British America in Transition#3
The British in America had no intension of breaking away from the mother country even up until the mid-1700’s yet change was in the wind and a series of events continually pushed this main even to happen. As British subjects, the British of America knew full well of the Magna Carta of 1215 and of its importance to society. Another thing they knew is that the English had passed a set of laws in the mother country called the British Bill of Rights in 1689 that outlined abuses of power by the elites in parliament and the Crown upon its people but more importantly for this class, the British Bill of Rights also outlined civil liberties that the citizens of the country MUST be granted—and IF these liberties were squashed by King or Parliament, the citizens would revolt en masse. (John Lockewas a major contributor to thisEnglish Bill of Rights). So it is interesting to note that the US Bill of Rights modeled itself out of the British Bill of Rights that our textbook so shamefully ignored. Please do not make the mistake of thinking that all that was created was of grand inspiration from God. No, our founding fathers took what they needed to accomplish their goal and left behind uselessness in search of perfection in government. (this is obviously an oxymoron).
So the history behind the breaking away from England hinges on the fact that England ignored its colonies for approximately 70 years. The reasons were complex, mainly problems at home and problems within the Royal castle itself…but what we focus on is Neglect. Salutary Neglect is the official name for it and it is this specific time period in which the colonists grow roots and unknowingly are laying claim to the land that has been occupied by many generations of loyal British subjects that will soon be spat upon by the Crown itself. The Navigation Acts kept the colonists in line and offered a sense of protection for the colonies. In this 70 year span starting at the beginning of the 1700’s, the colonists began to do business with others: other countries and other colonies. The Albany Plan in 1754 tried to ally the British colonies with the Iroquois and the colonies themselves would be allied with one general government and one supreme commander in case of war with the French in North America. The reality is that the colonies cried to have a “union” of sorts between the colonies but when put to a vote; all representatives would back down and expect the mother country to step in to bail them out.
The French and Indian War (1754-1763)
War did break out between France and England for total world dominance of trade and all it had to offer. The Iroquois Confederacy was made up of 5 main tribes (Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, and Oneida), and was a powerful force in the 1500’s yet in the more modern era of fire arms, their alliances and their strength was diminishing by the 1700’s. The one card the Iroquois Confederacy did play was that they were keenly aware of how to play the British against the French to their own advantage. The Glorious Revolution elevated William the III of the Netherlands to the English thrown to control both lands. (the reign of William and Mary). William was arch-enemy to the French and he ascended to the thrown in 1702 beginning a series of wars between France and England lasting roughly 80 years. The TREATY OF UTRECT of 1713, transferred substantial land in North America to the British in the areas of Nova Scotia (to the North of Maine in Canada), as well as, Newfoundland (in the same area).
Continued clashes with the French left the colonists on edge knowing that the French would fight to take lands in the New World to cash in on its wealth of natural resources as the British had been doing. The British under poor leadership (typical), lost many of the initial battles to the French. Not until William Pitt took control of the navy did the British regain control. The death-blow to the French was not a well-timed British attack, but a series of poor harvests beginning in 1756 led to French loses one after another. Fighting went on sporadically until the French finally gave in the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The loss for France was world-wide: India, West Indies, and North America. The French were defeated. In the aftermath of the war, the British leaders realized that this costly war needed to be paid for…and the colonists will be forced to pay for it.
The Rise of George III
1760 was a year of particular interest for the colonists for this was the year King George III assumed power upon the death of his grandfather. He had two unfortunate qualities about him that hindered the Crown. First, he was determined to be involved in the business of the Empire (by replacing advisors and creating an unstable coalition in Parliament), and in so doing, to attempt to be a responsible King. The other quality was that he had a rare disease which limited his psychological and intellectual capabilities which included frequent bouts of insanity. The Kings own personality was a reflection of the restrictions places upon his subjects both at home and abroad. The new Prime Minister, George Greenville, felt that the colonists had enjoyed all of the British protection without paying their dues and it was time for the colonists to pay for this protection and pay for the French and Indian War as well.
George Greenville—Prime Minister under King George III
The Proclamation of 1763
In an attempt to confine the American colonists, the Crown declared the Proclamation of 1763 that limited the colonists from moving west over the Appalachian Mountains in an effort to use that land for hunting or prospecting but was off-limits to the colonists. The over mountain men (Pennsylvania Dutch, Scottish, and Irish) ignored the decree and established themselves in the woods putting them in constant contact with the Natives, and forcing them to become excellent hunters in order to survive.
