The Untold Story of American Independence - Part 5

Coercive Acts Imposed (1774)

 

“The British were shocked and outraged by the Boston Tea Party. It was clear the British were going to respond, the question was how. Some in parliament, led by William Pitt and Edmund Burke, urged caution. Pitt and Burke warned the parliament they were going down the wrong path with the colonists. However, their words of warning were ignored. Parliament decided to punish those in Boston, on a number of measures. The first was the Boston Port Act. That act closed the port of Boston until the East India was compensated for their tea.

 

“The Boston Port Act shocked the people of Boston. The Boston Committee of Correspondence immediately called for a meeting in Faneuil Hall. There, letters were sent out to other colonies asking for support. The letter stated: ‘The single question then, is whether you consider Boston as now suffering a common cause, and sensibly feel and resent the injury and affront.’

 

“Boston asked other colonies to stop trading with England as a response to the British actions. The colonies were sympathetic to Boston's plight, but responses were mixed.

 

“The British were not willing to stop with the closing of Boston Harbor. They then enacted the Massachusetts Government Act. This act suspended the popular election of councilors. The act called to replaced the councilors with directly appointed officials, as well as directly appointed judges. This new act created even more resentment in the colony than the Boston Port Act. Not only was Boston upset, the entire Massachusetts colony was now up in arms. British officials could no longer operate in areas where the British army was not in place. Opponents to these acts barred the judges appointed by the crown from hearing cases and the newly appointed crown representatives were convinced not to take office.“The British made one final mistake. The British passed the Quebec Act. This act extended the Quebec province along the western borders of the colonies, thus sealing them off from Western expansion. The act further ensured those colonies would be open to Catholic settlers. This act further alarmed the Protestant Puritans of the New England.“The British hoped their acts would force Boston and the surrounding areas into submission. The British acts had the opposite effect. Implementing these acts was one of the last of a long string of miscalculations made by the British government in the wake of the impending American independence.”

 

 

The First Continental Congress (1774)

 

“A cry went on among the colonies after the implementation of the Intolerable Acts by the British, in response to the Boston Tea Party. Once again colonists called to organize a meeting or Congress of all the colonies, modeled on the Stamp Act Congress.

 

“Leaders of the various colonies all agreed that such a meeting was welcome and necessary to coordinate their response to the British actions. The various colonies selected their delegations. The representatives all set out for Philadelphia, the agreed location.

 

“Nowhere was the Congress more welcome than in Massachusetts. On May 25th, 1774, the Massachusetts General Court elected members to the Governor's Council. Governor Hutchison vetoed 12 of the members, including John Adams. The governor then left to England for consultations. The Governor left behind General Gage in charge. Gage promptly adjoined the council, which met anyway.

 

“The council appointed a delegation to the Continental Congress. The delegation consisted of Thomas Cushing, James Bowdoin, Robert Treat Paine, John and Samuel Adams. When Gage heard of their decision, he disbanded the Great and Gnarl Court. Gage wrote Lord Dartmouth, informing him of the plans of the Congress. He wrote: ‘It is not possible to guess what a body, composed of such heterogeneous matter will determine; but members from hence, I am assured will promote the most haughty and insolent resolves; for their plans has ever been by high-sounding sedition to terrify and intimidate.’

 

“On August 10th, John Adams and the delegation set off for Philadelphia. The delegation arrived in Philadelphia twenty days later, after visiting Hartford, New Haven and New York on the way. They began meeting members of the other delegations.

 

“On September 5, 1774 the entire delegation met. All of the colonies, with the exception of Georgia, had sent representatives. The Congress was divided between militant and conservative delegates. The conservative delegates wanted to buy time to allow the British government to come to its senses. The more militant delegates wanted to take immediate action against the British. It was clear, early on, that the conservatives were a minority-- as the hard line opponents to British rule were elected by the Chairman of the Congress, as well as, the secretary.

 

“The Congress debated various options. In the end, the Congress settled on passing a call for non-Importation and non-Exportation, unless the British repealed the actions they had taken against Massachusetts. The delegates called for the immediate non-importation of good from England, while putting off the non exportation clause for one year. The Congress also agreed to meet again in one year if Britain had not changed its policies.

 

“The accomplishments of the First Continental Congress were modest. None of the delegates were under the illusion that the implementation of the non-importation agreement would change British policies, even if it were possible. Rather, it was the very meeting of the Congress that was important. Delegates from 12 different colonies had assembled. Despite their regional differences the colonist successfully reached an agreement. During one of the early discussions Patrick Henry of Virginia gave a rousing speech in which he stated: ‘Today I am no longer a Virginian, but an American.’ While state allegiances have not disappeared to this day, the First Continental Congress was an essential milestone in establishing a collective identity for colonists as Americans. The First Continental Congress led, of course, directly to the Second Continental Congress, where momentous events would transpire.”

