Chapter 7

The Road to Revolution

1763-1775

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What you need to know for Chapter 7:

  • Mercantilism: Colonial Powers (Britain) want to accumulate as much gold as possible by trading in favorable conditions with their colonies which they use to make manufacutred products to sell to outside countries.
  • Rights of British subjects: Focused on self-rule and representation in Paraliment. Does Britain have the right to force laws on you without your input? Most colonists rejected "virtual representation".
  • Liberty: The colonists were thinking that maybe they shouldn't be ruled from an ocean away, especially amisd the more and more restrictive British acts since the end of Salutary Neglect with the FI War.
  • Intolerable/Stamp/Tea/other acts: Many of the acts ended up being repealed by Britain after protest, but the colonists still hated the acts, especially the idea of being taxed for a Military prescence that they didn't really want and without their permission. They formed groups to fight this which ended up stirring the pot of revolution.
  • Colonial independence movement: There were many groups, like the Sons/Daughters of Liberty, Committees of Correspondence, etc., that helped rile up independence thoughts in the colonists, spreading anger over Acts of Parliment and events like the Boston Massacre.
  • Benjamin Franklin: Was important in a lot of the planning things. He understood the importance of colonial unity and served in the Second Continental Congress (was in London during the first one) and helped gather resources for the army during the war.
  • George Washington: Was pretty important. While the Americans didn't have great resources or numbers, they had great leaders, and Washington was among them. His tactics and morale boosting helped secure victory.
  • American Revolution: Started with Lexington and Concord. The British had better numbers and equipment, but the Americans had morale and knew the way of the land. The Americans understood that the longer the war went on the better it helped their chances. The British won battles during the first half of the war, the Americans won battles during the second half. However it did not come without cost to the Americans in the form of rampant inflation.

The Deep Roots of Revolution

America's discovery by Europeans initiated revolutionary ideas about society, citizenship, and government.

Colonists in the New World were unburdened by Old World traditions and embraced concepts like Republicanism, valuing the common good over self-interest, and opposing hierarchical authority.

The influence of Radical Whigs, critiquing arbitrary power and corruption, further shaped American political thought.

Colonial life, marked by property ownership, civic engagement, and autonomy, clashed with British attempts to tighten control (ending slautary neglect after the FI war), leading to growing tensions that set the stage for the American Revolution.

The Republicanism movement was anti-monarchy and anti-authoritarianism, in addition to being pro-everybody-helps-out-in-society and helped the colonists realize that they could survive on their own without the involvement of the British crown. Image: Wikimedia Commons

Mercantilism and Colonial Grievances

The British colonies were established by various groups, with only Georgia being founded by the British government (as a buffer colony).

Britain's economic policy concerning the colonies was Mercantilism. Basically, you want to accumulate more gold which you do by exporting more than importing.

The colonies helped England do this by providing raw materials (eg. lumber, grain), and keeping the gold in the family, while Britain does the manufacturing/exporting. The colonies would later act as a purchaser for the finished product.

The Navigation Acts (of 1650) mandated that American goods use British ships and pass through England, raising costs.

Enumerated goods were (usually raw materials) that Americans were only allowed to trade with England, curbing American profit potential. Certain industries were reserved for Britain, siphoning American wealth.

Additionally, Paraliment gave the British Privy Council permission to invalidate American laws. This understandly made colonists fearful of British takeover of their freedom.

Mercantilism: a great system for the colonizing country, not so much for the colonists. After the FI war, the colonists began to feel that they were being taken advantage of. Image: WallStreetMojo.
Mercantilism: a great system for the colonizing country, not so much for the colonists. After the FI war, the colonists began to feel that they were being taken advantage of. Image: The History Vault.

The Merits and Menace of Mercantilism

By the Navigation Acts, the colonies had to shipp all their goods on British ships through Britain so that Britain could take their tax share. Not fair. Image: Britannica.

PROS OF MERCANTILISM: The colonists had a guaranteed buyer for their goods. They can produce their goods without spending resources finding a buyer.

Britain would only be concerned about commerce and trade, leaving the colonists to (Salutary Neglect) be free about other matters like politics and religion. However this began to end after the FI war, leading to revolution.

