LEADING TO THE REVOLUTION

THE ROAD TO WAR

I. Changing Policies:
(ending “salutary neglect”)

A. Navigation Acts:

B. Sugar Act (1764)
George Grenville

Patrick Henry

C. Stamp Act (1765)

D. Townshend Duties (1767)
II. Escalation:
A. Discussion:
The Boston Massacre

In spite of each parasite, each cringing slave
Each cautious dastard, each oppressive knave
Each gibing ass, that reptile of an hour
The supercilious pimp of abject slaves in power
We are met to celebrate in festive mirth
The day that gave our freedom second birth
That tells us, British Grenville never more
Shall dare usurp unjust, illegal power
Or threaten America’s free sons with chains,
While the least spark of ancient fire remains

B. Burning of the Gaspee

C. The Boston Tea Party, 1773

D. Intolerable Acts
(1774, also called The Coercive Acts)
1. Boston Port Bill
2. Massachusetts Bay Regulating Act
3. Impartial Administration of Justice Act

--RELATED BUT NOT CALLED INTOLERABLE EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE INTOLERABLE. HUH?--
The Quartering Act
The Quebec Act

III. Events plus Ideas=
Revolution

A. More Scary Events:
1. Lexington and Concord
2. Bunker Hill

B. THE BIG IDEAS:
1. Thomas Paine, “Common Sense” 1776

“But where says some is the King of America? I'll tell you Friend, he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal Brute of Britain...let it be brought forth placed on the divine law, the word of God; let a crown be placed thereon, by which the world may know, that so far as we approve of monarchy, that in America THE LAW IS KING.”
“Small islands not capable of protecting themselves, are the proper objects for kingdoms to take under their care; but there is something very absurd, in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island. In no instance hath nature made the satellite larger than its primary planet, and as England and America, with respect to each Other, reverses the common order of nature, it is evident they belong to different systems: England to Europe- America to itself.”

2. Thomas Jefferson: Declaration of Independence