The Loss Of The American Colonies 1770-83

Question 1

Background info on the 7 years war

Answer 1

Ended in 1763 with British victory

Alarming for colonial settlers in 13 colonies

Question 2

What was the proclamation line

Why did anger colonists

Answer 2

1763
Boundary line to the west of the 13 colonies.

Limited to land and expansion by the British

Question 3

What was the sugar act

Why did anger colonists

Answer 3

1764
Designed to increase the amount of tax paid by colonists for sugar so the British could pay off their war debt

Already had been a tax on imported sugar of 6d, but not enforced properly

Tax lowered to 3d and enforced it so raised 78k a year

Colonist being taxed when they’re not used to it.
They were used to salutary neglect, now mercantilism.

Question 4

What was the quartering act

Why did anger colonists

Answer 4

1765
Each colony had to provide barracks for British troops stationed there and pay for their supplies.

Troops could be housed in inns and empty buildings without owners consent.

Anger:
Loss of independence forced to give housing and supplies for free

Question 5

The stamp act

Why did anger colonists

Answer 5

50 formal documents now held an additional tax. The act required a stamp on these formal documents to show it had been paid.

Estimated to raise 60k in first year.

Anger:
Not receiving any benefit from the new additional taxes

Question 6

What were the Virginia resolves

Answer 6

1765, a response from the colonists

Henry introduced a resolution attacking the stamp act when speaking at the Virginia assembly

Colonists possessed the rights of Englishmen

Could only be taxed if they had proper representation

Colonists had to give their right to be taxed

Only the assembly had the right to tax Virginian residents.

By end of 1765, 8 other colonial assemblies had passed their own resolutions condemning the stamp act and denying the British parliament’s right to tax the colonies

Question 7

The stamp act congress ‘declaration of rights and grievances

Answer 7

1765

The Massachusetts assembly suggested an intercolonial meeting to draft a set of common resolutions.

9 colonies met in NYC and drafted a ‘declaration of rights and grievances

Question 8

The sons of liberty

Answer 8

Boycotts and protests that began in Boston, the organisers were called the sons of liberty.

Called for a boycott of British goods, October 31st, 200 leading merchants in NYC signed an agreement not to import British goods until the stamp act was repealed

Question 9

Repeal of the stamp act

Why did anger colonists

Answer 9

1766

New PM Rockingham removed the stamp act

Anger: going straight back on what they did

Question 10

The declaratory act

Answer 10

1766

Government belief in par.sov. And fearful of colonist power to inflict economic damage.

Therefore, at same time as repeal, passed the declaratory act asserting that colonies were subordinate to British parliament.

In essence, an act that meant they could pass any

Question 11

Townsend duties

Why did anger colonists

Answer 11

1767

Pitt new PM

Chancellor townshend imposed duties on glass, wine, china, lead, paints, paper and tea imported into the colonies.

Some MPs criticised townshend as the duties would only raise 40k a year.

Anger: proved point of having more power

Question 12

Circular letter

Answer 12

1768

Sam Adam’s put together a letter to be sent to the colonies denouncing the townshend acts as they violated ‘no taxation without representation’.

Question 13

What was tarring and feathering

Answer 13

Merchants who did not comply were threatened with violence and sometimes subject to tarring and feathering by the colostomy’s

Stripped naked, covered in hot tar, rolled in goose feathers

Question 14

Background info on enlightenment thinking

Answer 14

Intellectual movement from 17th century using reason and logic as the basis of their ideas.

Encouraged people in 13 colonies to question the church and governing by the British.

American and French Revolution inspired by it

Question 15

Enlightenment thinkers

Answer 15

John Locke
Thomas Laine
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas jefferson

Question 16

Background context of the Boston massacre

Answer 16

In an attempt to recoup expenditure from the French and India war, British government introduced provisions of duties into the colonies

The Townsend duties

Question 17

Events of Boston massacre

Answer 17

Night of the 5th of march 1770 a crowd of Bostonians roamed around the streets in anger at soldiers being there

As the crowds increased, snowballs, ice etc were thrown at the soldiers

One soldier, trapped near the patriot mob, discharged his musket out of fear.

Other soldiers thinking they heard the call to fire, shot

5 dead

Next morning 7 soldiers arrested

Two convicted of manslaughter

Question 19

Evidence to support the ‘years of calm’

Answer 19

Boycott of British goods in the colonies coming to an end

Townsend duties repealed in 1770

Lord north supported the repeal of Townsend duties.

