The American Revolution

• History
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

The American Revolution

1. Colonists' grievances and British taxes.

What you will learn in 

this lesson

• what the American colonists' grievances were towards Britain
• how the colonists were influenced by Enlightenment ideas 
• what patriots and loyalists were
• which events would lead to the start of the American Revolution

This lesson is about the "birth" of the United States of America.

Watch the short animation in the next slide...

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Before there was a USA , there were only 13 colonies.
To which country did they belong?

1. The Dutch Republic
2. England
3. France
4. America

Who do we mean when we speak of
the "American Colonists"?

1. People who lived in the British colonies in America
2. American people who lived in England
3. Americans who lived in the East Indies
4. Native Americans, or Indians

What do you think Americans today celebrate on Independence Day?

1. The 13 colonies became 13 independent states
2. The 13 colonies became independent from Britain
3. The 13 colonies were given more rights by Britain
4. Britain became independent from the 13 colonies

Introduction

The 13 British colonies in America, set up at different times, had different laws, governments, even money.

They had regular disputes with each other, especially over borders. Yet, in 1775, they united to demand independence from Britain. Why? 

In the next slides you can read about

5 reasons why the American colonists wanted independence.

1 Enlightenment ideas

Enlightenment ideas meant that, while not all colonists wanted independence, they did want a say in how they were governed. 

The thinker John Locke wrote about a 'social contract' between governments and the people. Locke said people had a duty to overthrow unfair rulers. 

2 The Seven Years War

The Seven Years War (1756-63) in Europe quickly spread to the colonies. American colonists fought

for Britain against France in Canada (where both countries had colonies and wanted to take more).

After the war was won, the American colonists who

had fought for Britain hoped their loyalty would

be rewarded with more rights. Instead the British, without consulting the colonists, set new state

boundaries and agreed with France a 'Proclamation

line' that the states should not extend west beyond.

Other new British laws seemed to show distrust of

the colonists. 

3. British troops

British troops were stationed in the colonies, supposedly to protect them against invasion. The colonists had to pay their living expenses. 

British governors used them to police the colonists. 

4. Mercantilism

The British restricted free trade. 

Colonists could only trade with

Britain, using British ships. They had to pay duty on goods traded with each other. 

5. British Laws

Laws made in Britain applied to the colonies, but the colonists had no say in making these laws. 

Each colony had its own government, but had to obey a British governor. In the 1760s, Britain passed several laws that caused economic problems in the colonies. 

To which of the previous 5 grievances can you link this colonist slogan?

1. Enlightenment ideas
2. The Seven Years Wars
3. Mercantilism
4. British Laws

Explain your choice of the previous question.

explain the slogan "No Taxation without Representation"

The colonists needed to obey British law and pay taxes to Britain. But they had no say in how the colonies were ruled. They were not represented in British parliament.

They were angry about that.

Summarize the five grievances in one sentence each
Write a note about it in your notebook.

the 5 main grievances:

(Write them in your notebook)

1. Enlightenment gave the colonists ideas that they should have a say in how they were governed
   
2. the colonists helped the British in the 7 years War, but their loyalty was not rewarded with more rights
   
3. British troops were stationed in the colonies and the colonists had to pay for their living expenses
   
4. colonists could only trade with Britain (mercantilism)
   
5. Britain made laws without asking the colonists about them
   

Things get worse

 The colonists had always secretly traded (with each other and foreigners) without paying duty. They did far more of this after 1764. So the British passed laws allowing soldiers to search homes and warehouses at any time for 'smuggled goods. The colonists also boycotted British goods. In 1764, the colonies bought £2,250,000 worth of British goods. In 1765, this was down to £1,944,000. The British replied by increasing duties on sugar.

To boycot a certain product means that you

1. refuse to buy this product
2. only buy this product
3. want to sell this product
4. don't want to sell this product

Breaking Point

In 1765, the British passed the Stamp Act. It taxed all 

paper - from official documents to playing cards. People said this showed the British would never give them more rights. There were demonstrations, many of them violent, against the tax all over the colonies. Colonists began to 

divide into Loyalists (loyal to Britain) and Patriots. 

The local governments of the colonies began to act as a group. They formed militia (see picture) and Patriot groups 

(Sons of Liberty) to work secretly against the British. 

Representatives from the states met at the Stamp 

Act Congress in New York in 1765. In October they 

published A Declaration of Rights and Grievances. It 

began with an assurance of loyalty to the British king, 

then set out the reforms they wanted.