CONS OF MERCANTILISM: They weren’t getting the best price for their goods (other countries would have paid more). This hindered economic growth in the colonies and made the colonists feel exploited.

The Stamp Tax Uproar

After the Seven Years' War in 1763, Britain faced a massive debt, marking a turning point in British-American relations.

Prime Minister George Grenville aimed to enforce the previously ignored Navigation Acts (ending Salutary Neglect) and introduced the Sugar Act in 1764, imposing the first revenue-raising tax on sugar.

The Quartering Act of the same year mandated that colonists provide lodging and supplies for British troops, causing widespread resentment.

In 1765, the highly contentious Stamp Act was passed to fund a new military force, leading to protests and the emergence of the "taxation without representation" concept, as the colonists rejected the idea of "virtual representation" in the British Parliament.

A stamp. These were required (and taxed) on most paper products (eg playing cards, newspaper, etc). Image: Smisthonian

From the book:

"Grenville dismissed these American protests as hairsplitting absurdities. The power of Parliament was supreme and undivided, he asserted, and in any case the Americans were represented in Parliament. Elaborating the theory of “virtual representation,’’ Grenville claimed that every member of Parliament represented all British subjects, even those Americans in Boston or Charleston who had never voted for a member of Parliament.

The Americans scoffed at the notion of virtual representation. And truthfully, they did not really want direct representation in Parliament, which might have seemed like a sensible compromise. If they had obtained it, any gouty member of the House of Commons could have proposed an oppressive tax bill for the colonies, and the American representatives, few in number, would have stood bereft of a principle with which to resist."

"The American Pageant", p.120

Parilament Forced to Repeal the Stamp Act

A copy of a signed nonimportation agreement in protest of the Stamp Act. This put significant enough economic pressure on Britain for them to eventually repeal the Stamp Act after a year. Image: Wikimedia Commons

The Stamp Act Congress of 1765 brought colonial leaders together to oppose the tax and seek repeal.

Nonimportation agreements and acts of defiance, led by groups like the Sons of Liberty, gained momentum, uniting colonists in protest.

The economic impact of nonimportation on British merchants and manufacturers played a role in Parliament's eventual repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766.

However, the Declaratory Act passed at the same time asserted British authority over the colonies, setting the stage for further tensions and confrontations.

The Townshend Tea Tax and the Boston "Massacre"

"Champagne Charley" Townshend's Townshend Acts of 1767 imposed indirect taxes on items like paper, lead, paint, and tea, sparking colonial protests against taxation without representation.

Despite being hidden within goods' prices, the principle still outraged the colonists, especially because the money was meant to be used to pay the Royal Officials' salaries...

British response included suspending the New York legislature in 1767 and sending troops to Boston, where the Boston "Massacre" occurred on March 5, 1770, resulting in the deaths of 5 colonists, including Crispus Attucks, a former slave and symbol of liberty.

However the Boston "Massacre" wasn't really a big deal, but it was sensationalized as to make it a big deal and got the colonists believing that Britain was not acting in their best interests.

A drawing (from then) of the Boston Massacre. Obviously it was more sensationalized than it was in real life, but this was done purposely (with great success) to get the colonists riled up. Image: National Parks Service.

The Seditious Committees of Correspondence

By 1770, King George III was actively asserting the power of the British monarchy, surrounding himself with supportive advisors, despite being seen as a poor ruler by many.

The Townshend Acts, attempting to raise revenue from the colonies, had failed to raise much and sparked lots of resistance.

Nonimportation agreements were hurting British manufacturers, and the government, led by Lord North, eventually repealed the Townshend revenue duties, except for the tea tax.

Samuel Adams, a key figure in Boston, organized local committees of correspondence in Massachusetts, spreading resistance and opposition to British policies.

These committees eventually evolved into intercolonial committees, fostering united action and setting the stage for the first American congresses.

The Boston Committee of Correspondence often gathered at Liberty Tree (which was later cut down by loyalists in 1775). These committees helped to gather Patriot support and do things like non-importation agreements. Image: Wikipedia.

Tea Parties at Boston and Elsewhere

The Boston Tea party enraged the British and made the colonists proud, expanding a divide that would lead to Revolution. Image: Fine Art America.

By 1773, rebellion wasn't inevitable, with nonimportation weakening and more colonists reluctantly paying the tea tax due to lowered prices.

