Overview
This lecture covers the shift from British "salutary neglect" to strict control over the American colonies, focusing on new taxes, colonial resistance, and the growing movement towards the American Revolution.
Effects of the French and Indian War
- The French and Indian War was expensive, leaving Britain in debt.
- Britain expected the American colonies to help pay for the war through taxes.
- Colonists had grown accustomed to self-rule due to Britain's previous policy of "salutary neglect."
End of Salutary Neglect and Increased Control
- Salutary neglect allowed colonists to largely govern themselves and ignore some British trade laws.
- To raise revenue, Britain tightened enforcement of existing laws (e.g., Navigation Acts) and introduced new taxes.
- The Quartering Act of 1765 required colonists to house and feed British soldiers.
New Taxation and Colonial Response
- The Sugar Act taxed items like coffee, wine, and molasses.
- The Stamp Act of 1765 taxed all paper products in the colonies.
- The Currency Act stopped colonies from printing their own money, shrinking the money supply.
- Increased taxes came during a period of declining wages and rising unemployment for colonists.
- Colonists objected to being taxed without Parliamentary representation, coining "no taxation without representation."
- Britain claimed colonists had "virtual representation" in Parliament, which the colonists rejected.
Organized Colonial Resistance
- Groups like the Sons of Liberty, Daughters of Liberty, and Vox Populi formed to oppose British policies.
- The Stamp Act Congress (1765) petitioned for repeal, declaring loyalty but demanding rights as British citizens.
- Parliament repealed the Stamp and Sugar Acts but passed the Declaratory Act affirming its authority over the colonies.
Escalation with the Townshend Acts and Protests
- The Townshend Acts (1767) taxed imports like paper, tea, and glass.
- Widespread boycotts united colonists across social classes; women played a crucial role by making homespun goods.
- Tension rose between Britain and the colonies.
Boston Massacre and Further Unrest
- The Boston Massacre (1770) saw British soldiers kill several colonists during a confrontation.
- Despite most soldiers' acquittal, colonists viewed the event as proof of British tyranny.
Boston Tea Party and Intolerable Acts
- The Tea Act (1773) gave the British East India Company exclusive tea rights, angering colonists.
- Colonists responded with the Boston Tea Party, dumping 45 tons of tea into Boston Harbor.
- Britain retaliated with the Coercive (Intolerable) Acts, closing the harbor and enforcing stricter controls.
- Patriots spread word and organized militias in response to British actions.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Salutary Neglect — Britain's policy of loosely enforcing colonial laws, allowing self-governance.
- Quartering Act — Law requiring colonists to house and supply British soldiers.
- Sugar Act — Tax on imported luxury items and molasses.
- Stamp Act — Tax on printed materials in the colonies.
- Currency Act — Law banning colonial printing of paper money.
- Virtual Representation — British idea that Parliament represented all British subjects, even those in the colonies.
- Stamp Act Congress — Colonial meeting to petition against the Stamp Act.
- Townshend Acts — Taxes on imported goods such as paper, tea, and glass.
- Boston Massacre — 1770 event where British troops killed colonists during a confrontation.
- Tea Act — Gave the British East India Company exclusive tea rights in the colonies.
- Coercive/Intolerable Acts — Laws punishing Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the causes and effects of each act and colonial response for quizzes or exams.
- Prepare to discuss escalation points leading to the American Revolution in the next lecture.