UNIT 2: Topic 1 (continued) Road to Revolution -- Action/Reaction Chart

Event/
So What? (Why is it important?
Year/Picture What Happened? Why? Key People/Terms?
How did it lead to Revolution?)
Proclamation of British decision that colonists were not allowed to
1763 settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. British British colonists resented being told they could
wanted to avoid more fighting with Native not settle in land they had just fought to win.
Americans after the French & Indian War ended.
Sugar Act (1764) British begin enforcing taxes on sugar and This stars to change the relationship between Salutary neglect
molasses (they had not enforced them before) Britain and her colonies. After many years of
and impose harsh penalties for getting caught salutary neglect (leaving them basically alone),
smuggling Britain starts cracking down on laws
Stamp Act (1765) - British pass the Stamp Act to collect money from - Colonist protestors (including Sam Adams Sam Adams and the “Sons
the colonies to pay off debt from the French and and the “Sons of Liberty”) boycott British of Liberty” lead the
Indian War goods to protest the Stamp Act. Some protests against taxes and
- Stamp Act puts a tax on printed documents protests are violent. a boycott against British
including wills, newspapers and playing cards - The boycotts work! Parliament repealed taxed goods
Townshend Acts taxed goods that were imported (took away) the Stamp Act in 1767 and got rid
& Townshend Acts
into the colonies such as lead, glass, paint, paper of almost all the Townshend taxes in 1770. Boycott – an agreement
(1767) and tea Shows colonists that they can work together not to buy something
“Taxation without representation” successfully.
Boston Massacre - Colonists were angry with the British soldiers Paul Revere’s picture of the event stirs Crispus Attucks: African-
(1770) who were in Boston because of the anti-tax colonists’ anger against Britain – propaganda! American colonist who
protests was killed
- It is not clear who started the fight– the British Britain lowers tensions by removing some of - Paul Revere & Sam
soldiers or the colonist mob the soldiers and lowering most of the taxes. Adams work to spread
- the incident led to the deaths of 5 civilians at Things are calm for a few years. the story and get colonists
the hands of British soldiers mad at Britain
Gaspee Affair (1772) Colonial smugglers lure a British anti-smuggling Colonial leaders start organizing and talking
ship aground and burn it. This is direct (violent) with each other to plan joint action against
action rebelling against the British enforcing what they see as unfair treatment by the
their laws. The British are mad! They arrest the British. The British start cracking down on
perps and send them to England for trials (which Colonial rebellion.
the colonists see as unfair).

Boston Tea Party Britain says the colonists can only buy tea from Colonists see the Act as violating their liberty. Sam Adams & the Sons of
(1773) the British East India Tea Company (It’s also bad for business for tea importers). Liberty led the protest
- Colonists refuse to unload the British tea from Britain gets really, really, really mad about the
ships in the harbor – British say they must unload protest and punishes Boston with the
 Event/
So What? (Why is it important?
Year/Picture What Happened? Why? Key People/Terms?
How did it lead to Revolution?)
it. - Colonists dumped all the British tea into the Intolerable Acts
Harbor to protest

Intolerable Acts To punish them, Britain passes the Intolerable - The colonists organize to protest the Martial Law - rule by
Acts (also called the Coercive Acts) to PUNISH Intolerable Acts, both in Boston & other force (govt/police/
Boston and the Massachusetts colonial assembly colonies. (“If it can happen in Boston, it could military), instead of by
- The Acts shut down Boston Harbor, set up happen here”) civilian courts. People’s
martial law, closed the MA colonial assembly, - The Acts show the colonists how unfair the rights are taken away
and set up the Quartering Act, which forced British are and make them want self- Intolerable: can’t stand it
colonists to let soldiers stay in their property government Coercive: forcing you to
- Colonists start to organize and work together do something
First Continental In response to the Intolerable Acts, the colonists This is the first time the colonies have met Grievances – complaints
Congress begin to talk and work together. together as a group to coordinate action
Colonists met in Congress in 1774 to support the together – a big step. John Adams, Sam Adams,
protests in Massachusetts and organize boycotts The delegates risk arrest to attend – the British Patrick Henry, George
and protests across the colonies don’t want the colonies meeting up. Washington-- the leaders
They send a letter to Parliament with their People in the colonies start to form militias and in each of the colonies
grievances (complaints) Parliament ignores it. prepare to defend themselves (except Georgia!)
Lexington & Concord - British troops marched to Lexington and “Shot heard ‘round the world” – the name Militia – men who form
Concord (towns near Boston) to arrest Sons of for the first shots fired in the war for together to protect their
Liberty leaders and take the militia’s weapons independence. Not really heard around the town. Not an army – just a
- British troops are surprised by the militia world….just a saying that the impact of this local group.
(Minutemen) and fight a small battle (skirmish). war was huge. No one knows which side shot Minutemen: men serving
They lose lots of soldiers and are forced to first. in the town militia who
retreat back to Boston. Colonial Minutemen prove they can fight could be ready to fight at
against the British. a minute’s notice
Second Continental - Met to plan after Lex & Concord. - Agreed on the Declaration of Independence - Thomas Jefferson, Ben
Congress -Sent the “Olive Branch Petition” to King George Wrote the Articles of Confederation (the Franklin, John Hancock
for peace – he ignored it. nation’s first constitution)
- Formed the Continental Army out of colonial
militias and put George Washington in charge
- Served as the colonial govt all during the war