First colonists were outraged because British officials hired the services of foreign soldiers called “Hessian”. They were outraged for that because Britain was hiring outsiders to do the killing for them.
The second motive was because of Thomas Paine. He was a newly arrived immigrant to the colonists and with the help of Benjamin Franklin got a job at the Philadelphia magazine. On January 10 he anonymously published a pamphlet called “Common Sense” in which he wrote his views on the need of American Independence. The pamphlet sold 120,000 copies within a few months, and eventually sold 500,000 copies, or one for every five people in America, including slaves. Paine gave all the money earned with his pamphlet to the Congress, as a sign of patriotism.
On June 7, 1776 Richard Henry Lee, a Virginian, said that the colonies “are, and of a right ought to be, free and independent states.” Few days later a committee was appointed to draft a formal declaration.
The committee consisted of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was selected as the writer for three reasons according to Adams: First, he was a Virginian; Second: he was very recognized and popular; Third, he wrote fluently. Few weeks later Jefferson finished a document that will become recognized as one of the most eloquent political statements, although some of the grievances were exaggerated and he declared all men were equal when many other Americans owed slaves and didn’t saw them as equal. The document was presented on Congress in June 28.
On July 2, 1776 Congress voted and decided America was free.
On July 4, 1776 the Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence.
The American Colonies were divided into the Patriots and Loyalists during the Revolutionary times.
Loyalists
Loyalists were the American colonists who remained loyal to Britain. They were often referred as the Tories, Royalists, or Kings Men by the Patriots. Many of them were older wealthy merchants who belong to the Church of England. Fifteen to twenty percent of white populations were Loyalists. The most number of loyalists were found in the Middle Colonies. Most of Pennsylvania Dutch were Loyalists because they feared the lands that were given to them by the royalty will be in danger with a republican form of government. They thought resistance to the Crown was morally wrong. Most loyalists were passive and waited London to send armies to suppress the rebellion. Patriots would insult Loyalists because they didn’t believe in the Patriots causes. About 100,000 loyalists left the country after the Revolution.
Loyalist Argument
-Common Heritage and Culture withEngland
-Benefit from the trans-Atlantic trade
-Many were first generation or had close relatives inEngland
-Strong sense of duty to British Crown
-Farms and Farm products could be greatly reduced in value
- Separate government couldbecome an anarchy
-They thought actions taken by revolutionary committees were illegal
Patriots
Patriots were also called Whigs or Americans Most Patriots were highly educated but many ordinary men and women supported and aided the Patriot cause. The middle and lower classes didn’t like the economic situation mainly due to British taxation. They believed British taxes were illegal because the colonists were not directly represented in Parliament. Patriots fought to end the power and control Britain had over the Colonists and by doing this eventually they gained Independence from Britain. Patriots’ goal was to defend American rights and preserve the principles of republicanism by rejecting monarchy and aristocracy.
Patriot Argument
-Individual liberty was threatened by greater government
-A series of acts and laws passed by the British Government were oppressive and indicative of a decline in colonial rights.
The Shots of the battle fought in Lexington and Concord are consider the start of The Revolution. This battle took place on April 18, 1775 when General Thomas Gage sent 700 soldiers. General Gage sent them for two objectives:
1.The soldiers will go to Lexington and arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock.
2.Once they had arrested these patriot leaders they will head to Concord, they were ordered that in Concord they should destroy all the arm guns and ammunition that were stored here.
Thomas Gage wanted to keep his plans secret. This couldn´t be possible and Dr. Joseph Warren discovers the British plans. In order to tell his friends what was happening he sent Paul Revere to warn Samuel and Hancock of the situation.
Paul Revere successfully arrived to Lexington and deliver Dr. Joseph message to Samuel and Hancock. When the British troops arrived to arrest them they had already escape. Once the colonists had been warn they prepared for a fight against the British. All the colonist militia was conformed of minute men.
