The Seven Years’ War in America
· The Albany Conference of 1754
o British officials wanted the colonies to consider a collective response to the continuing conflict with New France and the Indians of the interior.
o The conference adopted Benjamin Franklin’s Plan of the Union, which proposed that Indian affairs, western settlement, and other items of mutual interest be placed under the authority of one general government for the colonies, consisting of a president-general appointed by British rule and a Grand Council, legislative body that makes laws and raises money. This plan was rejected.
· Colonial Aims and Indian Interests
o There were three flash points of conflict in North America
§ Northern Atlantic Coast
· Fortress of Louisburg (France) reinforced subsequently; known as the Gibraltar of the New World.
§ Border region between New France and New York (Niagara Falls to Lake Champlain)
· Canadians and New Yorkers were competing for the Indian Trade; the French could not match the superior English goods so the attacked. The Iroquois Confederacy held the advantage.
§ Ohio Country (the trans-Appalachian region along the Ohio River)
· The Ohio River was important for France’s Mississippi trade empire and the expanding English population was fast approaching.
o The British made the port of Halifax in Nova Scotia to counter the French Louisburg.
o The Iroquois were hoping to play off one European power against the other, because if either of the European powers had an overwhelming victory their position would be greatly undermined.
· Frontier Warfare
o Colonel George Washington lost to a French Force near the Monongahela River at Fort Necessity.
o The British then sent two Irish regiments led by General Edward Braddock to attack that area while the colonial militia attacked New York frontier.
§ Both offensive strikes failed completely and Gen. Braddock was killed.
o After Braddock’s defeat Britain and France went into full-scale warfare.
§ The war in Europe was called the Seven Years’ War and the war in NA. was called The French and Indian War.
o The lack of cooperation between the colonies was catastrophic, because it hindered Britain’s ability to mount a successful counterattack. When British commanders did try to take control they only angered the local commanders.
o The British got made at the Acadians, because they would not fight against France, and as a result kicked them out and sold their land for cheap prices to immigrants from New England. Many of the Acadians ended up in Louisiana under Spanish rule where they became known as Cajuns.
· The Conquest of Canada
o In 1757 William Pitt became Prime Minister of Britain.
o Pitt used Prussia to fight the war in Europe so that he could focus British troops in NA. He told the colonists that the King’s money would now fund the war, which won him their support.
o He then amassed a North American force of over 50,000 men to fight against Canada, 20,000 were British troops.
o To get rid of the threat that the Indians posed they promised the m some land and specific boundaries after the war.
o Pitt’s plan was successful. In 1759 the British attacked Quebec and were successful although both side’s commander (Brits=James Wolfe, French=Marquis de Montcalm) died.
o Montreal fell the very next year and so ended the NA Empire of France.
o Britain then destroyed the French ships in NA, invaded Havana, and took Cuba as well as several other Spanish and French colonies in the Caribbean Sea.
o The Treaty of Paris gave Britain all of France’s land in NA east of the Mississippi except NO, and Spain gave them Florida. NO and the rest of the stuff Britain did not take from France went to Spain.
· The Struggle of the West
o Indians were mad that France gave away their land and Britain was harsh and uncaring for the Indians whose lands they were taking.
o The Indian Chief Pontiac and his followers attacked the British. The British decided that biological warfare would be the best way to go and “graciously” gave small pox infected blankets to the Indians.
o Pontiac’s Rebellion as it came to be known ended in a stalemate.
o The Royal Proclamation of 1763 set aside an “Indian Country” where the Native Americans would live.
o The colonists were outraged by the fact that Britain would set aside land for the Indians and some like the Paxton Boys turned to violence against the Indians.
o Britain gave up and let the colonists move west.
o Britain asked the Indians for land in Indian Country and the Indians gave them lands that were either already being settled or lands that were away from their own settlements to avoid another conflict that in their weakened state they could handle.
o Despite the Indians best efforts the colonists grew impatient, greedy, and aggressive and started conflicts with the Indians for more land.
The Imperial Crisis in British North America
· The Emergence of American Nationalism
o The end of the Seven Years’ War left the colonists proud of their place I the British Empire.
o From 1735 to 1775 trade with Britain double and commerce in the colonies improved by a factor of 4.
· The Press, Politics, and Republicanism
o A case against a New York printer in 1735, John peter Zenger, led to freedom of speech.
o Intercolonial coverage increased six-fold in the four decades before the revolution; Newspapers brought together the colonies.
o Newspapers printed papers of the radical Whigs of 18th century England. They warned of the threat to liberty posed by the unchecked exercise of power.
§ These ideas came to define the view point called republicanism, a view point that had increasing popularity in the colonies.
· The Sugar and Stamp Acts
o The cost of troops in NA led Britain to seek new revenue in the form of more and higher taxes.
o The sugar act was passed in 1764 and it lowered the duty from 6pence to 3 pence per gallon on foreign molasses and increased the restrictions on colonial commerce.
o Opponents of the taxes linked it them to larger issues of political rights.
o Some argued against them on the basis that the taxes were much lower in the motherland.