Question 20

Evidence to support that there was no years of calm

Answer 20

High tensions following Boston massacre, John Adam’s getting 6/8 defendants off.

retained tea clause of Townsend duties

Boston tea party

No representation in parliament

Time lag of 3 months for communications

Question 21

What were the 4 acts in the intolerable acts

Answer 21

Administration of justice - may 20th 1774

Massachusetts government act - may 20 1774

Boston port act - June 1 1774

Quartering act - June 2 1774

Question 22

What was the administration of justice act

Answer 22

The act meant that British officials accused of capital crimes whist suppressing riots in the Boston masacre could avoid local juries by having their cases heard in England.

Question 23

What was the Massachusetts government act

Answer 23

The act effectively suspended the colonies charter and provided for an unprecedented amount of royal control. Severe limits placed on the powers of town meetings.

Furthermore, most elective offices in the colony were to be filled with royal appointees, not with popularly elected officials

Question 24

What was the Boston port act

Answer 24

Closed the port facilities in Boston until they reimbusred the EIC for all the tea lost in the Boston tea party and paid for the damage caused to the customs offices during the unrest.

Question 25

What was the Quartering act

Answer 25

Amended the quartering acts of 1765&1766. The revised law authorised soldiers to be accommodated in occupied facilities, including private homes.

Question 26

What was the Quebec act

Answer 26

1774 French civil law reinstated and authority placed in hands of the governor rather than the colonial assembly Quebec doubled in size Became legal for the Canadians to practice Roman Catholicism

Question 27

Colonist reaction to the Quebec act

Answer 27

Saw as a penalty imposed on them for their resistance to British taxes Believed that a catholic stronghold had been created to threaten them Another concern was the military threat of British troops based on the rear of the 13 colonies

Question 28

Boston tea party brief notes

Answer 28

Tea very popular 1773 tea tax, Americans boycotted “Tipping point in revolution” Boarded ships and threw tea overboard

Question 29

Sam Adam’s info

Answer 29

Helped set up committees of correspondence Founding father of sons of livery Boston massacre 1770 Boston tea party 1773

Question 30

How many colonies represented at the first continental congress

Answer 30

12/13

Question 31

Moderate leaders at the first continental congress

Answer 31

John Dickinson Joseph galloway

Question 32

Radical leaders at the first continental congress

Answer 32

John Adam’s Sam Adam’s Patrick Harvey.

Question 33

What did the first continental congress declare (radicals)

Answer 33

The Suffolk resolves Congress supported radical view of coercive acts null and void and Massachusetts to arm for defence. Called for non importation of British goods until the repeal of the coercive acts Called for a total ban on 10th December Called for a united continental association. Agreed on a declaration of rights and greivances.

Question 34

The second continental congress

Answer 34

May 1775 65 delegates from all colonies met for second meeting of the continental congress. 50 present first meeting Newcomers Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Quickly decided for colonies to be immediately put in state of defence Took responsibility for army around Boston Set quota of each colony to create continental army of 20k Issued 2m paper money Appointed Washington as head of army.

Question 35

What were the two key documents written to king George III

Answer 35

Declaration of the causes and necessities for taking up arms July 6, 1775 Olive branch petition July 8 1775

Question 36

What was the Declaration of the causes and necessities for taking up arms

Answer 36

Asserted that Americans would rather die than be enslaved, but also that they had no intention of separating from Great Britain

Question 37

What was tue olive branch petition

Answer 37

July 8 1775 Written by Dickinson (moderate) Professed attachment to George III and begged him to prevent further hostile from breaking out It was a final attempt to avoid war. Congress had authorised the invasion of Canada a week before.

Question 38

King George response to the olive branch petition

Answer 38

George was not interested in appeals from an illegal body which was waging war against his troops. He refused to receive or even consider the olive branch petition. 23rd August 1775, declared the colonies to be in a state of open rebellion and called upon everyone to join together in suppressing the rebellion 22nd December, the prohibitory act declared the rebellious colonies to be outside the protection of the crown.

Question 39

Thomas Paine common sense

Answer 39

January 1776 Sold 120k copies in 3 months. Savagely attacked the British constitution but most significantly attacked the institution of a hereditary monarch and George the third. Called for Americans to publish a republic based on a broad franchise with annual elections.

Question 40

What arguments did Thomas Paine make in common sense

Answer 40

Against the British government. - challenged monarchy In favour of independence- thought it would bring greater freedom For a republic - people have more say in government.

Question 41

The Declaration of Independence

Answer 41

July 4th 1776 Colonist now starting to think about possible independence from Britain. Had 3 main areas: Intro A list of king George’s crimes Conclusion Over 60% is greivances against George 12/13 colonies supported, NYC abstained. 56 signature.

