Unit 3: The Empire in Transition

Question 1

Major Generalization: The Empire in Transition (Pre-revolutionary America)

Answer 1

1. Revolution not an isolated incident
2. Independence move not continual or unanimous
3. British justified in their actions

Question 2

Tradition of Neglect: 1700-1760: Navigation Acts (Mercantile-based) 1660: Largely unenforced

Answer 2

a. All colonial trade to be carried in English ships (Master, 3/4 crew to be English)
b. Certain items (tobacco, sugar) shipped only to England and her possessions
c. All goods shipped from Europe to the colonies to pass through England
d. Provided for appt. of Customs Officials in the colonies for enforcement

Question 3

England Begins to Lose Her Grip on Colonies

Answer 3

1. Weak administrative authority in England
2. Policy of Neglect (Walpole)
3. Corrupt, inefficient officials in colonies
4. Growing power of Colonial legislatures: “Power of the Purse”

Question 4

Conflict between England and France spilled over to the Colonies

Answer 4

1. W. Colonists defending themselves against French and Native American forces
2. 1757: William Pitt brings war effort in colonies under British control
3. Siege of Quebec ends American phase of war

Question 5

1757: William Pitt brings war effort in colonies under British control

Answer 5

a. “Impressments” (forcible enlistment)
b. Seized supplies, equipment from locals
c. Colonists required to shelter British troops

Question 6

Peace of Paris Ended the War: Terms and Consequences

Answer 6

1. England acquired an empire
2. North America to be English and Protestant, and French and Catholic
3. North America would adopt the English political system

Question 7

Effects of the French and Indian War in England

Answer 7

1. Led to huge debt: how to pay?
2. Resentment toward Americans for: “Lack of contribution”
3. Resolve to enforce British Colonial Policy: Navigation Acts

Question 8

Steps Taken to Tighten Colonial Policy

Answer 8

1. Customs officials instructed to be stricter: letter of the law
2. Colonial governors to assume responsibility for laxity
3. New laws passed to better apprehend offenders
4. Passage of a Revenue Act of raise revenue directly in the colonies

Question 9

Effects of the French and Indian War on the Colonies

Answer 9

1. Socializing Experience: forced colonists to unite against a common foe
2. England’s actions confirmed the illegitimacy of English interference in “local” matters

Question 10

Accession of George III in 1760 Changed the Course

Answer 10

1. Rejected laissez-faire approach, determined to take active role in policy
2. Suffered from intellectual and psychological limitations

Question 11

George Grenville, new Prime Minister

Answer 11

1. Colonists should contribute their fair share
2. Imposed new system of control in colonial life

Question 12

Proclamation Line of 1763: Forbid colonists to advance beyond a line drawn along the Appalachian Mts.

Answer 12

1. Dictated that England, not colonies, control westward movement
2. Reduce conflict with N/A tribes, thus saving the empire money
3. Hoped to slow the exodus from the coastal colonies where England had more to gain
4. Save land speculation opportunities and fur trade for English, not colonials

Question 13

Grenville’s Policies

Answer 13

1. Station British troops in the colonies
2. Colonies to aid in maintaining the army
3. British ship to patrol colonial water
4. Customs enlarged, reorganized
5. Restriction of colonial manufacturing

Question 14

The Sugar Act of 1764: Purpose: Raised money to pay war debt

Answer 14

1. Molasses Act duties halved, but enforced
2. Vice-admirably courts to try offenders

Question 15

The Currency Act of 1764

Answer 15

1. Forbids issuing of paper money
2. Led to shortage of money: barter
3. Slipped colonies into recession

Question 16

The Stamp Act, 1765: First Internal Tax on the colonies

Answer 16

1. All papers to be taxed: 1 pence
2. Modeled after the British Stamp Act
3. Appointment of a Stamp Master

Question 17

Colonial Objections to the Stamp Act

Answer 17

1. England to obtain reavenue only by requisition
2. Heavily in debted: could not afford the tax
3. Currency Act mean that payment had to be in specie
4. Objected to idea of “internal” tax without rep in Parliament
5. Act offended: the powerful and vocal textiles merchant and lawyer