· The Stamp Act Crisis
o The Stamp Act was passed in 1765 and it put a tax on stamped paper, publications, playing cards, etc.
o Colonist argued against taxation without representation, but the British argued that colonists had virtual representation (meaning that the members of parliament represented the colonies as well as their own districts). The colonists responded saying they wanted actual representation (meaning they would actually elect people for their representation).
o The Stamp Act led to numerous protests in the form of pamphlets, boycotts, etc.
· Repeal of the Stamp Act
o To put pressure on Britain the colonist began a Nonimportation movement where they would stop buying goods from Britain.
o This pressure led to Britain’s repealing of the Stamp Act.
o The Declaratory Act was coupled with the repealing of the Stamp Act and it gave Parliament the authority to legislate for the colonies.
o This act made it clear to the colonists that the conflict had not been resolved, but only postponed.
“Save Your Money and Save Your Country”
· The Townsend Revenue Acts
o Charles Townshend, Chancellor of the Exchequer, took Pitt’s place as Prime Minister when Pitt became sick and retired.
o England faced problems such as unemployment, price riots, and tax protests. Townshend passed the Revenue Acts, putting taxes on tea, lead, paint, paper, and gas in the colonies to bring in revenue without further angering citizens in the motherland.
o A lawyer in Pennsylvania, John Dickenson, posed as a farmer in his articles about the taxes, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania.
o The colonists’ fears of oppression were strengthened when Townshend began to enforce the new Revenue Acts strictly.
o Despite colonial outrage at this time to sentiment for independence existed.
· Nonimportation: An Early Political Boycott
o New York and Boston merchants launch nonimportation and nonconsumption movements in response to the Revenue Acts.
o In 1768 and 1769 newspapers put a great deal of focus on women’s support of the boycott.
o The nonimportation movement was strengthened when the Virginia House of burgesses enacted the first provincial legislation banning the importation of goods enumerated in the Townshend Acts
o Response to the revenue Acts was intense and overwhelming.
· The Massachusetts Circular Letter
o Massachusetts was at the center of the agitation over the Townshend Revenue Acts; The MA House of Representatives approved a letter drawn up By Samuel Adams, second cousin of John Adams. The letter served as a call to action for the colonies to Harmonize with each other.
o Some of the other colonies (NJ, NH, and CT) commended Massachusetts and Virginia even issued their own Circular Letter.
o John Hancock, who was the wealthiest merchant in the colonies and spoke against the British measures, was targeted by customs officials for not paying duties. The customs officials that seized Hancock were attacked by colonists.
o As a response to assaults such as this the British occupied Boston with infantry and artillery regiments on Oct. 1, 1768.
· The Politics of the Revolt and the Boston Massacre
o The Sons of Liberty were a group of radicals that would erect “liberty poles” and had many conflicts with soldiers.
o After the NY assembly bowed to Townshend and voted to support the soldiers the Sons of Liberty erected a large Liberty Pole. The soldiers chopped the pole down, cut it into pieces and left in front of a tavern frequented by members of the Sons. This led to a large riot in which several men were wounded.
o Confrontations also happened in Boston; an 11 year old boy was killed by a customs officer that fired on a group of rock-throwers. That heightened tensions.
o The Boston Massacre: On March 5, 1770 a crowd of people started calling a soldier names in front of the Customs House and so a captain and seven soldiers came to his rescue, but were pelted with snow balls and rocks. In response the soldiers began to fire without orders. Five of the crowd fell dead, and six were injured, two of which died later.
o On the same day as the Boston Massacre many of the Townshend Revenue Acts were repealed. As a show of Parliament’s supremacy the tax on tea was not removed.
From Resistance to Rebellion
· Intercolonial Cooperation
o The colonies began forming committee’s to share information and work together with the other colonies.
o In 1773, a set of letters sent by Hutchinson set off a conspiracy theory that created a torrent of anger from the colonies.
· The Boston Tea Party
o The colonists were a major consumer of tea, but when Britain passed the Tea Act, the colonists stopped buying the tea and the East India Company fell to the brink of bankruptcy.
o Tea importers were thought of as enemies of the country in the colonies.
o When a tea ship arrived in late November Governor Hutchinson refused to let it leave the harbor. On December 16, 1773 thousands crowded in a church to see the captain report to Sam Adams. Adams signaled a group of 50-60 men, dressed as Indians, to board the ship and dump 45 tons, worth £10000, into the harbor.
o As word spread of what had happened in Boston other colonies followed their example and had their own “Tea party.”
· The Intolerable Acts
o In response to the BTP parliament passed the Coercive Acts, known to Americans as the Intolerable Acts.
o The Coercive Acts consisted of:
§ Boston Port Act- stopped ships from unloading in Boston Harbor until the town compensated the East India Company.