Question 42

What 2 things did the Declaration of Independence set out to do

Answer 42

Advance case for revolution, discussing human rights and national sovereignty Declare 13 colonies independent

Question 43

Lexington and concord

Answer 43

April 1775 American win First shot of American revolution, heard across the world

Question 44

Bunker hill

Answer 44

June 1775 British win Britain gained bunker hill but suffered more casualties. Americans shed good tactics behiend the British back

Question 45

Long Island

Answer 45

August 1776 British win First shot Largest battle, first major battle Decisive British victory. Gained control of NYC

Question 46

Trenton and Princeton

Answer 46

1176 December American win Boosted American morale, shift in momentum British weak, Washington led

Question 47

Saratoga

Answer 47

1777 October American win Decisive victory and turning point in war British surrendered French supported with military aid

Question 48

Charleston

Answer 48

April 1780 British win Major American loss, turning point in southern strategy

Question 49

Cowpens

Answer 49

January 1781 Americans win Turning point for southern colonies, British army retreated Gave Americans confidence they could win

Question 50

Chesapeake bay

Answer 50

September 1781 American win Pivotal naval victory, directly led to British surrendered

Question 51

Yorktown

Answer 51

October 1781 American win Last great battle, British surrender Brutus government began to condsider peace treaty

Question 52

Paragraph evidence for French intervention

Answer 52

Ink barely dry in treaty of Paris when France began to prepare for next war with Britain Determined for revenge following 7 years war. Split the army, battle of saintes. French provided financial and military assistance to the colonies

Question 53

What were the two conditions for the French to openly help the Americans

Answer 53

Declare independence Had to show they were capable of defending themselves against the British.

Question 54

William Howe

Answer 54

Favoured conciliar measures, he hoped to lure Washington into a decisive battle and negotiate a peaceful end to the rebellion. He had a 32k army vs a 20k Washington army. Had a chance at New York to outflank the americas, but it was foggy so he withdrew his army Following Saratoga defeat, Howe resigned.

Question 55

John Burgoyne

Answer 55

Colourful character, MP, playwright and general. Said in 1776 that he would be back by 1777 Christmas victorious. 30 vehicles needed to carry his belongings. Howe failed to communicate with Burgoyne.

Question 56

Henry Clinton

Answer 56

Howes replacement Struggled with poor supply lines Tried to resign twice Did not get on with Cornwallis, his second in command

Question 57

Charles Cornwallis

Answer 57

Arrived in NYC in July 1779 to he Clinton’s second in command Led the army in the southern campaign. In 19th October 1781, after a 3 week siege, Cornwallis surrendered his 8k strong army to Washington at Yorktown ending the war

Question 58

Evidence for British strengths in the American war of independence.

Answer 58

Britain 8million vs 2.5 American. British had an army of 48k when the American had to build from scratch 18k hessian German soldiers. 1783, 20k loyalists had joined the British army Royal Navy biggest in the world, 340 ships

Question 59

Evidence of British weakness in the American war of independence.

Answer 59

Took two month to cross the Atlantic to send reinforcements, same with communication. The colonies ran along 1.6km of coastline and covered 1.1 million square km The continental congress moved from city to city and each continental army fought almost as an independent army. Meant British couldn’t attack a central point Three top generals divided on strategy The terrain and problem of supplies made it hard for British forces to go more than 15 miles from a navigable river. Not prepared for conflict, navy run down.

Question 60

Evidence of American strengths in the American war of independence

Answer 60

They got off to a good start. There were only 8k troops in the US and they fought valiantly at bunker hill despite defeat. They called themselves patriots, they had a constant ideological goals and they were playing at home They were further motivated by the use of hessians hired by the British They knew the terrains and conditions They had already organised themselves into local militia groups who served as a kind of political police. Although they started with no navy, congress commissioned 2000 privateers. George Washington was an effective leader who had total confidence in the continental congress.

Question 61

evidence of American weaknesses in the war of independence.

Answer 61

Lacked unity, 13 different and separate colonies who shared more in common with Britain than with eachother. Continental army had to be built from scratch with just 5k troops. Washingtons army never exceeded 20k troops In most cases, inexperienced amateur officers served as the American military leaders. The army had fewer than 50 cannons, hardly any gunpowder Lacked effective government.

Question 62

First impacts on Britain following defeat (political)

Answer 62

Lord north resigned following a vote of no confidence George III asked William Pitt the younger to become PM - brought stability.

Question 63

Financial impact of the loss of the colonies on Britain

Answer 63

Trade disrupted during the war - 1775-78 imports fell by 26% However, textiles and naval building industries benefitted from the war Recruitment to the navy took men out of unemployment during the war After war national debt was £232 It took until 1802 for Britain and USA to settle tensions 10 years after tensions, trading relation recorded rapidly

Question 64

William Pitt economic impact

Answer 64

Imposed new tactics including Britain’s first income tax which reduced both smuggling and fraud

Question 65

Global impact of the loss on Britain

Answer 65

In 1793, French declared war on Britain. Ireland pushed and got free trade