Then, the British East India Company, facing bankruptcy, gained a monopoly on American tea trade, angering colonists who saw it as a ploy to enforce the detested tax.

Colonial authorities enforced the tea tax, leading to mass demonstrations across colonies.

In Boston, colonists dressed as Indians boarded tea ships and dumped the cargo into the harbor in the Boston Tea Party, a symbol of defiance that both exalted radicals and vexed conservatives.

Parliament Passes the “Intolerable Acts’’

In response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament swiftly passed a series of acts in 1774, including the Boston Port Act and other "Intolerable Acts," aimed at punishing Massachusetts and restricting colonial rights.

The Boston Port Act closed the port of Boston until the tea was paid for, and the Massachusetts Government Act revoked the colony's charter and gave the governor greater control.

The Administration of Justice Act allowed British officials accused of crimes in the colonies to be tried in Britain, and the Quartering Act allowed British troops to be quartered in private homes.

While the Quebec Act was viewed positively by French-Canadians, it was seen as setting a dangerous precedent for limited rights and jurisdiction in the English-speaking colonies.

Political cartoon: 'The Able Doctor or America Swallowing the Bitter Draught'. Firstly, Britain is feeding America bitter medicine in punishment for Boston tea party. Second it also shows bad things to come in the future, with Boston burning in background (may not show in picture) and the Man lifting up the Woman's skirt in the foreground. Image: Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum.
The quartering act (of 1774) forced private households to give room and board to British soldiers. Very unpopular. Image: USHistory.org.

The Continental Congress and Bloodshed

In response to the harsh measures against Massachusetts, American colonies united in sympathy, sending aid and flags at half-mast.

The Continental Congress convened in 1774, aiming to address colonial grievances without seeking immediate independence.

Led by figures like John Adams, it drafted appeals, a Declaration of Rights, and The Association—a boycott of British goods.

Despite these efforts, tensions escalated, leading to the Lexington and Concord clashes in April 1775 and the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.

The first Continental Congress. Their goal was not to gain independence but to assess grievances, and they passed a Declration of Rights and the Associacion (British goods boycott). Image: Britannica.

Imperial Strength and Weakness

A map of the battles of the American Revolutionary War. America was greatly helped by its Geography, the British had to spread themselves thin at times and there was also no never center of America (like Paris or London) that would yield victory if taken. USA lost battles in the first half of war, won battles in second half. Image: West Point.

The American rebels, despite their population disadvantage, dared to challenge the powerful British Empire. Though Britain had superior wealth and naval strength, its army was challenged by a relatively untrained American militia.

British recruitment included foreign soldiers and Loyalists, while American Whig sympathizers in Britain provided encouragement to the colonists.

Britain's army in America faced numerous challenges, from weak leadership and poor treatment of soldiers to logistical difficulties due to the vast distance and geographical expanse of the colonies.

The Americans leveraged their strategic advantage of space and time, as exemplified by Benjamin Franklin's observation during a prolonged campaign: "Time and distance are our friends; the longer the war lasts, the more it will weaken Britain, and the stronger we will become."

American Pluses and Minuses

The American revolutionaries benefited from strong leadership, including figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. France also provided eventual foreign aid, and European officers like the Marquis de Lafayette offered their assistance.

The Americans also enjoyed defensive advantages and believed in their just cause.

However, they struggled with disorganization and sectional jealousy, which hampered unity and decision-making.

Economic difficulties and inflation compounded the situation, leading to the depreciation of paper currency and hardship for soldiers' families.

A chart of the rampant inflation, which was mostly caused due to the rampant printing of money during the revolutionary war. Image: bogleheads.org.

A Thin Line of Heroes

Conditions at Valley Forge were brutal, especially with shortages of food, blankets, clothing, and heat in the winter. Image: National Parks Service.

Basic military supplies were scarce for the colonists, and they were not well-armed. Firearms were limited, and imported muskets were expensive.

Shortages of food, clothing, and shoes plagued the rebel forces. Many soldiers went without bread or proper clothing, and conditions at Valley Forge were harsh.

Both free and enslaved African-Americans also participated in the war effort, fighting on both sides.

Profiteering by American merchants and speculators undermined morale in the Revolutionary army, leading to high prices and shortages.

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