The Proclamation of 1763 limited westward expansion—(over mountain men still moved west)
The Proclamation also tended to irritate the British colonists—not enough to rebel, but certainly enough to not feel compelled to obey. Part of the independent feeling came from the three generations of colonists in North America whom the Crown left toflourish—on their own without strict control or laws. This decree of limitation fell upon deaf ears, but the wise men, such as Benjamin Franklin, knew that the Crown would not stop at just limiting movement to the west. The Currency Act of 1764 demanded that the colonists stop producing their own paper money. (It was needed as a method of exchange when the Crown’s support for the colonies all but dried up). But the line in the sand was drawn when the Stamp Act was passed in 1765.
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act taxed all official documents: (wills, newspapers, almanacs, deeds to land, and licenses), but it affected a specific portion of the population. This group was not outraged when the Sugar Tax was issued a year earlier, which affected every colonist, because the colonists could justify it as the cost of doing business had increased in an expanding empire. But the Stamp Act was different in the way. It targeted an elite group in the colonies: Lawyers and merchants. The British colonies’ lawyers were few in number yet their livelihood was being attacked directly for the first time. (it was a very low tax by the way). The point is, the Crown misunderstood that the people to NOT piss off are the smartest with the most resources. Lawyers, merchants, printers, and accountants issue hundreds if not thousands of papers in a year, and ALL would be taxed, as never before. Although the new taxes were bringing in 10X the amount of revenue than prior to 1765; it would prove costly and caused far more problems for the Crown. For instance, the Paxton Boys were young over the mountain men who were upset that they were being overly taxed by colonial (not British) taxes. In 1763, they demanded assistance in dealing with the Natives who bordered the Paxton’s land. Bloodshed was avoided only by giving in to the Paxton Boys and assisting them militarily with their claims. This was particularly interesting, not in the event, but in the outlining of the weakness of the colonies, and their inability to defend themselves of even the smallest of aggressors.
The Greenville Program served to alienate and aggravate all classes and regions of the colonies. These bully-style tactics centered upon placing more taxes upon the colonists, making them feel as if they were a fourth class of British subjects (even lower than the poor in England). Directly following the Greenville round of taxes, a depression hit the colonies forcing the colonists to search for someone to blame for their plight. AND it all had to do with England being dominant over the colonies. This greatly antagonized the colonists—not in the cost of the stamps themselves (it was of relatively little cost), but it set a precedent—WHERE WOULD ENGLAND TAX THEM NEXT?? It could be interpreted only one way—England was increasing revenue without allowing any representation by the colonists. Resistance was needed in order to demonstrate that the colonists were upset with England’s assumption that the colonists would simply mind the King’s plan.
First signs of resistance
Patrick Henry gave a fierce speech to the House of Burgess in Virginia declaring that the British colonists deserved the same rights as the British in England. Furthermore, he added that the right to tax can only come from their own representatives and that the Virginia assembly should pay no tax except those created by and agreed to by the Virginia Assembly.The Stamp Act Congress, in which nine colonists sent representatives, petitioned the king and the two houses of Parliament that only the provincial assemblies could tax their own constituents (their colony). Riots broke out up and down the coast in opposition to the Stamp Act and its significance. A boycott of British goods was a sign that the colonists were serious about resisting this sort of taxation. The Sons of Liberty terrorized stamp agents.
The Sons of Liberty Flag
The Crown saw that the situation was out of hand, and that the revenue stream was a bit too greedy, so the Crown revoked the Stamp Act. Parliament felt that if the Stamp Act was repealed, the colonists would no longer obey any law passed. So the Stamp Act was revoked, and the same day, March 18, 1766, the Declaratory Act was passed asserting Parliament’s total authority over the colonies “in all cases whatsoever”. Most American colonists were so happy to see the Stamp Act was over-turned, they failed to see how the Declaratory Act was far, far more personal—and disruptive. Now, England would assume full control over the colonies: in business, in law, and in their rights as well.
