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The Iroquois Policy of Neutrality |
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The Iroquois confederacy had first developed their Policy of Neutrality in 1701 and maintained it during Queen Anne's War and King George's War. |
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| The Albany Congress was a group of seven northern and middle colonies who gathered in Albany, New York in June of 1754 in response to the French threat. They sought to persuade the Iroqois to abandon their tradition neutrality and join the colonies. The succeded with neither. |
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| The war was begun in July of 1755 when a group of French and Indians ambushed British and colonial troops near Fort Duquesne. Britain officially declared war against France in 1756. |
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| William Pitt was a civilian official who, in 1757, was placed in charge of the war effort He gained greater American support for the war by agreeing to reimburse the colonies for their wartime expenditures and placing troop recruitment wholly in local hands. |
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| The Treaty of Paris formally ended the Seven Years War. In the treaty France ceded its major North American holdings to Britain, and Spain gave up Florida. This gave Britain control of the fur trade. |
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| The proclamation was issued in October of 1763 but the governing ministry. The proclamation destinguished the Appalachian Mountains as the temporary western boundary for colonial settlement. |
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| George III had to deal with the massive war debt left from the Seven Years War. He constantly replaced his ministers and was stubborn. He was determined to assert the monarchy's power. |
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| George Grenville became prime minister in 1763 and decided to get rid of the war debt by taxing the colonies. He believed that Parliament represented ALL British subjects including the colonists who could not vote. |
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Individual Representation |
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Individual representation, or direct representation, was the notion that the people were connected directly to those that they elected. |
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| The Real Whigs was a group of British writers who believed that good governments remained relatively disconnected from the people and generally feared large governments. They were mostly concerned with the abuses on the rich, elitist societies in the colonies. |
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| Virtual representation was the idea that the colonist could be represented indirectly overseas in Britain. Parliament thought that they were virtually representing the colonies even though the colonies themselves couldn't vote. |
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The Sugar Act was passed in 1764 and laid new duties on foreign imports to the colonies. The main point of the tax was to discourage American rum distillers from smuggling French West Indian molasses. |
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| The Currency Act (1764) effectively outlawed colonial issues of paper money because British merchants complained about being paid with inflated local currency. This act deprived the colonist of a useful medium of exchange because they didn't have much sterling since they imported more than they exported. |
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| The Stamp Act was issued in 1765 and was considered Grenville's more important proposal. This tax affected almost every colonist by requiring tax stamps on most printed materials. It thus affected the upper class and merchants the most because they printed the most. Most importantly this law would breal the colonial tradition of self-imposed taxation. |
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| Patrick Henry was a lawyer serving his first term in the Virginia House of Burgesses. He wrote the Virginia Stamp Act resolves when no one else in the legislature would oppose the new tax. The resolves consisted of seven proposals, although the House only accepted four of them and rejected the five most radical ones. |
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| The Loyal Nine was a Boston social club of printers, distillers, and other artisans who organized themselves to demonstrate against the Stamp Act. Their main hope was to show people that people of all social classes opposed the new act and sought to unify the North and South ends of Boston in demonstration, |
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Andrew Oliver was the stamp distributer of Boston. After an effigy of him was hung by demonstrators on August 14, Oliver publicly promised not to fulfill the duties of his office. |
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Thoman Hutchinson was the Lieutenant Governor of Boston whose house was destroyed by a crowd during a demonstration. This actiondrew no praise from Boston's respectable citizens. |
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The Sons of Liberty was an intercolonial association organized in early November of 1766. It was composed of merchants, lawyers, and prosperous tradesmen. The SOL could influence events but lacked the power to control them. |
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Charleston Demonstrations of October 1765 and January 1766 |
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| In Charleston in October of 1765, a group of demonstrators forced the resignation of the south Carolina stamp distributor. In January of 1766, local slaves paraded through the streets crying "Liberty!" This horrified the Sons of Liberty because freedom from slavery was not the type of freedom the elite slaveowners had in mind. |
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The Stamp Act Congress consisted delegates from nine colonies who met in New York in October to draft a unified but conservative statement of protest, stressing economic considerations rather than issues of American rights. |
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| The Townshend Acts were proposed in 1767 and would be levied on trade goods such as paper, glass, and tea. Created by the new Prime Minister, Charles Townshend, the duties seemed only to be a continuation of the Navagation Acts. The acts violated mercantilist theory and also funded the salaries of some royal officials in the colonies. |
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Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania |
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Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania was a series of essays written by a prominent lawyer John Dickinson. It contended tht Parliament could regulate colonial trade but could not exercise that power to raise revenue. |
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Women changed their public rituals after the non-consumption and non-importation movement by refusing to drink tea. |
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| The Daughters of Liberty was a womens version of the Sons of Liberty. They encouraged home manufacturing by meeting in public to spin in an effort to |
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The Non-importation and Non-consumption Movement of 1768-1770 |
