Revolutionary Era Notes PDF

cornell Chapter 3 The revolutionary era 3.2-3.4  0 3 Taking up arms The boston tea party The British controlled what type of tea came into the colonies ○ Because of the tax on tea from the Townshend Act colonists refused to buy British tea...

cornell Chapter 3 The revolutionary era 3.2-3.4  0 3 Taking up arms The boston tea party The British controlled what type of tea came into the colonies ○ Because of the tax on tea from the Townshend Act colonists refused to buy British tea ○ Instead bought smuggled tea from the Dutch and French  Sons of Liberty were active in blocking British ships from unloading cargo ○ December 16 1773 Sons of Liberty met and sent a letter to the governor of Boston demanding 3 British tea ships leave the Boston harbor ○ The governor denied their request ○ Colonists dressed like American Indians boarded the ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor  Was an act of civil disobedience ○ Wanted to show they were frustrated with the British government without hurting anyone or causing violence  Boston tea party ted ed King george iii reacts There was a belief the colonies should be punished for the Boston Tea Party King George passed 4 new laws that the colonists called Intolerable: the Intolerable Acts something is so 1. Shut down Boston harbor- bad it cannot be no ships can enter or leave, it would not be endured. reopened till they paid Synonym- back the money lost in dumping the tea unbearable 2. Cannot hold town meetings more than once a year: this way they can control colonists grouping together, public officials will be selected by king’s governor rather than citizens 3. Any British officials who break the law are tried in British courts rather than the colonies 4. The Quartering Act: a series of laws passed by the British Parliament that required the American colonies to provide housing and food for British soldiers The first continental congress Boston got support from the other colonies through the committees of correspondence spreading news of the Intolerable Acts ○ The middle and southern colonies sent up rice, corn, and flour to feed the Northeast The colonies called a meeting together in Philadelphia to discuss issues of the British  Met in September 1774 12 colonies sent a delegate (everyone but Georgia) The delegates passed a resolution backing Massachusetts ○ Boycotted British goods in all colonies ○ Stop sending gifts to Britain from all colonies ○ Set up a militia for each colony Planned a second meeting for May 1775  Lexington and concord Colonists in Boston began their preparations for resistance ○ Started having minutemen and built up their forces ○ Stockpiling weapons and gunpowder In 1775 a British commander was told by his troops about a storage of arms outside of Boston in a town called Concord ○ Planned a surprise attack on Concord  April 18, 1775→ 700 British troops snuck in the night to the village to take over the stockpile ○ Sons of Liberty were watching ○ Used lamps as a signal to tell the villages that the British were passing over the river ○ Paul Revere saw the lamps and rode through towns to notify them that the British were moving  Daybreak on April 19th the redcoats reached the town of Lexington ○ They were met by 70 minutemen ○ Being outnumbered they began to return home ○ A shot rang out but still today no one knows who fired it (which side) ○ This started a battle and 8 colonists were killed  The British push forward to the town of Concord ○ They did not find the storage of weapons and gunpowder ○ When they turned around to leave they were cornered by 300 minutemen ○ The British retreated but the colonists continued to attack from the woods and homes ○ Many British soldiers were dead or missing  The battles of Lexington and Concord ended all dreams of a peaceful relationship between the British and colonists King george rejects peace May 10, 1775→ colonial delegates met for the Second Continental Congress ○ All 13 colonies attended ○ Sent a petition to KGIII saying they would declare their loyalty to him if he repealed the Intolerable Acts ○ Upset KGIII and he vowed to bring the colonists to justice Sends 20,000 more troops to the colonies ○ SCC decide to set up a full colony army with George Washington as the commander Green mountain boys Ethan Allen, a Vermont blacksmith, decided to attack Fort Ticonderoga in NY ○ VT militia = Green Mountain Boys ○ Wanted the weapons, gunpowder, and cannons that were there ○ Also close to Canada so a good location to hold They overpowered the fort and the British surrendered giving the militia all the supplies and control  Patriot vs loyalist patriots loyalists Those who Those who remained supported the loyal to Britain colonists’ rebellion Mostly wealthy Many owned their merchants and people own weapons from the British Led by Washington government More loyalists in Middle Wanted to defend and Southern colonies their home and than New England property Attacked by Patriots Most fled to England or Canada Washington’s army Poorly organized and untrained Little supplies No navy Soldiers wanted to fight near their own home rather than travel