The Colonies Clash with the
Empire
Krister Swanson - History M07A - Moorpark College
Seven Years’ War 1754-1763
- England constantly at war with France & Spain over colonial
trade
- 1750’s conflict centers on claims to lands in Ohio Valley
- French had alliances with Natives, colonists start to poach,
French move to protect their trade
- Washington sent to secure dispute territory – conflict ensues
- British hope to avoid expanding conflict – Albany congress of
colonial reps & Mohawks & Iroquois
- Albany Plan of Union designed to unify colonies in case of
war/defense, but it’s quickly shot down
- War quickly escalates – goes poorly at first for British who face
both French & Indian resistance
- Tide begins to turn for British with rise of Wm. Pitt in 1757, he
commits major resources to fight French in N. American and around the
globe
- French cave in, treaty signed in 1763 not total victory for
British
- French are gone from NA, Spain gets French claims west of
Mississippi, Indians are ignored
Wrap Up to Seven Years’ War
- English convinced they won the war with little help from colonists
- Colonists feel they were treated poorly by British, & bore
major sacrifice in fighting war
- Pitt’s policies led to success in the field but doubled England’s
national debt
The Aftermath…
- 1760: George III comes to throne – maintains standing army
- Pontiac’s Rebellion scares snot out of British, leads to…
- Proclamation of 1763: colonists must not settle west of
Appalachians
- This is impossible to enforce, conflicts with natives ensue
Colonists get Taxed
- Sugar act lowers duties but cuts smuggling - steps up enforcement
- Leads to increased tension with colonists
- Stamp Act escalates taxation, enforced by Americans, virtual
representation doesn’t fly
- Colonial assemblies lead resistance
- Henry’s Virginia Resolves: only VA Assembly can tax Virginians,
laws passed outside of VA don’t apply
- Stamp Act very personal to those who needs stamps
- Resistance is strong - Sons of Liberty force resignation of
governor
- Violence & intimidation used to stop Stamp distribution
- Stamp Act Congress shows possibilities of intercontinental
political action
- Protection of liberty & property becomes central to debate
(tyranny, slavery commonly used)
- Stamp Act repealed, but Declaratory Act asserts right of
Parliament to legislate for the colonies
The Townshend Acts
- Taxes paid by importer but ultimately passed on to the customer
- Colonists see these as external taxes, protests grow, MA assembly
is dissolved
- Local governments try “non-consumption acts”, or boycotts
- Boycott of “domestic” items encourages female involvement
- Women selflessness, men self assertion
Boston Massacre
- Tension rises, on March 5, 1770 crowd storms customs house &
five are killed when soldiers fire
- First armed confrontation of Revolution
- Soldiers tried & most are acquitted
Boston Tea Party
- Lord North takes over & calm returns, Townshend Acts are
repealed
- Plan to pay local judges out of tea tax revenue stirs political
action in committees of correspondence
- Tea Act designed to boost colonial consumption of tea, colonists
see it as sinister
- Boston Tea Party in protest
British Response
- Coercive Acts passed in response:
- Boston Harbor Closed
- Parliament’s authority over MA asserted
- Royal officials tried in GB
Quartering Act
- Colonists freak out - assemblies are suspended
- First Continental Congress
- Met for 7 weeks in the fall of 1774
- Issued a declaration of rights and asserted that only colonists
could tax colonists
- Coercive Acts had stirred colonists to realize war was a distinct
possibility
Domestic Insurrections
- Gage sets out to arrest colonial leaders & seize ammunition,
leads to Lexington & Concord
- Largest casualties happen as British retreat to Boston
- Slavery in a land fighting for freedom becomes a large issue
- British encourage slaves to fight for their side