Unit 5 Lesson 4 Actions & Reactions

Unit 5 Lesson 4 Actions & Reactions

The Road to Revolution

“What were some of the ways colonists protested the Stamp Act?”

• Resolutions condemning the Stamp Act were passed by colonial legislatures such as the House of Burgesses.

• There were peaceful protests.

• There were violent protests such as throwing rocks through the windows of British officials.

• The Sons of Liberty groups were formed and they led some of the protests.

• Stamped paper was burned.

“What were some of the ways colonists protested the Stamp Act?” 

• Resolutions condemning the Stamp Act were passed by colonial legislatures such as the House of Burgesses.

• There were peaceful protests.

• There were violent protests such as throwing rocks through the windows of British officials.

• The Sons of Liberty groups were formed and they led some of the protests.

• Stamped paper was burned.

Multiple Select

What were some of the ways the colonists protested? (choose all that apply)

• There were peaceful protests

• There were violent protests

• Sons of Liberty groups were formed

• Stamped paper was burned

Colonial Imports

• The data shows a decrease in colonial imports from Britain. Why do you think that is?

• As a protest against the Stamp Act and other actions by Britain, some colonists boycotted British goods.

• Boycott is when people refuse to have dealings with another person or company in order to show their disapproval.

A Road to Revolution

• In order to promote protests such as the boycott of British goods, some colonial leaders such as James Otis, Benjamin Franklin, and Samuel Adams felt the legislatures in different colonies needed to communicate better with each other.

• Boston had created a temporary Committee of Correspondence in 1764 to protest the Currency Act.

• In 1765 in response to the Stamp Act, both New York and Massachusetts set up a Committee.

• The New York Committee called for a meeting of representatives from all the colonies to discuss resistance to the Stamp Act.

• As a result of this request, leaders from nine colonies met in New York City in October of 1765.  This meeting became known as the Stamp Act Congress.

Multiple Choice

Why did they set up "Committees of Correspondence"?

• This is the wrong answer

• To promote protests among the colonies

• This is also the wrong answer

• Don't click me I'm also wrong

Grievances

• Leaders at the Stamp Act Congress were concerned not only with the taxes connected with the Stamp Act, but also with the continued use of Writs of Assistance and trials in special courts without juries.

• That Writs of Assistance gave legal permission for officials to search for smuggled materials within people’s homes.

• The Congress ended up issuing a “Declaration of Rights and Grievances”, written mainly by John Dickinson of Pennsylvania.

Multiple Choice

What did the "Writs of Assistance" allow British soldiers to do?

• Search houses for smuggled goods without a warrant

• assist all the colonists with writing

• I clicked this by mistake

• Play Minecraft

Repeal

• Benjamin Franklin appeared in front of Parliament and urged Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act.

• He warned of a possible revolution in the colonies if the Stamp Act was enforced.

• Some people in Britain also encouraged Parliament to repeal the Act. Who would do that?

• It was British merchants who urged the repeal because the boycott of British goods had begun to affect their businesses. 

Multiple Choice

Why did some people in Britain want to repeal the taxes?

• They thought they were unfair to the colonists

• Garfield is the best!

• The merchants were losing money because of the protests

• Hump Day!

Multiple Choice

Is this an example of a primary source or secondary source?

• Primary source

• Secondary Source

The Declaratory Act

• The very same day Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, it also passed the Declaratory Act.

• This act stated that Parliament could make laws for the colonies “in all cases.”

• Colonial leaders were celebrating the repeal of the Stamp Act and not a lot of attention was given to the Declaratory Act at that time.  This would change soon.

Things Change...

• After the repeal of the Stamp Act most colonists stopped their boycott of British goods and the number of imports began to rise again.

Multiple Choice

Why did the British merchants start selling more goods?

• Just like yesterday I am choosing this answer because it is the longest--boycott--so it must be right--repeal--and mentions certain key words--buying British goods

• The colonists started to buy their products again after the Stamp Act ended.

• Ms. Trainor's favorite candy is Reeses

• This is the wrong answer

Townsend Acts

• The first of these acts suspended New York’s assembly for refusing to comply with the Quartering Act.  The assembly was to remain suspended until people agreed to provide housing for British troops in New York.

• The Acts also placed a tax on imports such as paper, tea, glass, lead, and paint.

• Parliament hoped that the money raised by the taxes would pay the salaries of British governors and other British officials in the colonies.

• The acts continued to allow for writs of assistance to be used in searching for smuggled goods.

Multiple Choice

The Townsend Acts were a good thing for the colonists.

• True

• False

How Did the Colonists React?

• Reactions included many of the same type of protests that followed the enactment of the Stamp Act.

• A boycott of British goods began again.

• People found substitutes for tea such as sassafras

• They used homemade paper and left their houses unpainted.

Supporting the King

• Not all colonists favored boycotts and protests

• Many were very loyal to the king and felt the king and Parliament had full authority over the colonies.

Getting the Word Out

• In February of 1768, in response to the Townshend Acts, Samuel Adams and James Otis of the Massachusetts legislature drafted a “Circular Letter.”

• This term was given to correspondence meant to circulate between the colonies.

“Massachusetts Circular Letter of 1768”

• The Massachusetts Circular letter opposed taxation without representation and called for colonists to unite in their actions.

• It was sent to assemblies throughout the colonies.

• Many colonial assemblies then issued similar statements.

• In response to the Massachusetts letter, the British governor of Massachusetts dissolved the colony’s legislature.

Multiple Choice

The Massachusetts Letter opposed what?

• Taxation without Representation

• Virtual Learning

• Homework

• What kind of cars should be allowed in the colonies

Multiple Choice

What happened as a result of this letter?

• Nothing

• I have no idea

• The British Governor dissolved the colony's government

• There were more protests and boycotts

The Virginia House of Burgesses responded to the Massachusetts Circular Letter with resolutions of its own against the Townshend Acts.

• When the governor of Virginia learned of the resolutions, he dissolved the House of Burgesses.

• The burgesses, however, moved the meeting to a tavern in Williamsburg.

• They signed a pledge of action that was drafted by George Mason and George Washington and supported by another colonial leader, Thomas Jefferson.

Multiple Choice

Who wrote the Pledge of Action?

• Giselle Knowles and Stefani Germanotta

• Garfield and Odie

• Tom and Jerry

• George Washington and George Mason

Bye, Bye Townsend Acts!

• Britain repealed most of the Townshend Acts except the Tea Tax in 1770.

• Many colonial leaders were still angry.  In Jefferson’s words “Parliament still claimed the right to bind us by their laws in all cases whatsoever."

• Other issues included the dissolving of colonial legislatures, British troops being sent to Boston, etc.

Multiple Choice

Although the Townsend Acts were repealed, the British still taxed what?

• Diet Pepsi

• Tea

• Cars

• Plane Tickets

Power and Authority

• Britain decided to send more soldiers to the colonies in order to show its authority

• By 1770, there were more than 9000 British soldiers in the colonies.

• Colonists had names for the soldiers that included “lobsterbacks” and “redcoats.” Soldiers sometimes responded to the name-calling by destroying colonial property.  As a result, tensions began to rise.

• Fights between colonists and soldiers began to break out especially in Boston.

Multiple Choice

What did the Colonists call British soldiers?

• Redcoats

• Rusty

• Penny

• Willie