PPT on the causes of the American Revolution, adapted from a presentation created by Susan Pojer at Horace Greely High School

1. Thanks to Susan Pojer at Horace Greely HS for the basis
of this Powerpoint presentation!

3.  Economic theory that bases a nations wealth on
the amount of gold and bullion in its treasury
 Raw materials were exported from colonies in
order for the mother country to make a profit
 Each nation tried to have more goods coming in
than going out. This was called a “favorable
balance of trade.”
Mercantile System

4. Mercantile System:
Triangular Trade

5. • Power derived from a nation’s wealth
• Colonies were necessary for economic growth
• Nations had to control the commerce of their
colonies
• First Navigation Act, 1651
– Balance of trade
– Rules governing which goods could enter English ports and
on which ships
– Rules governing nationality of captain and crew of ships
– Generated opposition in the colonies
Mercantilism as a
Moral Revolution

6. • Navigation Act of 1660
– All colonial trade had to be carried
out on English ships
– New rules on nationality of captain
and crew of ships
– Listed goods that could be shipped
from the colonies ONLY to England
or another English colony
– Navigation Acts were tremendously
successful at displacing the Dutch
and establishing English hegemony
over the Atlantic trade
• Staple Act of 1663
– Regulated goods going to colonies
Mercantilism

7. • Plantation Duty Act of 1673
– The Plantation Duty Act limited American trade
– Attempted to force planters to trade exclusively with England and
her colonies and to redirect revenue to Great Britain.
– Three provisions:
1. Put a penny tax on each pound of tobacco.
2. Required a five-shilling tax for every hundred weight of sugar.
3. Collectors were appointed in the colonies. This meant that, for the
first time in history, the British government placed a revenue-
collecting administration in British North America.
 Widely hated across the British Empire. Merchants on both
sides of the Atlantic felt it targeted them unfairly.
Mercantilism

8. • James II replaced by William
and Mary
• Upheavals in many American
colonies. End result:
– No more colonial self-government.
Imposed representative govt. in all
colonies answering to crown.
– Religious toleration imposed on
the Puritans
– England regulated and enforced
Atlantic trade, but could not
effectively enforce inland trade.
Crisis in England:
The Glorious
Revolution

9. • Abandoned rigid inheritance
and familial patterns of England
• Adhered to patriarchal family
and society structure
– Primogeniture
• Households interdependent
within society, tried to be self-
sufficient
• Householders exerted
independence in larger political
society
• Independence influenced
military affairs as few felt
compelled to serve unless it
was in their own interests
Changing Face of
Americans

10. • African slave trade reached its
peak between 1730 and 1775
– Transformed political life, as great
planters assumed leadership
positions
– Rice Planters of Carolina became
richest members of colonial society
Expansion &
Regionalism in
Colonies

11. • Life for slaves in Upper South
– Utilized gang system to supervise
slaves
– A small percentage of slaves
learned skills
– Encouraged family life among
slaves
• Life for slaves in Lower South
– Utilized task system of slave
supervision
– Relied on white artisans for
manufactured products
– Slaves in deep South slower to
assimilate into the British world
Expansion &
Regionalism in
Colonies

12. • Most pluralistic region of
North America from the
start
• Ireland and Germany main
sources of immigrants
after 1720
• New immigrants populated
backcountry and created
distinct society there
– Violent, heavy drinking
– Hated Indians
The Mid-Atlantic
Colonies

13. • Economy weakened after
colonial wars ended in 1713
• Molasses act of 1733
– Imposed tax on West Indies
molasses
– Increased bribery and smuggling
• Region made its mark on
Atlantic commerce through
shipbuilding
• Massachusetts invented fiat
money in 1690
– Problems with depreciation
New England: Faltering
Economy
& Paper Money

14. Tar and Feathering

15. The Boston MassacreThe Boston Massacre
((March 5,1770March 5,1770 ))

16. The Gaspee IncidentThe Gaspee Incident
(1772)(1772)
Providence, RI coastProvidence, RI coast

17. CommitteesCommittees
of Correspondenceof Correspondence
PurposePurpose  warn neighboring colonieswarn neighboring colonies
about incidents with Br.about incidents with Br.
 broaden the resistancebroaden the resistance
movement.movement.

18. Tea ActTea Act (1773)(1773)
8 British East India Co.:British East India Co.:
 Monopoly on Br. teaMonopoly on Br. tea
imports.imports.
 Many members ofMany members of
Parl. held shares.Parl. held shares.
 Permitted the Co. toPermitted the Co. to
sell tea directly tosell tea directly to
cols. without col.cols. without col.
middlemenmiddlemen
(cheaper tea!)(cheaper tea!)
8 North expected theNorth expected the
cols. to eagerly choosecols. to eagerly choose
the cheaper tea.the cheaper tea.

19. Boston Tea PartyBoston Tea Party
(1773)(1773)

20. The Coercive orThe Coercive or
IntolerableIntolerable
ActsActs (1774)(1774)
Lord NorthLord North
1.1. Port BillPort Bill
2.2. Government ActGovernment Act
4.4. Administration ofAdministration of
Justice ActJustice Act
3.3. New QuarteringNew Quartering
ActAct

21. The Quebec ActThe Quebec Act (1774)(1774)

22. First ContinentalFirst Continental
CongressCongress (1774)(1774)55 delegates from 12 colonies55 delegates from 12 colonies
AgendaAgenda  How toHow to
respond to therespond to the
Coercive Acts &Coercive Acts &
the Quebec Act?the Quebec Act?
1 vote per colony1 vote per colony
represented.represented.

23. The British AreThe British Are
ComingComing . . .. . .
Paul ReverePaul Revere && William DawesWilliam Dawes make theirmake their
midnight ride to warn themidnight ride to warn the MinutemenMinutemen ofof
approaching British soldiers.approaching British soldiers.

24. The Shot HeardThe Shot Heard
’’Round the WorldRound the World!!
LexingtonLexington && ConcordConcord – April 18,1775– April 18,1775

25. The SecondThe Second
Continental CongressContinental Congress
(1775)(1775)
Olive Branch PetitionOlive Branch Petition

27. Thomas PaineThomas Paine::
Common SenseCommon Sense

28. Declaration ofDeclaration of
IndependenceIndependence (1776)(1776)

29. Declaration ofDeclaration of
IndependenceIndependence

30. Independence HallIndependence Hall

31. NewNew
NationalNational
SymbolsSymbols