2.  When is it appropriate to revolt against
the government or ruling body?

3.  In the 1700’s, England was the most
powerful country in the world.
 England had added Scotland, Ireland and
Wales to is kingdom and had even taken
over Spanish slave trade
 Colonies in the new world were producing
large amounts of cotton, tobacco, sugar, etc.
 There were very few restrictions on trade
which was good for business.

4.  However, in1756, Europe once again
broke out into war.
 This war was known as the Seven Years
War.
 Prussia went to war with the Russians,
Austrians and French over territorial
disputes.
 However, the greatest of these
conflicts took place in North America.

7.  This conflict is commonly known as the French
and Indian War fought between the French and
English.
 The French had smaller colonies and trading
posts throughout North America while the
British had larger, successful colonies.
 The French allied themselves with the Native
Americans whom they had good relations with.
 The British settlers (Americans) fought the
along side the British against the French.

8.  The James Fennimore
Cooper novel, “Last of the
Mohicans” takes place
during the French and
Indian War.
 It is the tale of the last
people of the Mohican tribe
and their adopted white son,
Hawkeye.
 The Mohicans ally
themselves with the British
and fight against the French
and Algonquin tribes.
 Hawkeye falls in love with a
British general’s daughter.

10.  The war is very bloody and each side
suffers many casualties.
 The British end up winning the war and the
French lose control of lands in Louisiana
and some Caribbean islands
 Despite it’s victory, the war had nearly
doubled England’s national debt.
 The King then sought sources of revenue to
pay off the debt.

11.  Britain needed to repay it’s war debts and
the solution was to tax the colonies.
 Two years after the war, Parliament passes
the Stamp Act (1765) which required all
documents (newspapers, magazines, mail,
legal documents) to be printed on paper
from London with a special seal or stamp.
 The colonists boycotted this act and it was
later repealed.
 Parliament then passes the Tea Act (1773)
 This act again put a tax on all tea except
from the British East India Company.
 This was done to force colonists to buy tea
from the British company (which was going
bankrupt at the time)

12.  Sam Adams and the Sons of Liberty sent a message to
the governor of Massachusetts, demanding that British
ships carrying tea leave the harbor.
 When they refused, dressed like Mohawk Indians,
colonists stormed the ships, split open the chests, and
dumped tea into the harbor under the full moon.

13.  Since 1768, British troops were
stationed in the colonies to help
enforce unpopular British legislation
(laws, customs, etc.)
 Amid ongoing tense relations
between the people and soldiers, a
mob formed and subjected verbal
abuse and harassment towards the
soldiers.
 As the tensions built, people started
throwing rocks at the soldiers.
 The soldiers then opened fire on the
crowd, killing 5 and injuring 6
others.

14.  The Intolerable Acts
• Parliament shut down the port of Boston- no ship could
enter or leave the harbor
• Town meetings could only be held once a year without
governor’s permission

15.  It also included
the Quartering
Act- British
soldiers could
force citizens to
house troops in
their homes.

17.  The First Continental Congress- September 1774
 Colonial leaders from 13 colonies call a meeting in
Philadelphia
 Colonists agree to back Massachusetts and boycott
all British goods until Intolerable Acts were repealed.
 Each colony also set up its own militia (army of
civilians)

18.  The first battles take place in 1775 at Lexington
and Concord (Massachusetts)
 The British heard that the colonials were storing
arms.
 Colonial Minutemen fought and lost the battle at
Lexington but forced the British to retreat at
Concord.

19.  Thomas Jefferson drafts
the Declaration of
Independence using
many of the ideals
presented by John Locke
and other Enlightened
thinkers which formally
announces the colonies’
intent to be independent
on July 4th, 1776.

20. Only two people signed the
Declaration of Independence on
July 4th, 1776.
 The majority of others signed on
August 2nd after the original,
rough draft was revised and a
cleaner copy was produced.

21.  John Hancock  Charles Thomson
 President of Congress  Secretary of Congress

22.  The war has officially started.
 Britain has better trained soldiers, a huge navy, plenty
of natural resources and the support of about 1/3 of
colonists (Loyalists) and some Native tribes.
 The Colonists are not well equipped and a bit
unorganized but they have home advantage, strong
leadership from people like George Washington and
are strongly dedicated to winning their independence.
 The French helped the American colonies by supplying them
with arms and other supplies.
 They also recognized the U.S. as a sovereign nation.
 However, the British vastly underestimated their
opponent.

23. AMERICAN MILITIA BRITISH REGULARS

25.  After six, long years of
fighting, the American
army which was made
up of volunteers, was
finally able to defeat the
well trained British army
at Yorktown in 1781.
 The Treaty of Paris was
signed in 1783 and
officially recognized the
independence of the
American Colonies.

26.  The epic film, The
Patriot, follows Benjamin
Martin (Mel Gibson), a
French and Indian War
hero, as he leads a
Colonial militia against
the British during the
American Revolution.
The film also stars Heath
Ledger.

29.  The American Revolution would be an
inspiration to many other revolutions
such as the French and Latin American
Revolutions.
 Filled with Enlightened ideas, many
other countries' constitutions have
mimicked the U.S. Constitution.