British arrived and they saw 75 minute men that were lead by Captain Jonas Parker. The British fired against the Minute Men. At the end of the shots 8 Minute Men were killed and 10 were injured. After this the Red Coast headed to Concord. Paul Revere intensions were to warn Concord and tell them that the British militia was coming, but he was trapped by the British militia. So others were the ones who warn Concord of the Red Coats. When they arrived the people of concord were busy translating the guns and the ammunitions to other places so the British couldn´t find them. The British troops arrived but they only destroyed a part of the colonists’ armament. After they had finish they were marching back to Boston and in the way they founded themselves surrounded by Minute Men.
The Minute Men attacked the British militia by surprised and at the end of the attack 73 British soldiers were killed and 174 were wounded. The colonist had achieved a great success during this attack.
As the Intolerable Acts started to be imposed, there was one that affected Massachusetts directly. This was the Massachusetts Government Act. This act took away their right to govern themselves. The colonists took the matter in their hands and started to appoint their own authorities, which led to the emerged of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress.
This Massachusetts Provincial Congress counted with many risks, because first of all it was illegal and they could be arrested for being part of this Congress. The first meeting of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress was on October 7, 1774. During the meeting many important issues were discuss:
1. They agree that they need to make something to protect themselves against the British.
2. A tax collector was assigned. It was Henry Gardner. (The Congress needed money to prepare an army for war).
3.They founded a Committee of Safety and a Committee of Supplies.
Every time the Congress made a meeting it was done in different places, so they couldn’t be caught be the British. The Massachusetts Provincial Congress had the opportunity to govern all Massachusetts except Boston. They couldn´t control Boston because it was the British base.
The presidents of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress had being great men such as:
Due to the Boston Tea Party the Parliament with The five Coercive Act of 1774, which are also known as the Intolerable Acts. These acts were intended to punish Boston but instead caused a concern in the colonies because they seem to violate the solemnity of the local political institutions. The Intolerable Acts were The Boston Port Act, The Massachusetts Government Act, The Administration of Justice Act, the Quartering Act and the Quebec Act.
The Boston Port Act: These act closed the port of Boston, therefore the landing and discharging, lading or shipping, of goods, wares and merchandise at the town and within the Boston Harbor was discontinued until the East India Company was paid for the lost tea. This created trouble for the people of Boston whose income came from trade.
Massachusetts Government Act: These act took away many of Massachusetts rights of self-government, because it abolished the elected council member and replaced them with member council appointed by the King. These act also forbid town meetings unless it was at an annual meeting or a meeting specifically authorize by the governor. It was aimed at punishing Boston and forcing it out of resistance. Massachusetts was very proud of its independence and was angry for the violation to their rights.Administration of Justice Act: The Parliament tookmeasures to afford legal protection to the officials serving in the colony. These act provided British officials accused of committing crimes in a colony to avoid local juries so these cases should be taken England for trial. Because it would mean witnesses would be forced to travel, the practical effect was thought to be that the British officials would escape justice. The colonists labeled this particular act as the “Murder Act” because it offered means for accused murderers to escape colonial justice.
The Quartering Act: The fourth measure allowed the Colonists to quarter British soldiers in colonial buildings at the expense of the colonists, including colonists’ homes, if there was not enough space in other buildings. Colonists believed it was illegal and unfair for the government to force them to provide quarters and food for the soldiers. Later on the third amendment of the constitution will forbid the quartering of troops in homes.
The Quebec Act: These act intended to afford greater rights to the British inhabitants of Canada which were under the British rule after the Treaty of Paris. This fifth act extended the boundaries of the province of Quebec. Because Quebec did not have representative assemblies, many colonists thought this transfer of land from the colonies to unrepresented Quebec was another attempt to punish the colonies and solidify British control.
The Quebec Act made:
*The province's territory was expanded to take over part of the Indian Reserve, including much of what is now southern Ontario, plus Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota.
*The oath of allegiance was replaced with one that no longer made reference to the Protestant faith.
*It guaranteed free practice of the Catholic faith.
