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American Revolution (Events (Proclamation act (colonists viewed the…
American Revolution
Events
Proclamation act
colonists viewed the proclamation act of 1763 lead as means of limiting natural expansion and a way of ‘keeping the colonies poor’, saving this land for imperial use later on. this spurred revolutionary sentiment.
The proclamation of 1763 prohibited settlement of Indian territory west of the Alleghenies, but almost no one took it seriously." (Fishman)
Boston Massacre
The events of March 1770 were labelled the ‘Boston Massacre’ or ‘the Bloody Massacre of King Street’; rumours were circulated that it was an intentional act, sanctioned by royal officials and that more of the same was planned for other colonial cities who dared resist a military presence
“Anti-British opinion was inflamed with broadsides and pamphlets, such as ‘A Short Narrative of the Horrid Massacre in Boston’," (Manninng)
Boston tea party
Coming as it did after a decade of colonial defiance of British policy, it would be too much to bear for the parliament in London . It was a pivotal example of gesture politics which would force Westminster to take the sterner action many of its hardliners had been calling for.
“The Boston Tea Party is now an iconic event suffused with myth, but below the surface is the story of a true act of revolution, carried out in a context of power politics” (Raphael)
Coercive Acts
These acts led to paranoia, escalation of revolutionary tensions and military mobilisation in the colonies. The eventual outcome was the skirmish at Lexington-Concord in 1775 and war between Britain and the American colonies.
"The standard textbook definition goes something like this: To punish Bostonians for the Tea Party, the British government passed the Coercive Acts… People outside the town responded by coming to the aid of their beleaguered compatriots." (Raphael)
Powder Alarms
Displayed a distrust of the monarchy and escalated the recruitment and organisation of ‘minute companies’, who were specially chosen for their ability to gather and fight at a moment’s notice.
"The aftermath of the Powder Alarm, seven months before the first battles at Lexington and Concord, heralded the coming outbreak of hostilities." (Johnston)
Continental Congress (1, 2)
The delegates did agree though on several principles: that the British had no right to tax the American colonies while they were not represented; that British legal and political interference in the colonies was unconstitutional; and that the Quebec Act was in direct contravention of the rights and the interests of the existing British colonies. They drafted the Articles of Association, which outlined these grievances in a series of petitions
"The more moderate delegates [of the first Congress], including Joseph Galloway, argued that the colonial system was salvageable..." (Axelrod)
Lexington and Concord
Was the beginning of the Revolutionary war (1775-1783), more than 300 people on each side had been killed. When General Gage awoke on the morning of April 20, he found Boston surrounded by dozens of militia companies which had marched on the city overnight to take revenge on the ‘redcoats’. The colony of Massachusetts, already in a state of rebellion, was now in a state of war.
The fight at Lexington was brief and embarrassing for the few minutemen present. But hundreds, and then thousands of militia were headed into the area, and by the time the advance British force reached Concord, it was in trouble
French and Indian War
The war changed the situation which required a change in policy; it would be this policy shift that would bring on a rebellion.
"Suspicion and resentment, a growing sense of difference, a tug of loyalties between the local community and the larger empire – these were the unexpected outcomes of a glorious victory.” (Berkin)
Revenue raising acts
Stamp act
From the aristocracy down to out-of-work sailors scrambling for pennies in Boston, colonists rose up against this new tax with a unity never before seen in America. The main colonial argument was based not on the tax itself but on the principle of the parliament passing a new revenue tax over a people who enjoyed no representation in that parliament.
"The new tax raised, as Grenville had intended, the basic issue of parliamentary sovereignty over the colonies." (Cogliano)
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Townshend duties
ceased the importation of British goods, seeking alternatives where possible and going without where necessary. Existing Sons of Liberty chapters or local communities signed non-importation or boycott agreements, pledging not to buy British goods and to avoid traders who sold them. Even gatherings of women, normally excluded from political meetings and activities, rallied to this cause and signed boycott agreements Colonial assemblies also backed the non-importation pacts and agreed to resist the duties and their collection in whatever ways were possible.
"1. That the Americans in general never disputed the controlling power of this kingdom to regulate their trade. 2. That regulation attended with an internal tax would be objected to. 3. That they would not object to a duty laid upon imports, considering the sea as belonging to Great Britain.” -
tea act
non-importation or boycott agreements were forged, as in the wake of the Townshend duties in 1767-8. Women pledged not to drink the king’s “vile Bohea”; their husbands talked tougher. This would be achieved by non-compliance, harbour strikes and, if necessary, violence. The scene was set for yet another confrontation between the British and her colonists.
"For the Americans the issue was one of self governance. Whoever levied taxes got to call the shots – including how to spend the money.” (Raphael)
currency act
Currency would remain a biting problem all through the revolutionary period, particularly during and after the War of Independence.excessive printing of paper currency without the gold or the commodities to support it results in deterioration in the value of those notes and hyperinflation
colonists complained that the act deprived them of a useful medium of exchange [and was] imposed on an economy already in the midst of depression.” (norton)
Sugar Act April 5 1764
The Sugar Act actually decreased the customs duty from sixpence a gallon down to threepence, in order to make the tax more palatable; however it also imposed new duties on a range of other goods imported from non-British sources: wine, cloth, indigo, coffee and others. Writs of assistance were granted to customs officials
"doubt was expressed about the Parliament’s right to levy taxes upon people who were not represented.” - (Howell H. Gwin)
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Groups
Sons of Liberty
involved in several revolutionary events (boston tea party, stamp act riots)
There are others… who for the vain purpose of creating a temporary importance to themselves take pleasure in producing disorder in the machine of government, and wickedly seek occasion to endanger the shipwreck of the commonwealth." (loyalist pamphlet, 1771)
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Patriots
the Patriots – who must do the converting, the changing of men’s opinions to suit a new order of things which the revolutionaries believed necessary for their own and their country’s welfare.” (Van Tyne)
Ideologies
Natural Rights
John Lockes Natural rights set the groundworks for the American revolution, inspiring many revolutionary documents and sentiment.
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Republicanism
Form of government whose main tenets are popular sovereignty, rule of law, and representative democracy.and thus inspired the creation fo documents such as the American Constitution.
Enlightenment Ideology
Enlightenment ideology set the groundworks for the American revolution, inspiring many revolutionary documents and sentiment.
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Documents
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articles of confederation "firm league of friendship" "ridiculous and contemptible" - Washington"
Failed to provided national government with insufficient muscle to deal with economic problems" Morris