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The Sons of Liberty and other American leaders took action to campaign against the Townshend duties by telling people not to purchase or consume British products. |
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| The riot was caused after British customs commissioners seized John Hancock's sloop Liberty on suspicion of smuggling. The riot convinced the British that the colonies were out of control and troops were necessary to maintain order. |
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| The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770. It happened outside of the Customs House as laborers demonstrated against the decision to base the American Board of Customs Commissioners in Boston. Five Americans were killed. |
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Committees of Correspondence |
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| a committee to publicize decisions by exchanging letters between Massachusetts towns. Sam Adams pushed the committee to create an agreement over the “Rights of the Colonists” and the “Infringements and Violations” against the colonies |
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| proposed Committees of Correspondence and was a tax collector, a member and clerk of the Massachusetts assembly, and ally of the Loyal Nine, and a member of the Sons of Liberty. He stressed a collective action by all colonists. |
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The Boston Statement of Rights and Grievances |
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| made by the Committees of Correspondence, states that colonists have right to life, liberty, and property (Locke-like). Grievances include taxation without representation, the presence of unnecessary troops and officers on American soil, expansion of vice-admiralty courts, and the use of imperial revenues to pay colonial officials. Place American rights first and loyalty to Britain a far second |
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| designed to save the East India Company, states that East India Company is the only source of Tea for colonies. Would cause Tea to be cheaper, however the Tea would still be taxed under Townshend law. Some believe it is device to make them admit to Parliament’s right to tax them, others think it is attempt to create East India Company monopoly over colonial trade. |
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The Boston Tea Party – Thomas Hutchinson and Bostonians will not be tea be unloaded, but ships are also not allowed to leave harbor. Sam Adams wants ships sent back to England, but Hutchinson will not allow. Eventually, sixty men dress as Indians after a rowdy town hall meeting and dump the tea from the ships into the harbor (10,000 British Pounds worth of tea) |
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The Coercive (Intolerable) Acts |
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| Orders port of Boston closed until Tea is paid for. Massachusetts Government Act substitutes appointed council for the elected one and increases governor’s powers, also forbidding most town meetings. The Justice Act was that a person who committed a murder suppressing a riot could be tired outside the colony where the murder occurred. The Quartering Act allowed military officers to commandeer privately owned buildings to house their troops. |
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The First Continental Congress |
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| 55 delegates meet in Philadelphia representing all colonies but Georgia. Have three issues: Defining American grievances, developing a plan for resistance, and articulating their constitutional relationship with Great Britain. Develop Congress’s Declaration of Rights and Grievances. |
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The Declaration of Rights and Grievances |
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| Americans would obey Parliament but only because it was in all’s best interest and colonists would resist all taxes in disguise (such as the Townshend Acts). |
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The Continental Association |
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| calls for non importation of British goods, non consumption of British products, and non exportation of American goods to Britain and the British West Indies. Designed to boycott and petition the king for relief. |
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Committees of Observation and Inspection |
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| Congress recommends election of local committees to observe and inspect colonists the oversee boycott. Eventually become de facto governments by publishing names of merchants who continued to trade with Britain, having people watched and limiting their movements, etc. Committeemen became local leaders of American resistance. |
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The Resistance Movement of Nova Scotia and Britain's Caribbean Colonies |
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| decide to support mother country due to economical and political needs. Neither has reason to believe they are better off independent. |
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| 1/5 of the European American population remains loyal to Great Britain. Consists of those who oppose Patriot leaders and merchants who rely on Britain for trade. Up to 100,000 loyalists left their homes as British troops did, preferring to stay with Britain than to live in an independent America. |
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| A Virginian lawyer who was assigned responsibility for writing the declaration of independence. Was widely read in history and political theory. Was well known for his lavish writing style and eloquent word choice. |
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Lord Dunmore's Proclamation |
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| Virginia Governor Lord Dunmore offers freedom to slaves who leave masters to join British army. Effects economy by making plantations less efficient and also adds manpower. Congress modifies policies and allows African Americans to join the regular American army. |
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William Dawes, Paul Revere, and Dr. Samuel Prescott |
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| sent to rouse countryside and alert “rag-tag” militia to be ready when British arrive at Lexington. |
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The Battles of Lexington and Concord |
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| British troops sent to seize weapons stockpile at concord. After a conflict in Lexington leaves 8 American militiamen dead, the British move onto Concord. Many militiamen stand ready at Concord and use guerilla tactics to win a lopsided victory. 272 casualties and 70 British deaths VS. 93 American casualties |
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The Battle of Breed's (Bunker) Hill |
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| British remain in Boston and American militiamen gather around city. British attempt to advance on Charles town and suffer greatest losses of war: over 800 wounded and 228 killed. Although Americans are forced to abandon their positions, they capture a huge victory. |
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The Second Continental Congress |