*It restored the use of the French civil law for private matters while maintaining the use of the English common law for public administration, including criminal prosecution.
Unlike the others the Quebec Act was not a punitive act for the colonies but colonists just saw it as another Intolerable Act.
The Intolerable Acts were those that pushed the Americans to their limit. Their impact encouraged all colonies to unite, to become more aware of their political circumstances, to fight for their country, and, ultimately, to gain independence from the British Empire.
In 1770 violent protests by the Colonists lead Parliament to abolish the Townshend duties except for the duties on tea. Because of these the Colonists started drinking smuggle Dutch tea. These lead to a decline in tea sales in the colonies. 1773 the Parliament passed the Tea Act as a measure to avoid the English East India company from bankruptcy. The new regulations allowed the company to sell tea at lower prices than smuggle tea even with the duty in effect.
On November three ships arrived to the Boston Harbor, the Dartmouth, The Eleanor, and the Beaver, with English tea. The colonists demanded the tea to be sent back to England but Massachusetts governor refused. Because of that Samuel Adams organized the Tea Party.
December 16, 1773 a band of fifty patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians went to Boston Harbor were the three ships were docked. The Sons of Liberty boarded each of the three ships and, once on board they started striking the chests with hatchets and axes. Once the crates were open the tea was dumped into the sea. Many spectators just watched silently until patriots caught Charles O’Conner filling his coat with tea. He was threatened to death if he revealed the identity of any man on board and sent him out of town. By nine p.m the Sons of Liberty had emptied 342 crates of tea into the Boston Harbor. Fearing any connection to their deed they swept the ships’ decks and made each ships first mate declare that only the teas was damaged. The British tea dumped in Boston Harbor on that night was valued at some $18,000.
This is a successful group of women that prove how important it is that women are involved in politics, because this brings benefits to their countries. As the “Daughters of Liberty” joined the boycott of the British importation they provided with their weaving yarn and wool spun. In a way this made America more independent from British textile. In small towns women stated to spun wool into homemade cloth. To prove their commitment to the cause of liberty and industrialization they worked from sun to sun. These women also fought for women equality.
Abigal Adams plays an important role as a “Daughter of Liberty”. She was born in 1744 and died in 1818. She was the second United States President’s wife to live in the white House. She is best known for the letters she used to send to his husband. They talked about don´t leaving women outside the countries future and to always remember of them. She achieve a lot of things during her life time.
As the Parliament started to impose new taxes to the colonies as The Stamp Act groups in the colonies started too emerged to go against them. The biggest enemies were a group called the “Sons of Liberty”. This was a group of men that work together and opposed to all the duty taxes that came from the Parliament. The first groups emerged in Boston after the Stamp Act in 1765. The movement of the “Sons of Liberty” in Massachusetts was created by Samuel Adams. By the end of this year these groups were all spread along the colonies.
The main objectives of the “Sons of Liberty” was to throughout the Stamp Collectors taxes from the colonies and also to make every merchant apply the non-importation agreement. These groups got very violent when they were against the Stamp Act. Sometimes it went out of control and the protest did thing that the Sons had not approved. These groups were leaded and formed in secret. The achievement of the abolition of the Stamp Act was that many members of the “Sons of Liberty” were printers and publisher, and this was the key of their win. It was not the violent protests. One protest was when they empty three ships that contained 342 chests of tea in Boston Harbor. These continue until they eventually got to the independence and achieve their goals.
Hi we are Andrea Pineda and Darian Barahona. We created this blog for US History class and we are going to be posting information about the American Revolution. We hope its helpful!
The committee consisted of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was selected as the writer for three reasons according to Adams: First, he was a Virginian; Second: he was very recognized and popular; Third, he wrote fluently. Few weeks later Jefferson finished a document that will become recognized as one of the most eloquent political statements, although some of the grievances were exaggerated and he declared all men were equal when many other Americans owed slaves and didn’t saw them as equal. The document was presented on Congress in June 28.
