THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 1775-1783

Introduction:
The American Revolution is generally considered one of the most important revolutions in human
history due not only to the founding of the United States but also to its influence on other
countries who later fought for the right to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. The
American Revolution, grown out of the colonies’ frustration with British rule, has been seen by
historians as an encouragement to others to throw off the burdens of colonialism or an oppressive
government. Yet, the American Revolution proved difficult. Not all Americans wanted to be
independent of Great Britain. The war brought suffering to many, both to soldiers on the front lines
and to their families back home. Our Founding Fathers could agree, after much debate, on the need
to break from Britain, but then found themselves in disagreement as to what the new nation should
be. Their struggles over conflicting ideas shaped our nation.
What is a Revolution?
According to Merriam-Webster,
A revolution is: a: a sudden, radical, or complete change
b: a fundamental change in political organization; especially: the overthrow or renunciation of one
government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed
c: activity or movement designed to effect fundamental changes in the socioeconomic situation

Therefore, from the above definition, it can be translated as:

A revolution is a fundamental change or a complete and forcible overthrow and replacement
of an established government or political system by the people governed.
Or
A revolution is a sudden, complete, or radical change in Socioeconomic order in favor of a
new system.

Why do they take place and why do we study revolutions?

Revolutions are complex processes that emerge from the social order becoming damaged/failed
in many areas at once. Typically, revolutions take the form of organized movements aimed at
effecting change—economic change, technological change, political change, or social change.
The people who start revolutions determine the institutions currently in place in society that have
failed or no longer serve their intended purpose. Because the objective of revolutions is to
upturn/remove established order, the characteristics that define them reflect the circumstances of
their birth.
There are five elements that leads to revolutions to take place are:
1.Economic or fiscal strain - government resistance to reform, a rapid deterioration in economic
conditions or standards of living.
2.Alienation and opposition among the elites - they provide a fertile intellectual ground in
which the seeds of revolution can germinate/spread.
3.Widespread popular anger at injustice where people can undermine or erode faith in the
ruling class.
4.A persuasive shared narrative of resistance or an act of violence against the people.
5.Unfavorable international relations including disastrous wars or military defeats.
Revolutions are born when the social climate in a country change and the political system does not
react in kind. People become discouraged by existing conditions, which alters/changes their values
and beliefs. Over the course of history, philosophers have held different views as to whether
revolutions are a natural occurrence in a changing society, or whether it indicates social decay.

The Big Idea on the American Revolution:

Immigrants came to America from countries all over the Atlantic world and Europe. As they
settled, they borrowed ideas and customs from one another. This borrowing and sharing helped
to bring the colonists together. In time, disagreements about principles of government led the
colonists to seek and establish their own identity and independence from Britain.
The American Revolution was a time when the British colonists in America rebelled
against the rule of Great Britain. There were many battles fought and the colonies gained
their freedom and became the independent country of the United States. The American
Revolutionary War lasted from 1775 until 1783.

13 Colonies

Before the American Revolution, there were several British Colonies in the Americas. Not all of
them participated in the revolution. There were 13 colonies which ended up rebelling. These
were: Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts,
Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, and Rhode Island.

The colonists played an active role in helping the British secure victory in the French and Indian
War. Despite this victory, Great Britain was unwilling to give the colonists the rights they
wanted/yearned for and felt they deserved as part of their “rights of Englishmen.”
More grievances for the colonists were caused with the passage of several acts and taxes such
as the Stamp Act, Sugar Act and many other infamous laws. Many acts and taxes were
imposed on the colonists without their consultation, leading to the famous slogan of “No
taxation without representation.” Though neither side wanted a fight, war between the
colonies and Great Britain became increasingly likely. The fate of the colonies was sealed on
July 4, 1776, and would not be resolved until Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown
on October 17, 1781, marking the end of the American Revolution. The colonists—English no
more—were independent Americans.

