boston Tea Party
 Lexington and Concord
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The Proclamation of 1763 Closed
the Ohio Valley…Why?
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Pontiac’s rebellion was a
united Indian movement
against British Rule.
The British had neither
the manpower or the
money to protect the
Colonists
The Colonists saw it as
the British reneging on a
promise to allow
expanded colonization
A series of events follows…
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Taxes and restrictions
build Colonial
Resentment
Various Stamp Acts
cause the price of
imported goods to rise.
The Quartering Act forces
Colonists to provide
Room and Board for
British Soldiers
Tax stamps placed on Goods
King George III is Blamed
The Boston Massacre
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March 5, 1770
Sam Adams had
been drinking with
some “friends” in a
bar
He convinced them to
go taunt the guards at
the Boston Customs
House
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The “mob” began to
throw ice and rocks at
a guard
British soldiers came
to his aid
In self defense they
fired into the mob
The Result….
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Sam Adams has
engraver Paul Revere
immortalize the event
Revere adds women and
children to the Crowd to
gather revolutionary
support
Coined as “The Boston
Massacre”
Lawyer John Adams
defends the soldiers
The Soldiers are
acquitted
American Nationalism
Colonists are now more American
than British
 British Soldiers looked down upon
them
 They had different interests
 A unique culture had evolved
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The Boston Tea Party
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December 16, 1763
In response to the Tea
Act
Led by Samuel Adams
The “Sons of Liberty”
destroy a shipment of
Tea by throwing it into
Boston Harbor
The British respond by
closing Boston Harbor to
all trade – strangling
Boston
The First Continental Congress is
convened!
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September 1774
Colonists agreed to
boycott British goods until
Boston Harbor was
reopened
A List of Demands and
Grievances is sent to
King George
The Colonists unite in
prayer
Lexington
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Encouraged by the Continental Congress,
Minutemen stockpiled munitions
April 18, 1775 – Gen. Gage marched 700 British
troops towards Concord, Mass. 21 miles from
Boston with instructions to seize the munitions
Along the way at Lexington, they encountered
70 Minutemen
Although the Minutemen agreed to disperse, a
shot was fired (the shot heard round the world)
The British responded killing 8 Minutemen
Concord
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Upon arrival in
Concord the British
found little useable
munitions.
The Colonists had
been warned.
The March back to
Boston was a disaster
About 4,000 Minutemen
ambushed the British Soldiers
along the march back to Boston
Who really won these first
battles?
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Now what would George do?
The British had defeated
the Colonists at
Lexington and Concord
The Colonists humiliated
the British along the
march back to Boston.
Guerilla tactics had
stymied the Red Coats.
Dozens were killed
Lexington and Concord began
the Revolution in 1775
What other events fed into the
Revolutionary attitude of the
time?
Common Sense
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Written by Thomas Paine
in 1776
It clearly stated the logic
behind the Revolution
Should an island govern
a Continent?
What good are Kings?
It sold about 150,000
copies
1 for every white man in
the colonies
Independence?
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Formally introduced
as a resolution by
Richard Henry Lee in
June of 1776
Who would write such
a document?
Wouldn’t it be an act
of Treason?
The Declaration of Independence
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Thomas Jefferson is
credited with writing
the first draft
John Adams, Ben
Franklin, Robert
Livingston, and Roger
Sherman assisted
July 4, 1776
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After much debate over
specific language, the
Continental Congress
ratified the Declaration.
Heavily influenced by
John Locke and other
Enlightenment thinkers, it
became the cornerstone
of American Liberty.
Review Quiz 2
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List 3 specific disagreements between the
Colonists and the British
Why were the events at the Boston
Massacre altered?
When was the Declaration of
Independence written in relation to the
Revolutionary war?
I Really hope this helped clear
this stuff up!!
Where would we be without the
Greek ideas about Democracy?
And here we are today!!