French and Indian War/Seven Years’ War

• In 1682, France claimed the territory between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains as Louisiana, named in honor of Louis XIV, encompassing about half of the present-day continental USA.
• The expansion phase of French colonization concluded with the founding of La Nouvelle Orléans (New Orleans) as the capital of Louisiana in 1718.

French and Indian War/Seven Years’ War

• The Seven Years’ War (1756–1763) involved France and Great Britain, along with other European powers, battling for supremacy.
• During the Seven Years’ War (known as the French and Indian War in North America), the British captured Spanish Cuba and the Philippines.
• Spain ceded Florida to the British in exchange for the return of Cuba and the Philippines.
• The First Treaty of Paris, signed on February 10, 1763, officially gave Florida to the British.
• The Spanish in St. Augustine relocated to Cuba, taking their possessions, including the forts' cannons.
• The North American phase of the war included French and British troops, colonial militias, and their respective Indian allies.
• English colonists referred to the conflict as the French and Indian War, highlighting the involvement of Indian tribes.
• With English leader William Pitt, the French were defeated in Quebec in 1750, and Montreal surrendered in 1760.
• The Treaty of Paris in 1763 affirmed England's imperial dominance in North America westward to the Mississippi River.

Revolution, Constitution, and a New Nation

• Before 1760, Americans were not very interested in independence, as they wanted protection from Britain.
• Britain, burdened by debts from defending America, sought to impose taxes on the colonies.
• The Proclamation of 1763, issued by King George III, prohibited colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains, effectively confining America to coastal colonies.

Sugar Act of 1764 (The Revenue Acts)

• British Prime Minister George Grenville believed colonists should contribute to their defense.
• The act imposed taxes on sugar, wine, linen, and silk.
• Colonists protested that Parliament lacked the authority to tax them without their consent, leading to boycotts and increased smuggling.
• Taxes on molasses were lowered, while taxes on other goods were raised.

Stamp Act of 1765

• This act required colonists to purchase special stamped paper for various items, including newspapers and legal documents and was repealed in 1766.
• It imposed taxes on about 50 items, such as playing cards, dice, marriage licenses, and legal documents, necessitating receipts.
• The act's primary purpose was to increase tax revenue.
• Protesters formed the Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams, to target tax collectors.
• The slogan "No taxation without representation" captured the colonists' demand for representation in the British Parliament if they were to be taxed.

The Quartering Act of 1765

• Mandated that colonial taxpayers provide housing and food for British troops stationed in America.

Townshend Act of 1767 (Townshend Duties)

• Imposed both external and internal taxes, annoying the colonists.
• Charles Townshend, known as "Champagne Charlie," took over the British government after Pitt experienced a mental breakdown.
• Taxes were levied on goods like glass, tea, and paper.
• Import duties were placed on American products, prompting discontent among the colonists.
• In 1768, Townshend sent two British red troops to Boston to enforce the new policies, leading to the Boston Massacre.

The Boston Massacre (March 5, 1770)

• Boston had a population of 15,000, with 4,000 British soldiers stationed there by 1770.
• On March 5, 1770, a crowd of workers and sailors threw rocks and snowballs at soldiers, escalating tensions.
• British soldiers responded with weapons, resulting in a clash involving about 300 people.
• Shots were fired, causing 5 civilian casualties and a total of 11 deaths.
• The Townshend Acts were repealed on the same day, except for the tax on tea.
• The event, initially called the "Massacre on King Street," became known as the Boston Massacre.

The Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773)

• The Tea Act brought 17 million pounds of surplus tea to the British East India Company, resulting in lower prices.
• Colonists remained angry about being taxed on tea, regardless of the lower prices.
• On December 16, 1773, colonists disguised as Native Americans, known as the "Sons of Liberty," boarded three ships in Boston Harbor and destroyed 92,000 pounds of tea.
• King George III was displeased with these events.

Reaction to the Boston Tea Party: The “Coercive Acts” (“Intolerable Acts”)

• The acts included closing Boston Harbor until the colonists paid for the damage caused; the damage had to be paid back to have the harbor re-opened.
• A British general was appointed as the new governor of Massachusetts, subjecting the colony to direct royal rule.
• Liberties, such as holding town meetings, were revoked.
• The Quebec Act (1774) extended the boundaries of Catholic Quebec and granted more freedom to French subjects in Canada.

First Continental Congress (September 5 – October 26, 1774)

• The acts united the colonists, demonstrating their unity.
• Leaders from all colonies except Georgia convened at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia.
• They urged King George to repeal the Intolerable Acts or face a trade embargo with Great Britain.
• It was agreed that an attack on one colony would be defended by all.
• Plans were made to reconvene if the situation did not improve.

Second Continental Congress (1775-1781)

• South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and New England (i.e. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire) were represented by a snake, chopped into eight pieces, during the congress and was conceived by Benjamin Franklin.
• The Second Continental Congress aimed to build a case for independence.
• On April 19, 1775, 700 British soldiers marched from Boston to seize a storehouse of guns, leading to battles at Lexington and Concord.
• The war began with the "Shot heard 'round the world."
• The Battle of Bunker Hill (Breeds Hill) occurred on June 17, 1775.
• The Continental Congress sent the "Olive Branch Petition" to King George III on July 5, 1775, in an attempt to avoid war with Britain, but the King rejected it.
• George Washington, despite lacking experience in commanding an army, was chosen by the Second Continental Congress to lead the Continental Army for political reasons, due to his popularity.

Women, Native Americans, and African Americans in the Revolutionary Era

• Women managed households, farms, and businesses, raised funds for the army through groups like the Daughters of Liberty, and promoted "republican motherhood" by instilling moral education in future citizens, while lacking civil rights.
• Native Americans were influenced by economic ties, land conflicts, and other factors in determining their allegiances, with long-term consequences for Indian removal, the reservation system, and their legal status.
• Approximately 500,000 African Americans lived throughout the colonies, and the British offered payments for black soldiers in the Southern colonies, while the revolution did not end slavery with black soldiers being integrated in the revolutionary army.
• Thomas Jefferson had six children with Sally Hemings, a slave at Monticello.
• Betsy Ross (Elizabeth Griscom) is known for the legend of sewing the first American flag.