French and Indian War/Seven Years’ War, 1754–63

The French and Indian War was the North American conflict in a larger imperial war and part of
an ongoing struggle for colonies between Great Britain and France known as the Seven Years’
War. The French and Indian War began in 1754 and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763.
The war provided Great Britain enormous territorial gains in North America, but disputes over
subsequent frontier policy and paying the war’s expenses led to colonial discontent, and
ultimately leading to the American Revolution.

Several wars between the Colonists and the British monarchy took place such as the Battle at
Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill took place before the formal Declaration of Independence
by the Colonists.

The Declaration of Independence, largely written by Thomas Jefferson, is a key document in

American history and one that students should recognize and understand.

The alliance with France was pivotal to the Americans winning the war.

The Causes of the American Revolution:

1. French and Indian War/Seven Years’ War, 1754–63-The French and Indian War put
the British crown in debt. In order to increase revenues, meet the costs incurred in the war
and also for expanding British Empire. Britain taxed the colonies. It imposed the Sugar
Act in 1764, and, one year later, it added the Stamp Act. Colonists protested and resented
the added taxes which ultimately led to war.
2. No Representation in the British Government by Colonists- One of the main reasons
that the colonists rebelled against Great Britain is that they felt they were not represented
in the British government. The British government was making new laws and taxes on
the colonies, but the colonies had no say. They wanted to have some say in the British
government if they were going to pay high taxes and have to live by British law.
3. British Taxation system to the colonists (Townshend Acts in 1767)- In another effort
to raise money and exert its authority over the colonies, Britain established
the Townshend Acts in 1767. This series of acts placed taxes on tea, lead, paint, paper,
and glass imported to the colonies. The acts were resisted through violence, deliberate
refusal to pay, and hostility toward British agents leading to war.
4. Colonists’ Resistance - Colonial opposition to the British grew, and the British sent
troops to Boston, Massachusetts. As punishment for the colonists’ resistance, the British
Parliament enacted four measures known as the Intolerable Acts. These unfair Acts and
 taxes further united the colonies and provided justification for organizing the
First Continental Congress in 1774.
5. Intolerable Acts - After representatives for the colonists called on Britain to cancel the
Intolerable Acts, Britain responded by sending more troops. Fighting ensued, and the
colonies officially declared independence on July 4, 1776.
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest that occurred on December 16, 1773, at
Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. American colonists, frustrated and angry at
Britain for imposing “taxation without representation,” dumped 342 chests of tea,
imported by the British East India Company into the harbor. The event was the first
major act of defiance to British rule over the colonists. It showed Great Britain that
Americans wouldn’t take taxation and tyranny sitting down, and rallied American
patriots across the 13 colonies to fight for independence.

First Continental Congress Is Convened

Many colonists felt Britain’s Coercive Acts went too far. On September 5, 1774, elected
delegates from all 13 American colonies except Georgia met in Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia
for the First Continental Congress to figure out how to resist British oppression.

The delegates were divided on how to move forward but the Boston Tea Party had united them
in their fervor to gain independence. By the time they adjourned in October 1774, they’d written
The Declaration and also Resolved that:

• The Coercive Acts imposed by the British should be repealed and British goods should
be boycotted.
• Colonies had the right to govern themselves.
• Colonies should form and train a colonial militia.

Britain didn’t capitulate and within months, the “The first shot was heard round the world,” in
Concord, Massachusetts, sparking the start of the American Revolutionary War.

War

War didn't happen right away. First there were protests and arguments. Then some small
skirmishes between the colonists and the local British army. Things just got worse and worse
over the course of years until the colonies and Great Britain were at war.

Independence

Each colony had its own local government. In 1774 they each elected officials to represent them
at the First Continental Congress. This was the first effort of the colonies to unite and make a
single government. In 1776 the Second Continental Congress declared the independence of the
United States from Great Britain.

New Government

The new government of the United States was different than the government of the colonist's
homeland, Great Britain. They decided that they didn't want to be ruled by a king anymore. They
wanted a government that was ruled by the people. The new government would be a democratic
government with leaders elected by the people and balances of power to make sure that no one
could become king.

