Before the WOI

Before the WOI

1. Seven year war

   • Left Britian with a £133 million debt

2. Acts

   • Sugar Act
     • 1764
     • Aim: to raise revenue
       • Duty of imported molasses reduced, with Importation of Rum banned
       • Duty on imported sugar Increased
     • Result: Resented and Ignored by the Americans
   • Quartering Act
     • 1764
     • Billet soldiers in colonies
     • Aim was to make colonials take some responsibility in defence
       • Result: Was resented as the army could have turned on them
   • Stamp Act
     • 22nd March 1765
     • Aim: to help pay off debt and pay for defence in colonies ( c. £60,000 )
       • First attempt at direct taxation. It affected everyone
       • On all Printing documents eg. Playing cards and newspaper
       • Could only be bought from a stamp commissioners appointed in each colony
     • Result: Virginia's "no taxation without representation"
       • Stamp act Congress 1765, Not VA, NH, NC, GA
         • Boycott of goods
           • Declaratory Act 1766
   • Coercive Acts
     • 1774
     • Boston harbour closed
       • British soldiers where garrisoned in locals' homes
         • Result: stocking of arms, tensions grow

3. Townshend Duties

   • 1767
   • Charles Townshend, Chancellor of the E, wanted to raise revenue
     • Resentment took 2 years
   • Not direct taxation ; aimed at imports, eg tea and china

4. Whats happening in boston!

   • Massachusetts led political opposition, all 13 colonies protest against king
     • Orders from London dissolved colonial assembles
       • Boston led Boycott against British imports
         • Mob violence against customs officials in Boston harbour
           • Sam Adams and others led Boston Gazette
             • Troops sent to Boston
               • 1769
               • Tension spilled before all duties besides tea was lifted
                 • 22 Feb suspected customs officer kills 11 year old boy, Seider
                   • Sons of Liberty turned funeral into a political demonstration
                     • 2 March, workers at rope factory attack redcoats
                       • Boston Massacre
                         • 9pm 5th March 1770
                           • Snowy night
                         • British soldier protecting customs house attacked with clubs
                           • They dared Captain Preston to fire
                             • Ice hurled at Montgomery, who fell back. He fired causing others to fire
                               • Tea act 1773
                                 • To save East India Company
                                 • To hard for Americans to sell as price was too cheap
                                 • Tea Boycotted: Philadelphia and NY sent back tea
                                   • Boston Tea Party
                                     • 1773
                                     • 3 ships entered Boston Harbour carrying 114 chests of tea
                                       • Crowds gathered daily to prevent unloading
                                         • 16 Dec, 60 sons of L disguised as Mohawk Indians emptied 342 tea crates
                                           • It was an open challenge to British Authority
                         • 5 died, 6 wounded. Dead treated like martyrs

5. First Continental Congress

   • Sept 1774
   • wanted coercive acts removed
     • First united boycott on British goods
       • Allegiance to crown but not Parliament
         • Colonies wanted right to determine their own defences
           • Result
             • George III refused to repeal C act
             • Huge increase of troops
             • Colonies continued stockpiling