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Events Leading
to American
Independence

Events Leading to
American Independence
The French and Indian War (1754-1763)

The winning of the

F&I War creates a
huge debt for Great
Britain;
With the French gone,
colonists begin to
settle into the Ohio
River Valley.

Events Leading to
American Independence
Proclamation of 1763
Chief Pontiac leads Indians
against colonists on the frontier
after the F&I War.
So . . Parliament makes the Proclamation of 1763 stating
that colonists must stay east of the Appalachian Mountains.

Events Leading to
American Independence
Britain begins taxing the colonies & enforcing the Navigation Acts.

Needed in order to pay for Britains F&I War debt;

1761 - Writs of Assistance allow the British to search Colonial ships (used
during the F & I War when some Colonists were trading with the French);

1764 - Sugar Act lowers the tax on sugar and hurts Colonial smugglers like John Hancock, but raises taxes on other items. One of the first times colonists complain about lack of representation in Parliament.

1765 - Stamp Act - raises revenue by placing a tax on all official documents (including
wills), cards, newspapers, etc. It is similar to one Parliament has passed in Great Britain.

British Army will now be needed in the Colonies to enforce

the Navigation Acts and enforce new taxes.

Events Leading to
American Independence
Colonial Protest Begin
Protest Cry Becomes: No Taxation without Representation!

Colonists believe this a basic right - Magna Carta

Stamp Act Congress Takes Action

(Oct. 1765)

Stamp Act Congress meets in New York City

Petition King George III and Parliament declaring
Britain has no legal right to pass an internal tax in the
colonies.
Calls for a Colonial boycott of British trade goods.

British Merchants & Ben Franklin get Parliament to Back Down

- 1766

Parliament repeals Stamp Act - passes Declaratory Act.

Events Leading to
American Independence
Declaratory Act

- 1766

Parliament makes it clear it has the right to tax in all cases

Townshend Acts -

May, 1767

Parliament taxes glass, paper, silk, lead, and tea imports

Tax officials once again use Writs of Assistance to search a ships cargo (Many expect
bribes to turn their head).

Non-Importation Agreements (Boycott)

Boycott agreement are signed by Colonial Planters and Merchants.

Sons of Liberty use threats to tax collectors and merchants who fail to
sign these agreements;

Daughters of Liberty pledge to not use British items;

Events Leading to
American Independence
Boston Massacre

- March 1770

A crowd gathers at the Custom House (where imports are taxed) to harass British guards;

At first snowballs, then rocks are thrown at guards;

Reinforcements are called as crowd turns into a mob;

No command to fire is given but a shot
rings out and many soldiers open fire;
Sam Adams & Paul Revere depict this
incident as a massacre of peaceful citizens
and use it as propaganda to gain support.

Most colonists accept Reveres famous picture as the facts;

Events Leading to
American Independence
Reveres Boston Massacre - 1770
Reveres famous
engraving is
propaganda at its
finest. Its printed
throughout the
colonies and all
see and believe it.
A planned and ordered
killing in broad daylight of
innocent colonists is shown.
It omits all facts.

Events Leading to
American Independence
Parliament Backs Down After Boston Massacre
Non-Importation Agreements Cripple Trade
British Merchants pressure Parliament to
repeal the Townshend Acts.
Tax on tea is left by Parliament as a symbol
of Britains right to tax colonies.
Boycott ends.
Sam Adams and Joseph Warren use The Committees of
Correspondence in 1772 to initiate protests throughout the colonies.
Over 100 are formed.

set up to keep the Colonists informed and united

Committees of Correspondence will plan and coordinate future protests throughout
the colonies.

Events Leading to
American Independence
Protest Ignite

The Boston Tea Party - 1773

British Parliament lowers the tax on tea to Save the British

East India Company from bankruptcy
Believes the colonists will be pleased since the price of tea will be
lowered.
Colonists are angry at the special favoritism given to the British
East India Company

Boston Tea Party

is organized by Sam Adams

Carried out by the Sons of Liberty dressed as Indians
aimed at the special favoritism given to the British East India Company
Thousands of dollars of tea is thrown into Boston Harbor.

Committees of Correspondence organize other Tea Parties in

other colonies.

Events Leading to
American Independence
Protest Ignite

Britain Responds to the Boston

Tea Party with the Intolerable
Acts (1774) (Called the Coercive Acts in
Britain)

1. Close the Port of Boston until the

colonists pay for the tea.
This depresses Bostons Economy and
punishes all for the act of some.

2. Suspends town meetings

Loss of a basic right to assembly.

3. Custom Officials Charged with Crimes

are no longer to be tried in the Colonies.
4. New Quartering Act

Citizens now force to find housing for

British soldiers in their homes in Boston.

Events Leading to
American Independence
Protest Ignite

Colonists in other Colonies Unite in Support of

Boston.

Food and other aid is sent to Boston.

Colonists unite because they know that what happened in Boston

can happen to them.

Events Leading to
American Independence

Protest Ignite

First Continental Congress

September 1774

Called in sympathy for Massachusetts

All Colonies except Georgia make it to the
Congress which is at Independence Hall,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Some call for a moderate approach and just

want to patch-up with Britain
Other colonies urge for firm action against
Britain
In the end, these Colonies Agree to:

Side with Massachusetts against the Intolerable

Acts (Coercive Acts).
Boycott all British goods and cut off exports
with Britain until the acts are repealed
Each colony is urged to set up and train its own
militia (citizen army) for defense.
Agree to meet again in May of 1775.

Events Leading to
American Independence

Protest Ignite

The British Are Coming!

4,000 British Troops massed in Boston.

The Massachusetts Militia, known as
the Minutemen, prepare for fighting by
storing arms at Concord.
British General Gage sends 700 troops
to surprise Minutemen and seize the
arms by surprise.
Sons of Liberty warn riders across
Boston Harbor of the British approach
toward Concord.

Two lamps are hung from the Old North

Church of Boston.

Events Leading to
American Independence

Protest Ignite

The British Are Coming!

The Colonists and British first clash

when 70 Minutemen meet them at
Lexington on April 19, 1775
8 Colonists and 1 British soldier are
killed that morning.

The British go to search Concord,

but all weapons are not to be found.
The British return to Boston.

Events Leading to
American Independence

British
retreat to
Boston
becomes a
slaughter.
Minutemen
hide behind
walls and
trees and
ambush
them.
73 British
troops are
killed and
200 wounded.

Events Leading to
American Independence
Second Continental Congress
May 1775 March 1781

All Colonies make it to the Congress

which is at Independence Hall,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Some call for loyalty still to Britain.

Other colonies urge for independence
against Britain
In the end, these Colonies Agree to:
Declare independence from Britain in July
1776