Boston Massacre.
The Boston Massacre was a deadly riot that occurred on March 5, 1770, on King Street in
Boston. It began as a street brawl between American colonists and a lone British soldier, but
quickly escalated to a chaotic, bloody slaughter. The conflict energized anti-British sentiment
further leading to war.

Boston Tea Party

In the years following the French and Indian War, the British government increasingly sought
ways to alleviate the financial burden caused by the conflict. Assessing methods for generating
funds, it was decided to levy new taxes on the American colonies with the goal of offsetting some
of the cost for their defense.

The first of these, the Sugar Act of 1764, was quickly met by outcries from colonial leaders who
claimed "taxation without representation," as they had no members of Parliament to represent
their interests. The following year, Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which called for tax stamps
to be placed on all paper goods sold in the colonies. The first attempt to apply a direct tax to the
colonies, the Stamp Act was met with widespread protests in North America.

Across the colonies, new protest groups known as the "Sons of Liberty" formed to resist the new
tax. Uniting in the fall of 1765, colonial leaders appealed to Parliament. They stated that as they
had no representation in Parliament, the tax was unconstitutional and against their rights as
Englishmen.

These efforts led to the Stamp Act's repeal in 1766, though Parliament quickly issued the
Declaratory Act. This stated that they retained the power to tax the colonies. Still seeking
additional revenue, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts in June 1767. These placed taxes on
various commodities such as lead, paper, paint, glass, and tea. Acting in opposition to the
Townshend Acts, colonial leaders organized boycotts of the taxed goods. With tensions in the
colonies rising to a breaking point, Parliament repealed all aspects of the acts, except the tax on
tea, in April 1770.
The East India Company

Founded in 1600, the East India Company held a monopoly on the importation of tea to Great
Britain. Transporting its product to Britain, the company was required to sell its tea wholesale to
merchants who would then ship it to the colonies.

Due to a variety of taxes in Britain, the company's tea was more expensive than tea smuggled into
the region from Dutch ports. Though Parliament aided the East India Company by reducing tea
taxes the legislation expired in 1772. As a result of this, prices rose sharply and consumers returned
to using smuggled tea. This led to the East India Company amassing a large surplus of tea, which
they were unable to sell. As this situation persisted, the company began to face a financial crisis.

The Tea Act of 1773

Though unwilling to repeal the Townshend duty on tea, Parliament did move to aid the struggling
East India Company by passing the Tea Act in 1773. This reduced importation duties on the
company and also allowed it to sell tea directly to the colonies without first wholesaling it in
Britain. This would result in East India Company tea costing less in the colonies than that
provided by smugglers. Moving forward, the East India Company began contracting sales agents
in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston. Aware that the Townshend duty would still
be assessed and that this was an attempt by Parliament to break the colonial boycott of British
goods, groups like the Sons of Liberty spoke out against the act.

Colonial Resistance

In the fall of 1773, the East India Company dispatched seven ships loaded with tea to North
America. While four sailed for Boston, one each headed for Philadelphia, New York, and
Charleston. Learning of the terms of the Tea Act, many in the colonies began to organize in
opposition.

In the cities south of Boston, pressure was brought to bear on the East India Company's agents and
many resigned before the tea ships arrived. In the case of Philadelphia and New York, the tea ships
were not allowed to unload and were forced to return to Britain with their cargo.

Though tea was unloaded in Charleston, no agents remained to claim it and it was confiscated by
customs officers. Only in Boston did company agents remain in their posts. This was largely due
to two of them being the sons of Governor Thomas Hutchinson.

Tensions in Boston

Arriving at Boston in late November, the tea ship Dartmouth was prevented from unloading.
Calling a public meeting, Sons of Liberty leader Samuel Adams spoke before a large crowd and
called on Hutchinson to send the ship back to Britain.

