THE ROAD TO Chapter 4,

Lecture 1
REVOLUTION
 BRITISH LAWS AGAINST THE
COLONISTS
Sugar Act – 1764
 England decreased tax on sugar &
molasses

Stamp Act – 1765

 Required a stamp on documents
(eventually repealed)
 First direct tax on the colonies to
raise revenue
 SONS OF LIBERTY

1765 – Samuel Adams –

leader Sons of Liberty
Protested & harassed
British stamp agents
 BRITISH LAWS AGAINST THE
COLONISTS
Quartering Act – 1765
 Required colonists to provide
food, drink, living space to
British soldiers

“Writs of Assistance:"
customs offi cers could search
any house for smuggled
goods
 BOSTON MASSACRE

March 5, 1770

British soldiers fi red into a

crowd of colonists, killing 5

John Adams defended the

British soldiers
 TEA ACT - 1773

Tea Act – England reduced the tax on tea to

encourage colonists to quit smuggling tea

Boston Tea Party – 1773

 Colonists dressed as Natives & dumped 342 chests
of tea into the Boston Harbor
 Led to the Intolerable Acts
 Closed the Boston Harbor
 FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

Sept. 1774, Philadelphia

Organized in response to the Intolerable Acts
Boycott all British goods, no military action unless
att acked
 DECLARING Chapter 4,

INDEPENDENCE
Section 2
 LEXINGTON & CONCORD
(APRIL 1775)
British march to Concord to seize
weapons & ammunition
 Alarm riders give warning

Redcoats reach Lexington where 70

minutemen are waiting
 “shot heard ‘round the world”

At Concord, Redcoats found no

weapons

Lexington & Concord – considered

the fi rst batt les of the American
Revolution
 SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

 Began May 1775, Philadelphia

Actions:
 Created a Continental Army –
leader G. Washington
 Sent Olive Branch Petition to
King George III
 COMMON SENSE

Thomas Paine & Common Sense

(Feb. 1776)
 Supported independence from Britain
 Helped persuade undecided colonists to
support independence
 “COMMON SENSE”

“But there is another and greater distinction,

for which no truly natural or religious
reason can be assigned, and that is, the
distinction of men into KINGS and
SUBJECTS. Male and female are the
distinctions of nature, good and bad, the
distinction of heaven; but how a race of men
came into the world so exalted above the
rest, and distinguished like some new
species, is worth enquiring into, and whether
they are the means of happiness or of misery
to mankind.”
 THE DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE
Formally announced the break
with England
Three main ideas:
 “inalienable rights” – life, liberty,
pursuit of happiness
 England had violated the social
contract w/ unfair laws & taxes

Writt en by Jeff erson, approved

July 4, 1776
 AMERICANS CHOOSE SIDES
Patriots
Supported American
independence
• Farmers, merchants, artisans,
landowners, elected officials
• Quakers (but didn’t fight)
• African American slaves
(maybe freedom if America
wins?)
• New opportunities for
economic gains
• Why not – can it get worse?
Loyalists (Tories)
Remained loyal to England
Who? • Judges, Councilors, or Governors
• Lived in rural areas – didn’t know of
the events in the cities
• Native Americans (viewed as
smaller threat than colonists)
• African American slaves (maybe
freedom if England wins?)
Why? • Didn’t want to be punished as
rebels if British won
• Scared of new government
REVOLUTIONARY Chapter 4,

WAR BEGINS
Section 3
 CONTINENTAL STRENGTHS &
WEAKNESSES

Untrained soldiers
Home turf
Shortage of food,
Inspiring cause – ammo, supplies
Independence
Weak navy
No central gov’t
Later – FRANCE’s
help
BRITISH STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES

Well-trained soldiers Unfamiliar with

Strong navy land
Central gov’t England far
$$$ away
Support of Loyalists
 PEOPLE BEHIND THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION
African Americans
 Fought for both sides
 Believed winner would grant freedom
& more equality

Women
 Women took over duties at home
 “camp followers,” couriers, scouts, &
spies
 BATTLE OF TRENTON
(DEC. 25-26, 1776)
Washington’s troops
crossed Delaware R. on
12/25/1776
 Took Hessians (Germans) by
surprise – huge American win

Signifi cance: Enlistment terms

ended on Dec. 31, 1776 
 need a victory to keep troops from
going home
 BATTLE OF SARATOGA
(OCT. 1777)

Turning point of the war:

 France decided to aid
Continental Army & recognize
USA as a country
VALLEY FORGE, PA
 PROBLEMS AT VALLEY FORGE, PA

Winter 1777-78 Washington’s

troops at Valley Forge
 Soldiers suffered through
diffi cult winter
AN AMERICAN Chapter 4,
Section 4
VICTORY
 BRITISH MOVE SOUTH

After Saratoga British move

south (Summer 1778)
 Rally Loyalist support
 Regroup & fight northward
 AMERICAN VICTORY

Batt le of Yorktown
 French & American troops
surrounded Cornwallis
 Final battle
Oct. 19, 1781 – British
offi cial surrender!
 TREATY OF PARIS, 1783

Ended the Rev. War &

signaled American
independence
American boundaries –
Atlantic to Mississippi R.