Key points from “America Is” Chapter 6, section 1.2– TEACHER NOTES

Section 1: The Road to Rebellion

Part 1

New British Polices – Section 1.2 (page 125 in AmericaIs)

Whole group – Lecture/discussion

French and Indian War ended.

  • Americans wanted to be free of British regulations
  • Great Britain had a hands off policy in the colonies in the early years of colonial settlements (Salutary neglect)
  • After French and Indian war, GB was free to pay more attention to the colonies.
  • NOTE - Just 13 years until the Declaration

New Policies and why

WAR DEBT! – who should pay? Parliament argued that the French and Indian war was to protect the colonies so the colonies should pay.

NEW LAND! – how should the land w. of the Appalachian Mountains be regulated?

  • Indians handle fur trade
  • Keep the colonies compact and easy to control
  • Indians attack British forts in Ohio (Pontiac, Ottawa chief)
  • Proclamation of 1763
  • limits colonial settlements west of the Appalachians
  • stations British troops on the western frontier
  • Angers colonist who want to move west
  • Colonists believe that the troops could turn against them

Part 2 – Section 1.2 (page 126 -127 in AmericaIs)

The Grenville Acts
Section 1.3

Whole group – lecture and discussion

King George III – had a new advisor running the show; George Grenville

Grenville suggested enforcing the old policies (like laws on the books that are not enforced – tie in to Extermination Order that said Mormons should leave Missouri or could legally be killed – not repealed until 1976)

  • Navigation Acts – limited colonial trade [old]
  • Passed in the late 1600’s
  • Colonies had been trading illegally for years (smuggling) – relate to students eating in class.
  • Sugar Act of 1764 [new]
  • Purpose: to raise money
  • What: tax on sugar, wines, coffee; enforce the tax on molasses – items used every day!
  • What else: stop smuggling (smugglers would be tried in naval courts)
  • Stamp Act March 1765 [new]
  • Purpose: pay for the British soldiers stationed in the colonies
  • What: people had to buy stamps for newspapers, pamphlets, contracts, wills, and certain other printed materials
  • First DIRECT TAX on the people
  • Quartering Act 1769 [new]
  • What: colonists had to house and supply soldiers protecting the western border

Townsend Acts

Section 1.4

  • Charles Townsend – New leader of Parliament
  • Townsend suggested new laws to help raise money from the colonies.
  • Townsend Acts allowed:
  • Taxes on
  • Lead
  • Paper
  • Paint
  • Glass
  • Tea

(Money was supposed to be used to pay for the defense of the colonies and to pay for British officials in the colonies.)

“Writs of assistance” or search warrants to be used in the search for smuggled goods.

Massachusetts legislature called for colonial legislatures to protest against Parliament and boycott British goods because they were being taxed without representation in Parliament. “No taxation without representation.”

  • Problems divided the colonists into 2 groups: Patriots and Loyalists or Tories
  • Patriots – those who favored independence for the colonies
  • Loyalists or Tories– those who were loyal to the king and to Great Britain