Aware that law required Dartmouth to land its cargo and pay duties within 20 days of its arrival,
he directed members of the Sons of Liberty to watch the ship and prevent the tea from being
unloaded. Over the next several days, Dartmouth was joined by Eleanor and Beaver. The fourth
tea ship, William, was lost at sea. As Dartmouth's deadline neared, colonial leaders pressured
Hutchinson to allow the tea ships to leave with their cargo.

Tea in the Harbor

On December 16, 1773, with Dartmouth's deadline looming, Hutchinson continued to insist that
the tea be landed and the taxes paid. Calling another large gathering at the Old South Meeting
House, Adams again addressed the crowd and argued against the governor's actions.

As attempts at negotiations had failed, the Sons of Liberty commenced a planned action of last
resort as the meeting concluded. Moving to the harbor, over one hundred members of the Sons of
Liberty approached Griffin’s Wharf, where the tea ships were moored. Dressed as Native
Americans and wielding axes, they boarded the three ships as thousands watched from the shore.

Taking great care to avoid damaging private property, they ventured into the ships' holds and began
removing the tea. Breaking open the chests, they tossed it into Boston Harbor. In the course of the
night, all 342 chests of tea aboard the ships were destroyed.

The East India Company later valued the cargo at £9,659. Quietly withdrawing from the ships,
the "raiders" melted back into the city. Concerned for their safety, many temporarily left
Boston. In the course of the operation, no one was injured and there were no confrontations with
British troops.

In the wake of what became known as the "Boston Tea Party," Adams began openly defending
the actions taken as a protest by people defending their constitutional rights.

Aftermath/Effects:

Though celebrated by the colonials, the Boston Tea Party quickly unified Parliament against the
colonies. Angered by a direct affront to royal authority, the ministry of Lord North began devising
a punishment. In early 1774, Parliament passed a series of punitive laws which were dubbed
the Intolerable Acts by the colonials.

The first of these, the Boston Port Act, closed Boston to shipping until the East India Company
had been repaid for the destroyed tea. This was followed by the Massachusetts Government Act,
which allowed the Crown to appoint most positions in the Massachusetts colonial government.
Supporting this was the Administration of Justice Act, which permitted the royal governor to move
the trials of accused royal officials to another colony or Britain if a fair trial was unobtainable in
Massachusetts.

Along with these new laws, a new Quartering Act was enacted. This allowed British troops to
use unoccupied buildings as quarters when in the colonies. Overseeing implementation of the
acts was the new royal governor, Lieutenant General Thomas Gage, who arrived in April 1774.
Though some colonial leaders, such as Benjamin Franklin, felt that the tea should be paid for, the
passage of the Intolerable Acts led to increased cooperation among the colonies in regard to
resisting British rule.

Meeting in Philadelphia in September, the First Continental Congress saw representatives

agree to enact a full boycott of British goods effective December 1. They also agreed that if the
Intolerable Acts were not repealed, they would halt exports to Britain in September 1775. As the
situation in Boston continued to get worse, colonial and British forces clashed at the Battles of
Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. Winning a victory, colonial forces commenced
the Siege of Boston and the American Revolution began.

Boston Massacre

The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770 when British soldiers in Boston opened fire on
a group of American colonists killing five men.

The Boston Massacre by Unknown

Townshend Acts

Prior to the Boston Massacre the British had instituted a number of new taxes on the American
colonies including taxes on tea, glass, paper, paint, and lead. These taxes were part of a group of
laws called the Townshend Acts. The colonies did not like these laws. They felt these laws were
a violation of their rights. Just like when Britain imposed the Stamp Act, the colonists began to
protest and the British brought in soldiers to keep order.

What happened at the Boston Massacre?

The Boston Massacre began the evening of March 5, 1770 with a small argument between
British Private Hugh White and a few colonists outside the Custom House in Boston on King
Street. The argument began to escalate as more colonists gathered and began to harass and throw
sticks and snowballs at Private White.