Question 18

The Virginia Resolves, May 30, 1765 by radical group: Patrick Henry

Answer 18

1. American entitled to all rights of Englishmen
2. No taxation without direct representation
3. Colonies to control internal affairs: taxes
4. Colonies not bound to obey Parliament’s taxation demands
5. Those denying these concepts were enemies

Question 19

The Stamp Act Congress, October 1765, more moderate view

Answer 19

1. Humble, loyal appeal to King, Parliament against “oppressive” tax
2. Also maintained “No taxation without representation”
3. Re-affirmed loyalty to the king, subordination to Parliament
4. Asked Parliament deferentially to repeal the Act

Question 20

Fall-Out from the Stamp Tax

Answer 20

1. Appearance of anti-stamp tax riots
2. “Son of Liberty” groups spring up
3. Colonial boycotts

Question 21

The Declaratory Act, March 1766

Answer 21

1. Repealed the Stamp Act
2. Confirmed Parliament’s power over the colonies “in all case whatsover”
3. Resulted in renewed loyalty to Crown

Question 22

Resulted in renewed loyalty to Crown

Answer 22

Goal: Economic relief: Not Independence

Question 23

British Colonial Policy: Townshend Duties

Answer 23

A. Massachusetts and New York refuse to obey the Quartering Act
B. Passage of the Townshend Duties
C. Problems with the Revenue Act
D. Townshend Protests Represented 3 Major Types of pre-Rev. Protest

Question 24

Passage of the Townshend Duties

Answer 24

1. Tariff duties on glass, paper, and paint and tea
2. 1st taxing of British imports in colonies

Question 25

Problems with the Revenue Act

Answer 25

1. Worked against marketing suplus British goods in the colonies
2. Encouraged smuggling
3. Stimulated domestic manufacturing

Question 26

Townshend Protests Represented 3 Major Types of pre-Rev. Protest

Answer 26

1. Economic protests: boycotts and domestic manufacturing
2. Inflammatory communications
3. Political protests

Question 27

When the Boston Massacre happen?

Answer 27

March 5th, 1770

Question 28

Results/Consequences of the Boston Massacre

Answer 28

1. England withdrew troosp from Boston
2. Event became a touchstone of colonial rebellion
3. Emergence of Samuel Adams
4. Appearance of the “Committees of Correspondence”

Question 29

The Philosophy of Revolt

Answer 29

1. English constitution not a written document
2. Colonists drew from colonial charters
3. British theory of virtual representation: Parliament represented entire empire
4. Colonial theory of actual representation: Colonies to be represented by their own local representatives

Question 30

Colonial Resentment Bubbles Over in the early 1770s

Answer 30

1. Pamphlets, leaflets, tavern-talk
2. Sinking of the Gaspe: 1772
3. Tea boycotts due to the “Tea Act of 1773”
4. Growing Role of Women in Protest Activities

Question 31

Sinking of the Gaspe: 1772

Answer 31

a. British ship sunk by colonists
b. Accused sent to England for trial

Question 32

Growing Role of Women in Protest Activities

Answer 32

a. Tea boycotters
b. Wrote dissident literature
c. Took part in anti-British demonstration
d. Daughter of Liberty

Question 33

The Boston Tea Party

Answer 33

December 16th, 1773

Question 34

The Coercive (Intolerable) Acts

Answer 34

1. Banned trade in and out of Boston
2. Reduced colonial self-government
3. Provided for offender to be tried in England
4. Quartering of British troops

Question 35

Virginia came to Massachusetts aid by calling for

Answer 35

A Congress of all colonies

Question 36

Meeting of the 1st Continental Congress, Sept 1774 (all but Georgia)

Answer 36

1. Declaration of Grievances
2. Approved military preparation
3. Non-importation, non-exportation, non-consumption of English good
4. Future meeting plans designated this “congress” as a continuing body organization

Question 37

Lexington and Concord

Answer 37

April 1775