Loyalists were

1. British people who were loyal to the colonial governments
2. Colonists who were loyal to the Patriots
3. members of the Loyal Society
4. Colonists who were loyal to Britain

Patriots were

1. British people who were loyal to the colonial governments
2. Colonists who opposed British rule
3. Colonists who were born in England
4. Colonists who were loyal to Britain

What was a Militia?

1. the British army
2. the American colonial army
3. a temporary army of local people
4. merchants who sell weapons

Who were the "Sons of Liberty"?

1. colonists who worked secretly against the British
2. colonists who worked secretly with the British
3. small boys whose mother was called "liberty"
4. people who wanted to free American slaves

Which statement is true?

1. colonists were represented in British Parliament
2. The Stamp Act only taxed stamps
3. colonists were allowed to trade with foreigners
4. colonists demonstrated against British taxes

Too little, too late

The Declaration was sent to the British in December 1765. 

British governors wrote frantic letters home about the riots and demonstrations. So the Stamp Act was repealed. But, in 1767, the British passed new laws putting duties on glass, oil, lead, paint and paper - all goods in everyday use that would go up in price. Bad feeling between the colonists and the British grew worse. There were regular demonstrations and outbreaks of violence against the British and their troops. Then, in 1770, British soldiers shot five unarmed civilians during a protest in Boston (see video). The Sons of Liberty reacted by more sabotage against British soldiers and ships. In 1773, they attacked and burned the Gaspée, a British ship. 

www.history.com

1770 Boston Massacre

You watched the video of the Boston Massacre.
Explain how the events in the video differ from the painting.
Use elements from the painting to explain your answer.
Then write one sentence to express your view on the likely effect of the painting on the events that were to follow.

painting Boston Massacre

In the video you saw that the British soldiers were ordered not to open fire. The soldiers felt threatened and intimidated by the shouting colonists.

One soldier fired in panick and the rest followed.

The painting shows unarmed colonists and soldiers who open fire as if ordered by their officer (holds up a stick like he gioves the order to open fire). It looks like an execution of innocent colonists.

When the painting spread it caused much anger with the colonists.

The Boston Tea Party

In December 1773, three British ships reached Boston with cargoes of tea. 

On the evening of 16 December, over 

100 Sons of Liberty, many disguised as Native Americans, boarded the ships and threw the tea overboard.

www.history.com

www.bostonteapartyship.com

Why were many colonists who were involved in the Boston Tea Party dressed as indians?

Why were many colonists who were involved in the Boston Tea Party dressed as indians?

They did not want to be recognised by the British

What did the colonists who dressed up as Indians want to express?

What did the colonists who dressed up as Indians want to express?

They wanted to show they felt more like Americans than British

Reactions to the Boston Tea Party

When they heard about events in Boston, people in other ports started throwing tea into the sea. 

In 1774, 

the British passed the four 'Intolerable Acts'. 

1.) The Boston Harbor was closed. No ships could enter or leave. 

2.) Colonist could not hold town meetings whenever they wanted. They were only allowed 1 meeting per year. 

3.) British officials and soldiers accused of crimes would have their trials in England. 

4.) Citizens were forced to have soldiers sleep in their homes (Quartering Act). 

war

On 19 April 1775, the British army met at Lexington to march to Concorde and take the Patriot weaponry they thought was hidden there. 

The Lexington militia fired at them. 

The British moved on to Concorde where there was more fighting. Massachusetts was at war with Britain. The fighting spread to other colonies. What would happen next?

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Main Events

Write these events  in chronological order in your notebook. 

Include the dates. You can also put them in a timeline.

Of every event write whether it was a British or colonist action

• Intolerable Acts
  
• Declaration of Rights and Grievances
  
• Stamp Act
  
• Boston Massacre
  
• Lexington militia attacks       British troops
  
• Sons of Liberty burn the Gaspée
  
• Boston Tea Party
  

main events chronologically

1765: Stamp Act (British)

1765: Declaration of Rights and Grievances (Patriots)

1770: Boston Massacre (British)

1773: Sons of Liberty burn the Gaspée (Patriots)

1773: Boston Tea Party (Patriots)

1774: Intolerable Acts (British)

1775: Lexington militia attacks British troops (Patriots)

Choose two events as "the start" of the American Revolution. Explain both choices.

important words

independence

to boycot

militia

patriots

loyalists

to billet

sabotage

to repeal

summarise this lesson in 4 sentences

summary:

(make note about this)

1. Britain had 13 colonies in America
   
2. The colonists were angry because they were taxed, but were not represented in British Parliament
   
3. There were demonstrations and actions by colonists to which the British responded with more taxes.
   
4. In 1775 this led to war between the Patriots and the British
   

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