Soon there were over 50 colonists at the scene. The local British officer of the watch, Captain
Thomas Preston, sent a number of soldiers over to the Custom House to maintain order.
However, the sight of British soldiers armed with bayonets just aggravated the crowd further.
They began to shout at the soldiers, daring them to fire.

Captain Preston then arrived and tried to get the crowd to disperse. Unfortunately, an object
thrown from the crowd struck one of the soldiers, Private Montgomery, and knocked him down.
He fired into the crowd. After a few seconds of stunned silence, a number of other soldiers fired
into the crowd as well. Three colonists died immediately and two more died later from wounds.

After the Incident

The crowd was eventually dispersed by the acting governor of Boston, Thomas Hutchinson.
Thirteen people were arrested including eight British soldiers, one officer, and four civilians.
They were charged with murder and put in jail awaiting their trial. British troops were removed
from the city as well.

The Trials
The trial of the eight soldiers began on November 27, 1770. The government wanted the soldiers
to have a fair trial, but they were having difficulty in getting a lawyer to represent them. Finally,
John Adams agreed to be their lawyer. Although he was a patriot, Adams thought that the
soldiers deserved a fair trial.

Adams argued that the soldiers had the right to defend themselves. He showed that they thought
their lives were in danger from the mob that had gathered. Six of the soldiers were found not-
guilty and two were found guilty of manslaughter.

Results

The Boston Massacre became a rallying cry for patriotism in the colonies. Groups like the Sons
of Liberty used it to show the evils of British rule. Although the American Revolution would not
start for another five years, the event certainly moved people to look at British rule in a different
light.

Intolerable Acts
What were the Intolerable Acts?

The Intolerable Acts were five laws that were passed by the British Parliament against the
American Colonies in 1774.

How did they get their name?

They were given the name "Intolerable Acts" by American Patriots who felt they simply could
not "tolerate" such unfair laws.

Why did Britain impose these new acts?

The British passed these acts as punishment for the Boston Tea Party.

The Five Acts

1. Boston Port Act

The Boston Port Act was the first Intolerable Act passed. It was direct punishment to the city of
Boston for the Boston Tea Party. The act closed the port of Boston to all ships until the colonists
paid for the tea they dumped into the harbor.

Many felt that this punishment was unfair because it punished all the citizens of Boston for a
crime that only a few committed. Many of the other American colonies sent supplies to Boston.

2. Massachusetts Government Act

This act changed the government of the colony of Massachusetts. It gave more power to the
governor (who was appointed by Great Britain) and took away power from the colonists. Many
of the government officials that used to be elected by the people would now be appointed by the
governor. The act also said that only one town meeting a year could be held.

This act angered the entire colony of Massachusetts and put fear into the other American
colonies. If the British government would do this to Boston, they may do it to all the colonies.

3. Administration of Justice Act

This act allowed the governor to move capital trials against government officials to Great
Britain.

The colonists felt that this act gave too much protection to government officials. Witnesses
would have to travel all the way to Britain to testify against an official, making it nearly
impossible to convict. Some colonists called this the "Murder Act" as they thought it would
allow officials to get away with murder.

4. Quartering Act

The Quartering Act of 1774 expanded upon the original Quartering Act of 1765. It said that the
colonies had to provide barracks for British soldiers. In the case where barracks weren't
available, the soldiers could be housed in other buildings such as barns, hotels, and homes.

5. Quebec Act

The Quebec Act expanded the British Canadian territory south into the Ohio Valley. It also made
the Quebec Province a Catholic province.

Although this act wasn't in response to the Boston Tea Party, it was passed at the same time as
the rest of the acts. It also angered many American colonists. They were not happy about losing
land in Ohio or at having a Catholic province to their north.

Results

The Intolerable Acts became a rallying cry for patriots in America. They felt these acts took
away some of their basic freedoms. In many ways, these acts helped to unite the colonies and
pushed them one step closer to revolution.