How tensions built between England and the Colonies

1. Building Tensions
England and the Colonies from 1763
to April, 1775

2. Aftermath of the French and
Indian War
Intense and expensive war between British
on one side, French and Indian allies on the
other.
Having won the 7 Years War, England must
organize empire, cut costs and pay back
debt.
Since colonies benefited, they were
expected to pay their share of the costs
one way to cut costs was to minimize the
need for military protection from Native
Americans
∴ Proclamation of 1763 - a line not to be

3. Proclamation line of 1763

4. other Acts unpopular as well
Navigation Acts limit colonial
merchants to trade with England
only
Stamp Act of 1765 [ first direct tax
on colonies ]
colonists boycott British goods;
riots and violent protests
9 colonies unite in response
with Stamp Act Congress [first
unified action against British
authority]
Parliament repeals the Act, but . .
Passes the Declaratory Act the
next day

5. Tension mounts
Sons of Liberty in all colonies
Townshend Acts 1767 - additional duty on
imports
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amounts to “taxation without representation”
protests and boycotts, again
leads to the “Liberty Incident” in 1768
• Hancock suspected of smuggling [he was]
• ship seized; colonists protest

6. Heading toward a flashpoint
The Boston Massacre - March 1770
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•
•
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•
mob outside Customs House baits guards
shooting starts, 5 dead including Crispus Attucks
Boston in an uproar
propaganda opportunity
John Adams successfully defends the British soldiers
for some, this is an indication that England will never
give in

7. What’s wrong with this picture?

8. The Gaspee Affair 1772
• English armed cutter Gaspee runs aground and is
attacked and burned by Rhode Island colonists
• colonists upset at the idea that any caught would have
to stand trial in England
• first planned attack by colonists and first shot aimed
at a British officer
Committees of Correspondence
• quickest communication of the day
• all 13 colonies have them - colonies beginning to act in
unison against British rule
• will constitute a “shadow” government on which the
First Continental Congress will be based in 1774

9. The Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party Dec.
16, 1773
designed to help British East India Co. by selling surplus
tea direct to colonies at bargain price
reduced tax, but would amount to recognition of
Parliament’s right to tax the colonies
Tea refused in all colonies; in Boston the Sons of Liberty
stage a raid, and pitch crates of tea into the harbor

10. King George III says, “Enough!”
King and Parliament pass the Coercive Acts - known in the
colonies as the Intolerable Acts in May and June of 1774 aimed at Boston and Massachusetts Colony
• Administration of Justice Act - crown officials to be tried
in England
• Mass. Gov’t Act - virtual elimination of self- gov’t ;
imposition of martial law by new military governor Gen.
Gage
• Quartering Act - private homes now required to put up
soldiers [ applied to all colonies ]
• Boston Port Act - port closed down until price of tea paid
• conditions in Boston become horrific with lack of
supplies and spread of disease
1st Continental Congress convenes, Sept. 5,
1774

11. 1st Continental Congress
Sept. 5, 1774
North Carolina precedes this act with 1st Provincial
Congress in Wilmington in Aug., 1774
all colonies but Georgia meet in Philadelphia, PA
Organization of colonies-wide boycott of imports.
Boycott on exports to follow by Sept. 1775
provision made for 2nd Congress the following May
if things did not improve
[ they won’t ]

12. The Shot Heard ‘round the World
April 19, 1775 fighting begins at Lexington
and Concord, Mass.
Gen. Gage sets out from Boston to capture
arms, Sam Adams and John Hancock in
Concord

13. Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel
Prescott raise the alarm
Alerted by pre-arranged
signal to ride and warn
the Minutemen that the
“regulars are coming!”
successful in that militia
are ready at Lexington
and Concord
Revere warns Adams and
Hancock in time

14. Fighting at Lexington Green and Concord
Bridge
Patriots confronted at Lexington Green - no one knows
who fired first
Regulars push on to Concord and fight their way across
the bridge
arms and rebel leaders are gone
Regulars are harassed all the way back to Boston,
suffering heavy casualties