Causes of the American RevolutionMrs. Tyler

4th Grade Teacher

Standards 0 SS4H4 The student will explain the causes, events, and results of the American Revolution.

0 a. Trace the events that shaped the revolutionary movement in America, including the French and Indian War, British Imperial Policy that led to the 1765 Stamp Act, the slogan “no taxation without representation,” the activities of the Sons of Liberty, and the Boston Tea Party.

 0 b. Explain the writing of the Declaration of Independence; include who wrote it, how it was

written, why it was necessary, and how it was a response to tyranny and the abuse of power.

0 c. Describe the major events of the American Revolution and explain the factors leading to American victory and British defeat; include the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Saratoga, and Yorktown.

 0 d. Describe key individuals in the American Revolution with emphasis on King George III,

George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Benedict Arnold, Patrick Henry, and John Adams.

The French and Indian War01754 to 1763 war fought over the land in

America between the English and French.0It was called the Seven Years War in Europe.0Called the French and Indian War because

the Indians helped the French in the war against the British. The Indians had nothing to lose. The British were taking their land, the French were not.

0The British won, but at a cost a lot of money.

0Join, or Die Political Cartoon by Benjamin FranklinA political cartoon calling for American colonies to band together for protection against Indians and the French. First published in the Pennsylvania Gazette on May 9, 1754.

Proclamation of 1763

0Forbid colonists to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. 0Created to protect colonists from the

Indians0Many colonists reacted with anger

toward the Proclamation. They did not like being told what to do or where they could live.

Taxes

0French and Indian War cost a lot of money.0Parliament (the British government) decided to tax to

colonies to help pay for it. 0The first tax was the Sugar Act of 1764. It placed a tax

on molasses and sugar imported by the colonies. 0Stamp Act of 1765 placed a tax on all printed material,

such as newspapers and playing cards.0This tax upset the colonists even more.

No Taxation without Representation

0The colonists claimed “no taxation without representation” because they were being taxed but had no vote in Parliament and had no say in how the colonies were being governed. 0The colonists started a boycott, or a

refusal to buy certain goods, from the British.

Sons of Liberty

0Samuel Adams began a secret society called the Sons of Liberty.

0The group was formed to protect the rights of the colonists and to take to the streets against the taxes by the British government.

Boston Massacre

Boston Massacre

0Colonial men were shouting insults at the British soldiers.

0They started throwing things, probably snow balls and rocks.

0Someone yelled “fire” and the Red Coats (what the British soldiers were called) shot.

0Five colonists were killed. These were the first Americans killed in the War for Independence.

0Sam Adams started calling the incident the Boston Massacre. He used the incident to get more people angry at the British.

More Taxes…

0Parliament began taxing tea. Tea was the most important beverage in the colonies. 0The colonists decided to boycott all British tea.

Boston Tea Party

Boston Tea Party

Boston Tea Party

0Colonists (Sons of Liberty) dressed up like Mohawk Indians and boarded three British ships full of tea.0The colonists dumped all the tea into

the harbor, about 90,000 pounds.0King George III was furious!

The Intolerable Acts0Laws passed to punish the colonists

for the Boston Tea Party.0The port of Boston was closed until

the tea was paid for.0The Quartering Act was put into place

which forced colonists to quarter, or house and supply British soldiers.

First Continental Congress

0  A convention of delegates from twelve colonies (excluding Georgia) that met on September 5, 1774 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

0 It was called in response to the  Intolerable Acts. 0Militias (citizen soldiers) were set up.

Shot Heard Round the World!

0British soldiers in Boston were sent to capture the militias weapons.

0Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Israel Bissell warned the colonists that, “The Red Coats are coming.”

0British troops marched to Concord to capture colonial leaders, the ammunition. and weapons that were stored there.

0The first two battles of the American Revolution were fought at Lexington and Concord, when the American militia met up with British forces.

Battles of Lexington and Concord

0About 700 British Army regulars were given secret orders to capture and destroy military supplies that were reportedly stored by the Massachusetts  militia at Concord.

0  Patriot colonials had received word weeks before the expedition that their supplies might be at risk and had moved most of them to other locations. They also received details about British plans on the night before the battle and were able to rapidly notify the area militias of the enemy movement.

Battles of Lexington and Concord

0The first shots were fired just as the sun was rising at Lexington. The militia were outnumbered and fell back, and the regulars proceeded on to Concord, where they searched for the supplies.

0At the North Bridge in Concord, approximately 500 militiamen fought and defeated three companies of the King's troops. The outnumbered regulars fell back from the minutemen.

The Second Continental Congress

0The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to discuss the next move of the colonists. 0Appointed George Washington as

commander of the colonial army. 0War with Great Britain was

imminent.

The Declaration of Independence

0The United States first needed to declare independence from Great Britain.

0Thomas Jefferson, at the young age of 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence.

0The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.

0This is the day that the United States of America declared their independence from King George and Great Britain.

0That is why we celebrate Independence Day on July 4th.

Battle of Saratoga0The Battle of Saratoga is considered the

turning point in the war for independence. 0It was actually two battles - the Battle of

Freeman's Farm and the Battle of Bemis Heights.

0With the American victory, it proved to the world that the Americans were serious and powerful enough to defeat the highly trained British forces.

0Upon hearing of the American victory at Saratoga, the French declared recognition of the United States of America and fully supported their war of independence.

Battle of Yorktown

0The last major battle of the American Revolution was fought at Yorktown.

0Washington learned that the French Admiral de Grasse was sailing to Virginia to prevent the British army under the command of General Cornwallis from leaving Yorktown.

0He and the French General Rochambeau rushed their troops to Yorktown to trap the British and prevent them from escaping over land.

Battle of Yorktown

0A siege of the city of Yorktown lasted from August - October 1781.

0Cornwallis was told by Sir Henry Clinton, the commander of all British forces in America that he was sending a relief British fleet to sail to Yorktown with supplies and men.

Battle of Yorktown

0Admiral de Grasse's French fleet defeated the British fleet at the mouth of theChesapeake Bay so the relief that Cornwallis needed was unable to reach him. Cornwallis was surrounded. The American and French troops gradually closed in on him.

0Cornwallis surrendered to Washington on Oct 19, 1781.