The Road To Revolution

Revolution

The road to the

Chandrika Mutthoju and Sanjana Sarma

Start

Common Sense

1776

Declaration Of Independence

1776

Second Continental Congress

1775

First Continental Congress

1774

Intolerable Acts

1774

You're Done!

Tea Acts

1773

START HERE!

1770

Boston Massacre

1765

Quartering Act

1764

Sugar Acts

1765

Stamp Acts

1763

Pontiac's Rebellion

1754

Albany Plan

1651

Navigation Acts

1754

French and Indian War

Timeline

Pontiac Rebellion-1763

A series of battles between an alliance of Native American nations led by Pontiac and the British military and settlers. The Native Americans were dissatisfied with British rule and the fact that the British were taking their land and wanted to drive the British out of Ohio Country, so they attacked their forts.The Pontiac Rebeliion and King Phillip's War both included a group of Native American tribes being banded together by one chief and rebelling against the British who were encroaching their land.The British responded to the Pontiac Rebellion with equal amount of fighting. They fought back just as hard if not harder and a general even suggested spreading disease like smallpox along the tribes.

Albany Plan-1754

A plan to place the British North American colonies under a more centralized government. It provided them with a general government and to unify them and provided them with the opportunity for more colonies to join in the future however it did not work.The Albany Plan was a response to the problems that the colonies were facing on the eve of the French and Indian War. The British liked that they could use a unified colonial front to fight but did not like how much power and how unity the colonies had and it could lead to bigger problems so the British Parliament rejected the Plan.

This was a CHANGE because: Colonial trade was previously less regulated, allowing for colonies to have more economic freedom.Colonial merchants viewed the Navigation Acts as restrictive as their market had become very limited. This led to widespread smuggling and the formation of black markets.

Navigation Acts- 1651

These were British laws that controlled colonial trade, requiring goods to be exclusively shipped on English ships and that certain products to be exported solely to England or its colonies.

Common Sense-1776

Thomas Paine argued for independence from England and the creation of a democratic republic.He said that British rule was responsible for almost every problem in the colonies and that the only way it can be resolved is through colonial independence.It resulted in united average citizens and their political leaders behind the idea of independence, it transformed a colonial quarrel into the American Revolution.The Patriots were spurred by Common Sense and felt even more motivated and more inclined towards fighting for independence.

• This RESULTED from: A multitude of colonial grievances such as, unjust taxation, oppressive laws (Navigation Act, Tea Act, Stamp Act), as well as the lack of representation.
• Loyalists viewed the Declaration of Independence as traitorous and claimed that it would lead to unnecessary chaos between the colonies and Great Britain.

Declaration of Independence- 1776

The Declaration of Independence was a legal document created by the American colonists declaring their freedom from Great Britain. It outlined grievances against the King, highlighted the principles of individual rights, and went over the lack of representation in their government

First Continental Congress 1744

The main purpose was to address grievances together in order to be able to express their point to Britain effectively. They also formally declared that the colonists should have the same rights as the Englishmen, agreed to form the Continental Association ( which called for the suspension of trade with Great Britain). It was a response to the Stamp Act, Coercive Acts, and lack of representation in Britain.Britain did not have a pleasant reaction to the 1st Continental Congress. No initial direct reaction to the demands made, but the British troops in Massachusetts were brought in due to colonies’ increasing resistance

Second Continental Congress-1775

They appointed George Washington as commander in chief of the army, they also established the continental Army. Delegates also drafted the Olive Branch Petition and sent it to the King in hopes of a peaceful conclusion.The first continental congress had a list of grievances while the second continental congress shifted to leading the war effort to drafting the Declaration of Independence.The loyalists were attending and participated in the 2nd Continental Congress because they were mad at the results of the Stamp Act and Coercive Acts.

Intolerable Acts-1744

A series of 4 laws passed by the British Parliament in order to punish the colony of Massachusetts Bay for the Boston Tea Party. Included closing the Boston Harbour, requiring the colonists to let British soldiers into their homes and also not allowing them to practice autonomy anymore.This is different from salutary neglect because the British wanted to reimpose strict British control over the colonies while before there were no consequences.The loyalists were just as angry with the Intolerable Acts as the patriots were. Many of them attended the Continental Congress in 1774 and 1775

• This is DIFFERENT from: The American Revolution, as it was a dispute between European powers over foreign territory, rather than being a colonial rebellion against their mother country.
• Native Americans had various responses to the war, such as aligning with either the French or the British. They decided their allies based on who best suited their interests for survival and autonomy.

French and Indian War- 1754

This was a conflict between Britain and France for control of North American territory (the Ohio River Valley.) The war ended with British victory and them gaining significant territory, but additionally incurring heavy debts.

Sugar Acts-1764

The Sugar Act cut the tax on foreign molasses from 6 to 3 pence per gallon, and kept a huge tax on foreign refined sugar, and prohibited the importation of all foreign rum. There was a large tax on products that were imported from non-Brtish Caribbean sources.The sugar act showed continuity from the Molasses Act by continuing the tax on molasses that had been established in 1733.The sugar act also required enforcement of the Navigation Acts and Trade Acts.The colonists( patriots and loyalists) responded to the Sugar Act with protest. They have town meetings where they cried about taxation without proper representation in Parliament and suggested some form of unified protest throughout the colonies

• This CHANGED from: Indirect taxes such as the Navigation Acts, as this was the first time colonists had been directly taxed.
• Colonial lawyers were infuriated with this situation and considered it an attack on their livelihood, and their freedom of expression.

Stamp Act- 1765

The Stamp Act was a direct tax imposed on colonists by their mother country, Great Britain. This tax included paying a tax on every piece of printed paper they used, ranging from newspapers, to legal documents, to even playing cards.

• This is SIMILAR to: The Coercive Acts, which were implemented later, as they imposed further challenging restrictions on colonial life.
• Colonial homeowners viewed the Quartering Act as a violation of their rights, specifically an invasion of their privacy.

Quartering Act- 1765

The Quartering Act was a law imposed on colonists, requiring them to provide housing, food, and supplies to British soldiers deployed in the American colonies.

• This CAUSED: Rising tensions between colonists and Great Britain. It significantly contributed to the already prevalent anti-British sentiments, and served as fuel for colonial resistance against British authority.
• Patriots viewed this as a mass murder of innocent citizens, and ended up using it as fuel for propaganda as well as a rallying point for resistance. On the other hand, leading British figures saw this as a response to mob aggression.

Boston Massacre- 1770

The Boston Massacre was a deadly incident that occurred between British soldiers and American colonists. A crowd of colonists were taunting British soldiers, which caused the soldiers to open fire on them. This resulted in 5 casualties (all colonists).

• This CAUSED: The Boston Tea Party, which was a direct protest against this Act. Colonists dumped 92,000 pounds of tea into the Boston Harbor as an indication of their rebellion.
• Colonial merchants viewed the Tea Act as a contravention of their business, and this led them to be cut off from the tea trade.

Tea Act- 1773

The Tea Act allowed for the British East India Company’s monopoly on tea sales in the colonies. It allowed them to directly sell tea and financially extort colonists.