Download AmericanIndependenceandRevolutionaryPeriodinPicturesand.pps

American Independence
and Revolutionary Period
in Pictures and Portraits
Joan Cartmill
Patrick Henry
of Virginia
“Government is dissolved [and] we are in
a state of nature. The distinctions
between Virginians, Pennsylvanians,
and New Englanders are no more. I
am not a Virginian, but an American.”
October 1774
Important Events

French and Indian War
 1755-1763
 Great Britain vs France in the colonies
and Europe
 Also known as The Seven Years War or
the Great War for the Empire
 Ended with the Treaty of Paris – 1763
War and debt

Great Britain wanted the Colonies to
share the cost of the war.
 1764 The Revenue (Sugar Act) tax on
molasses
 Currency Act – colonial legislatures
complained
 Stamp Act – Colonists objected
 1765 – Riots
Townshend Duties

Townshend Duties
 Tax on paper, lead,
painters’ colors and
tea

Samuel Adams (cousin
to John) encouraged
colony to reject these
taxes
The British in Boston

October 1, 1768
 British Troops march
into Boston
 Quartered at Boston
Commons
 Purpose: To enforce
taxes imposed by the
Townshend Act
BOSTON MASSACRE





March 5, 1770
Colonists taught, tease and throw snowballs
at Redcoats.
“FIRE!”
5 dead – Crispus Attucks
John Adams and Josiah Quincy successfully
defend the soldiers at their trial.
Boston Massacre
John Adams
defended British
soldiers on murder
charges. (Founding
father and 2nd
President of US)
Crispus
Attucks:
Died in
Boston
Massacre
March 5,
1770
Painting of the Boston Massacre
Tea Act Passed



Colonists had been smuggling Dutch tea to
avoid taxes
British imports in the colonies dropped from
500,000 lbs in 1768 to 650 lbs in 1772
1773 – British Parliament passes Tea Act

Parliament allows India to import tea to the
Colonies to fight Dutch imports
Boston Tea Party
December 16,
1773
 Band of 50
Bostonians
boarded tea ships
dressed as Indians
 £ 10,000 worth of
tea dumped into
Boston Harbor

British Parliament Reaction to
Boston Tea Party

Coercive Acts May 1774 (aka Intolerable
Acts)
 Parliament ordered colonists to pay for the
destroyed tea
 Port of Boston is closed until the debt is paid
 British soldiers were immune from local trials
 Reformed Massachusetts government
Continental Congress





September 1774
Philadelphia
55 delegates
Every colony except Georgia is represented
Declaration of Rights and resolves

REPEAL Intolerable Acts by December 1st!

Consequence – Colonies would ban on imports and
exports between Great Britain, Ireland and British W.
Indies
Shot heard ‘round the world
April 1775
 Lexington and
Concord
 Minutemen
 Paul Revere “The British are
coming!”

Common Sense




Thomas Paine
January 1776
Pro-independence
pamphlet that was
published at a
national level
Widely read by
Colonists
Thomas
Paine
Declaration of Independence

Commissioned in June 1776

Committee included
Thomas Jefferson
 Ben Franklin
 John Adams





Based on previous works
“When in the course of human events…”
“All men are created equal…”
“Unalienable rights … life, liberty, pursuit of
happiness.”
Second Continental Congress & the
Declaration of Independence



Presented and read on June 28, 1776
Declaration was ordered to “lie on the table”
until the next Monday – July 1st.
July 2nd – vote is taken.




12 yes and 1 abstain (NY)
Unanimous
July 4, 1776 – Document is printed
56 signers - August 2, 1776
John Trumball’s Signing of the
Declaration of Independence
Bibliography
www.archives.gov
www.Americanrevolution.com
www.americanrevwar.homestead.com
www.cr.nps.gov
www.earlyamerica.com
www.fatherryan.org
www.law.umkc.edu
www.loc.gov
www.npg.si.edu
www.pbs.org
www.si.umich.edu
www.teachpol.ncnj.edu
www.ushistory.com
www.ushistory.org
American Independence
and Revolutionary Period
in Pictures and Portraits
Joan Cartmill