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| Americans have Second Continental Congress assume mantle of intercolonial government, although at first intended to consider ministry’s response to Continental Association. Congress authorizes printing money, a foreign affairs committee, and strengthens militia. CREATES CONTINENTAL ARMY AND APPOINTS GENERALS. |
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| The 2nd Continental Congress appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief with unanimous decision. A southerner is chosen to unite colonies. Washington was calm, conservative, and respectable. Looks and acts like leader and needs to prove himself after loss in French Indian War. |
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| replaces General Gage, and after Continental Army gains cannons from Ticonderoga he decides to move troops from Boston to New York. March 17, 1776 is known as evacuation day in Boston. |
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| Tomas Paine writes a pamphlet that sells tens of thousands of copies. The pamphlet is written by a radical English printer who only lived in America for 2 years, but calls for independence. Paine calls for Republic, a government run by the people with no king or nobility. |
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The Declaration of Independence |
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| Concentrates on George III instead of parliament. The Declaration accuses king of attempting to destroy representative government and of oppressing Americans. Uses God and laws of nature as reasons for the rights of America. The declaration actually is committing treason, but is a huge statement by the 2nd Continental Congress. |
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| Aimed to defend Manhattan, but inexperienced Continental Army loses city. Washington retreats across New Jersey and the British Troops face little resistance. |
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| British lose advantage with citizens because New Jersey redcoats go on a rampage of rape and plunder. Washington decides to strike back and moves under a winter storm across the Delaware River. Wins a huge victory at a Hessian encampment in Trenton. Washington gains command of field after battle at Princeton and sets up winter quarters at Morristown, NJ. |
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| The Crisis was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in response to the continued victories of British troops vs. American troops. "These are the times that try men's souls" -Thomas Paine |
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The Battles of Trenton and Princeton |
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| George Washington led his army across the Delaware River to attack a Hessian encampment at Trenton on December 26. This was seen by many as one of the most important turning point battles of the war. At Princeton a few days later, Washington attacked again and won raising American spirits greatly. |
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Howe's Philadelphia Campaign |
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| Sir William Howe took Philadelphia but spent so much time moving his troops that Washington had ample to time to set up a defense. Although the British won both of the two fights and took Philadelphia in late September, the Patriots had held out for the campaign season. |
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Burgoyne's New York Campaign |
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Burgoyne took Fort Ticonderoga easily and continued on to Bennington, Vermont where the American militia wiped out nearly 800 German mercenaries. |
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General Horatio Gates surrounded Burgoyne near Saratoga, New York and on October 17, 1777 Burgoyne surrendered his entire force of more than six thousand men. |
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| Benjamin Franklin traveled to Paris in late 1776 and worked tirelessly to strengthen ties between the two nations. He used simplicity to play up the image of Americans as virtuous farmers and in 1778 the two countries signed two treaties, the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and the Treaty of Alliance. |
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The Franco-American Alliance |
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| The Franco-American Alliance was initially brought on by the Battle of Saratoga and was officially signed by France and America in 1778. It established that neither would negotiate peace without consulting the other and secured the fact that France would abandon any claim to Canada and to North American territory east of the Mississippi River. |
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Camp followers were civilians who followed in the wake of armies to help them to service their needs while they were in camp. |
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Esprit de Corps Among Officers of the Continental Army |
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The esprit de corps, or morale, of the officers in the Continental Army was the intense sense of pride and commitment to the revolutionary cause. |
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Endemic Diseases in the Continental Army |
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| Smallpox especially was a large factor in the survival of soldiers in the army especially after it spread through the northern countryside in 1774. Washington ordered that all new recruits be inoculated in early 1777. |
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| Sir Henry Clinton was Howe's replacement and oversaw the regrouping of British forces in America. In 1778 he sent a convoy that successfully captured the island of St. Lucia. He then attacked Charleston and won it on May 12, 1780. |
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In late 1779, Clinton sailed down the coast from New York to Charleston. Although the Americans held out for months, on May 12, 1780, General Benjamin Lincoln surrendered the entire Southern army. |
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| Appointed by Washington to command the southern campaign. Greene realized that they would only be able to win support if the southern people believed that the patriots could bring stability to the region. He persuaded South Carolina to pardon those who had fought for the British if they would now join the patriot militias. |
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| Cornwallis went to Yorktown to fortify it and await supplies and reinforcements. Washington saw the opportunity and south to Yorktown. After a French fleet defeated the Royal Navy Vessels sent to relieve Cornwallis, he was trapped. On October 19, 1781 Cornwallis surrendered. After hearing the news Parliament voted to cease offensive operations in America and authorized peace negotiations. |
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| The Newburgh Conspiracy in March of 1783 was a threatened mutiny of the armies officers. They planned to mutiny because they had yet to be adequately paid by Congress. Washington defused the crisis with his speech about their patriotism. |
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| The preliminary peace treaty was signed by France in Paris in November, 1782. Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and John Adams, dealing directly with Britain, and the treaty was formally signed on September 3, 1783. It granted Americans unconditional independence. |
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