Townsend Acts
The Townsend Acts were to address the problems created by these spineless colonists who have assumed some sort of rights to do as they please and expect the Crown and Mother country to come to their aid when needs be. The Mutiny Act (called Quartering Act by colonists), was very troubling to the Crown in 1765. The idea was that the colonists must provide a bed and feed the soldiers that are there to protect them from and invading force. (French, Indian, or whoever). To the British in England, this seemed more than fair, but to the colonists, this was stepping on their independent spirit. The enlightenment ideas had reached the colonies as well and independent thinking, (which I am a huge fan of), began to flourish in the colonies. The idea of independent rights had not yet emerged. Yet the climate was being created, like a chemistry project, in which emotions which had been held in check since the aftermath of the French and Indian War, (rounds of taxes each disguised differently), were beginning to steam and would eventually explode. But for now, the idea of having British soldiers living off the wealth of the colonists seem as if the soldiers were spying on individuals whom the Prime Minister felt was a threat to cause tyranny in the British colonies. (Amendment III of the US Bill of Rights—no quartering of soldiers in civilians’ homes was created out of the despise of the Quartering Act).
The Boston Massacre
Nowhere in the 13 British colonies did the colonists loathe the British more that in Massachusetts. Boston was the hub of Massachusetts and its largest and most vocal city in its distrust of the Crown. The most outspoken colonists were found in this area so it is of no surprise that a large percentage of British red coats were stations inside the homes of many of the elite in Boston to keep the Bostonians in check at all times. The Bostonians’ harassment of the new customs commissioners added gasoline to the fire. Soon name calling became throwing rocks, and before you knew it, shots were fired in self-defense. Now the history books paint a gruesome scene showing a defenseless crowd being fired upon (engraver Paul Revere made the propaganda)—but the truth is that the Bostonians had been harassing the poor underpaid soldiers, and the soldiers felt they had to fire in self-defense. Now, the feeling was that it was premeditated and methodical, and In one of the many ironies of US History, attorney John Adams (future 2nd President of US), defended these British soldiers—not because he was without sympathy for the colonies—he did it because in the eyes of the law—the accused deserved a fair and impartial trial based upon their actions. (to the dismay of the colonists, Adams defended the British soldiers beautifully). Five colonists were shot dead—and one was African, making him the first black man to die for independence.
Salty tea anyone?
One basic principle rang true for the colonist. British colonists believed that it was their right to be only taxed by their own consent. (a fundamental principal of John Locke theory). “NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION”…The British in England were clueless as to what this meant. How could subjects of the Crown even entertain the idea of telling King and Parliament what they would and would not care to do. Unheard of! The Tea Act was a prime example of this rebel spirit and its clear disregard for British law. The British East India Company had a monopoly on tea from the region and needed to produce more revenue, so the idea emerged to send the tea directly to the colonies (who were addicted to tea as the US now is addicted to coffee), WITHOUT PAYING THE NAVAGATION ACT DUTIES—these taxes were placed upon all goods. Now the Tea Act would avoid the tax and in effect, undercut the prices of the colonial merchants and their tea. The colonists pointed to this as yet another insidious tax and therefore they felt was an unconstitutional tax. (they still had no constitution of their own but the steam was boiling up).
On December 16th, 1773, three bands of roughly 50 men each swarmed through a crowd of onlookers while dressed as Mohawk Indians—pushed past the British soldiers guarding the ships and commenced upon dumping all the untaxed British tea into Boston Harbor at the cheer of the crowd supporting them. (Boston Tea Party). Needless to say, there would be hell to pay for this. Upon learning of this hideous crime, the enraged King shut down the port of Boston and put a curfew upon all the town with layer upon layer of British troops to ensure that these defiant peasants would obey—or be hanged!! The British named these actions the Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts by Americans).
First Continental Congress
The leadership of the colonies, for the most part, was in the Virginia colony and in its House of Burgess. The decision was made that the Intolerable Acts were a menace to the liberties of every colony and a meeting was to be created to address these actions by the Crown. A Continental Congress was called to represent each colony and their opinions on these matters. The First Continental Congress was called to session in September of 1774 in which 12 colonies were represented (not Georgia). The meetings of these representatives brought forward an agreement to prepare for defense in an unavoidable war against Great Britain and boycott all British goods. The war was on the horizon—no turning back now.