§ Massachusetts Government Act- delegates of the upper house would be chosen by the King.
§ Administration of Justice Act- protected British officials from colonial courts.
§ Quartering Act of 1774- people had to house British shoulders.
o The Quebec Act was passed in 1774 and it appointed a government for Canada, enlarged the boundaries of Quebec, and confirmed the privileges of the Catholic Church.
o In response to the Intolerable Acts, the colonists created the Committees of Correspondence to keep Americans informed about British measures that affected the colonists.
o The replacement of Boston officials with men chosen by the king was a “Hostile Invasion” in the eyes of the colonists.
· The First Continental Congress
o Delegates from most of the colonies met in 1774 to respond to the Coercive Acts
o The Congress endorsed the Suffolk Resolves, adopted the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, and agreed to establish the Continental Association.
o All of the delegates agreed that the Intolerable Acts were unconstitutional.
o They sought to impose a set of sanctions against the British.
o They urged the creation of Committees of Observation and Safety.
· Lexington and Concord
o On September 1, 1774, General Gage sent soldiers to seize stores of the Massachusetts Militia’s ammunition.
o The Massachusetts committee of safety created special units called minutemen that were ready at a moment’s notice.
o Pitt tried to convince parliament not to attack again, but he was overruled.
o On April 18, 1775 General Gage attacked the ammunition stores in Concord.
o The colonists brought reinforcements to Lexington and vastly outnumbered the British.
Deciding For Independence
· The Second Continental Congress
o Opened on May 10, 1775
o May15: Congress put the colonies into a state of defense.
o June 15: George Washington was nominated to be commander-in-chief.
· Canada, the Spanish Borderlands, and the Revolution
o The colonies sent soldiers to Canada to eliminate the possibility of an invasion from that quarter, but this also killed the chance of the Canadians joining them in an anti-British effort.
o The British Navy prevented the colonists from talking with assemblies in the Caribean.
o Many Spanish Floridans in Cuba supported American independence.
o In 1775, Spain adopted Havana’s recommendations and declared a policy of neutrality in the coming war.
o However the Spanish secretly sought to support the Americans.
o The ability to do this came when Americans went to Spanish New Orleans and requested that they sell weapons to the patriots.
o Havana and NO became important American supply centers.
· Fighting in the North and South
o The Americans were forced back from Canada.
o The British were forced out of Boston and were pushed to Halifax.
o The Americans turned back the British assault in Charleston.
· No Turning Back
o 2nd Cont. Congress formed the American Navy and declared British ships oped to capture.
o The French joined Spain in supporting America.
o Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, reshaped American thinking and was one of the most important pieces of writings from this era.
o The Declaration of Independence announced and justified the breaking of the colonies’ allegiance to Britain.
· The Declaration of Independence
o Written by TJ with some changes by other members of the 2nd Cont. Congress
o Approved on July 4, 1776 with to dissent.
1. B
A was the 2nd cont. congress. C was the 2nd cont. congress to. D: That came later. E never happened.
2. E
The war in Europe led to conflicts between colonies in NA held by the countries involved in the war.
3. D
Basically, because of European competition, both France and England wanted to extend their "world empires" into the Ohio River Valley. And each recruited Indian tribes (the original inhabitants) to fight on their side. Although struggles for supremacy had been going on for many decades between France and England in the New World, hostilities intensified in the early 1750's as both English and French settlers had attempted to colonize land in the Ohio River Valley, near present day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The English settlers, who had moved northwest from Virginia, and French settlers, who had moved east from the Great Lakes, or south from Canada, each thought they owned the rights to the land.
4. C
The Treaty of Paris gave Britain all of France’s land in NA east of the Mississippi except N.O., and Spain gave them Florida. N.O. and the rest of the stuff Britain did not take from France went to Spain.
5. E
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 set aside an “Indian Country” where the Native Americans would live.
6. C (I Think)
Not A, because we still treated the natives terribly and had slaves. Not D, that’s a command economy. Not E, because that’s what Britain had, a monarchy. Maybe B.
7. C
Colonist argued against taxation without representation, but the British argued that colonists had virtual representation (meaning that the members of parliament represented the colonies as well as their own districts). The colonists responded saying they wanted actual representation (meaning they would actually elect people for their representation).
8. A
B and E came later. D was rare and when it happened it was not really planned. C: yes, but the boycotts were more effective.
9. E.
It was fear and tension combined with terrible misfortune. It really wasn’t anybody’s fault so that eliminates most of the wrong answers. This wasn’t the thing the colonists most upset.
10. C
Textbook
11. A
B did not happen. C is wrong. D: Britain had many casualties. E: the militia responded quickly to the attacks.
12. E
A+D: 1776 B+C: Wrong
13. E
Several of them were influential, but none as much as Common Sense.
14. A
B: they had plenty in common with the British. C: Extreme exaggeration. D+E: The White Man was still considered above women and blacks.
