In the 18th century, settlers in Britain's American colonies became increasingly intolerant of European rule and paying taxes from which they did not benefit.
COST OF WAR
Britain was ceded French territory in North America during the Anglo-French wars (1754-63) but the cost was high, and the British felt the colonials had failed to pay their share.
PROTEST
Until the 18th century, British North America was subject to English law. Settlers thought the new laws passed after 1763 to raise money
BOSTON TEA PARTY
for the British extremely irksome. The Stamp Act, a direct tax on paper, caused riots. In 1773 a group of Bostonians disguised as American Indians threw a cargo of highly taxed EIC tea into Boston Harbor. The American slogan was "no taxation without representation."
INTOLERABLE ACTS
The British response to this episode was rapid. In 1774, laws were passed in reprisal that the Americans dubbed "Intolerable Acts." Intended to restore order, instead they united the colonies in further protest. Fiery leaders began to emerge-they cried out that the actions of the British government were illegal and stirred the colonists to take further action.
T
he war between the North American colonies and Britain in 1775 was the predictable climax of years of bitter quarrels between the two sides (see BEFORE). The first shots were fired in a minor skirmish. On April 19, 1775, General Thomas Gage, commander of the British forces in North America, dispatched troops to seize an arms cache in Concord, a town just outside Boston. In Lexington, Massachusetts, the British encountered a small force of American militia (armed civilians). It is unclear which side fired the first shot, but later it was referred to as "the shot heard around the world." When the British made it back to Boston, they were besieged by militias, and had to wait there for reinforcements. With
On June 15, 1775, George Washington became commander of the new Continental army. He immediately began turning the militias into a more professional fighting force. Washington failed in his attempt to invade Canada in 1775. His men also suffered a major blow in the summer of 1776 when the British captured New York. However, news of the revolts had spread, and the colonists' cause was rapidly gaining momentum.
Independence
The American colonists made their decisive break with Britain on July 4, 1776, when their leaders agreed to the Declaration of Independence. The declaration stated that "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" were the
American Declaration Independence
Until the end of the 18th century, Europe and its colonies were dominated by monarchies. The American Declaration of Independence undermined the old order and proclaimed a new republic in which people would be free to govern themselves.
their arrival on May 26, Gage decided to capture hill positions that overlooked Boston. The resulting Battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775 was a disaster. Although they captured the hill positions, half the British troops were wounded or killed, and they failed to break the American siege of Boston.
"unalienable rights of all men," and when a government tried to destroy these rights, it was "the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government." The signing of the Declaration of Independence was a momentous event, and made a peaceful settlement with the British much less likely. It was largely the
argely the work of Thomas Jefferson (see left). Washington had won important battles in what is now New Jersey-
in Trenton on December 26, 1776 and Princeton on January 3, 1777-which reinforced his reputation. On March 2, 1776, with a force of over 17,000 men and a buildup of artillery stocks, the Americans began bombarding the blockaded British troops in Boston. They were forced to depart for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Although the British went on to capture New York, an American victory at nearby Saratoga in October 1777 stirred French interest in an alliance with the colonies. On February 6, 1778 France and America signed treaties of alliance. It was a major turning point-the Americans were no longer fighting alone.
All hope of a British victory ended on October 19, 1781. Lord Cornwallis was forced to surrender at Yorktown, Virginia, after an 18-day siege. As you read, record your notes in the space below. Your notes should focus on key ideas and defining terms you do not know. as a 8th grader
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Key Ideas and Defining Terms
1. Intolerance of European Rule
Colonial Grievances: By the 18th century, American settlers were unhappy with British control and taxation, as they felt they did not benefit from the taxes they were being required to pay.
2. Cost of the Anglo-French Wars
British Perspective: After the wars (1754-63), Britain acquired French territory in North America but was left with significant war debts. They believed colonists should help pay for these expenses.
3. Protests Against British Laws
New Taxes: Laws passed after 1763, intended to raise money, resulted in protests. The Stamp Act (a direct tax on paper) caused riots among colonists.
Boston Tea Party (1773): Disguised as Native Americans, colonists dumped taxed British East India Company tea into Boston Harbor as a protest against taxation without representation.
4. Intolerable Acts (1774)
British Reaction: In response to the Boston Tea Party, the British government enacted the Intolerable Acts which further united the colonies against British rule and increased tensions.
5. Outbreak of War
First Shots: Tensions escalated into conflict on April 19, 1775, with the Battle of Lexington and Concord—often cited as the "shot heard around the world."
6. George Washington and the Continental Army
Leadership: On June 15, 1775, George Washington became the leader of the Continental Army. He worked to professionalize the militia forces.
7. Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776)
Key Principles: The Declaration stated the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It asserted that if a government violated these rights, people had the right to change or abolish it.
Impact: The Declaration made a peaceful resolution with Britain much less likely.
8. Major Battles and Turning Points
Boston Siege: Washington's forces forced British troops to leave Boston.
Victories in New Jersey: Washington's victories at Trenton (December 26, 1776) and Princeton (January 3, 1777) enhanced his reputation.
Saratoga (October 1777): An American victory that led to French support for the colonists, shifting the war's dynamics.
9. End of the War
Yorktown (1781): Lord Cornwallis’s surrender to American and French forces marked the end of major military actions in the Revolutionary War.
Additional Notes
Thomas Jefferson: Principal author of the Declaration of Independence, instrumental in articulating the colonists' aspirations for freedom and self-governance.
French Alliance (1778): The alliance with France was a significant turning point as it provided crucial support for the struggle against Britain.
These points highlight the causes, key events, and crucial developments leading to the American War of Independence, which ultimately reshaped government and rights in America and beyond.
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