(Note: Unless otherwise stated, the historical information presented in quotations comes from www.historycentral.com.)

The Untold Story of American Independence - Part 4

The Boston Massacre (1770)

“From the moment the British decided to send troops to Boston it was only a matter of time before British troops were likely to clash with the colonists. That day came on March 5th 1770. In that early evening a British sentry was guarding the custom house on King Street, (what is today ‘State Street’ in downtown Boston.) Colonists began to taunt the sentry. Soon a crowd grew. With the crowd growing, the Officer of the Day, Captain Thomas Preston, ordered seven or eight soldiers under his command to support the sentry. Preston soon followed. By the time the additional troops arrived the crowd had grown to between 300 and 400 hundred men. The ever-growing crowd continued to taunt the British soldiers whose muskets were loaded. The crowd then began pelting the sentries with snowballs.

“A colonist knocked one of the soldiers down. As the soldier got up, he fired his musket, and then yelled "D - - n you, fire". There was a pause and then the British soldiers fired on the colonists. Three Americans-- rope maker Samuel Gray, mariner James Caldwell, and an African American sailor named Crispus Attucks died instantly. Samuel Maverick, struck by a ricocheting musket ball at the back of the crowd, died a few hours later in the early morning of the next day. Thirty-year-old Irish immigrant Patrick Carr died two weeks later.

“This event quickly became known as ‘the Boston Massacre’. Thanks to the efforts of Boston engraver, Paul Revere, who copied a drawing made by Henry Pelham, the illustration of the above events soon made its way throughout the colonies. The illustration stirred the anger of Americans towards the British. Captain Preston and four of his men were arrested and charged with manslaughter.

“The soldiers were tried in open court, with John Adams acting as one of the Defense Attorneys. Preston was found ‘not guilty’, as it became clear it was unlikely that he gave the order to fire. The other soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter and punished by having their thumbs branded.”


Townshend Act Repealed (1770)

“The colonial boycott of British goods hurt British merchants in London and beyond. They began petitioning the government to overturn the Townshend Custom Duties. On March 5, 1770 debates began in the English parliament on whether or not to overturn the taxes. The government was willing to remove the taxes on everything but tea. Tea, they argued, was not grown in the England and thus the tariff would not hurt British merchants. In addition to that fact, the money was needed. More importantly, the British government wished to maintain the principal that their parliament had the right to tax the colonies.

“During the course of the debate the opposition introduced a resolution calling for the duties on tea to be dropped as well. However, that resolution was defeated by the representatives of the government in parliament by a vote of 204 to 142. As a result, on April 9th, the British parliament voted to eliminate the duty on everything but tea.

"The British decision to eliminate the tariff on everything but tea, was too little, too late. By reiterating their claim to be able to tax the colonists, and by not rescinding other aspects of the Townshend Acts, such as the independent Customs Authority, instead of calming the colonial waters, the British only further inflamed them.”

Cutter Gaspee Burned (1772)

“The Gaspee was a hated British revenue schooner. On June 9, 1772 Captain Thomas Lindsay commanded the Hannah set forth from Newport to Providence. He was afraid he would be stopped by the hated Gaspee commanded by Lieutenant William Dudinsgston, and vowed not to let the Gaspee stop her. Lindsay lured the Gaspee into following him into shallow waters and the Gaspee ran aground. When news that the hated Gaspee had run aground galvanized Americans to act. A group of 60 men led by Captain Whipple set off to where the Gaspee was located. When they arrived they overwhelmed the small crew, forced it and its captain to surrender. They then set the ship afire.”

The Boston Tea Party (1773)

“Relations between the Colonists and the British had barely recovered from the Gaspee incident, when the British severely miscalculated, once again. They forced the Americans to accept a monopoly on the importation of tea. The sole source for tea was to be the British East India Company. Furthermore, they gave merchants in Boston, who were supporters of the British government, the exclusive contract to be the representatives of that tea company. Adding insult to injury, tea was the one item from which the British had not removed tariffs when they repealed the Townshend Act.

“The Colonists were united in their opposition to the importation of tea. Thomas Hutchison wrote to Lord Dartmouth: ‘The people of Boston, and all the neighboring towns, are raised to the highest degree of opposition to the duty on tea.’

“On November 3rd, members of the Sons of Liberty met at the liberty tree in Boston and marched to the offices of the merchants that represented the East India Company. They demanded that the firm refuse to import the tea when it arrived. When the merchants refused, a mob threatened them.

“Throughout the colonies, tea agents under pressure from local patriots, resigned their commissions to sell tea. In most parts of the colonies the ships carrying tea turned around before arriving in America. In Boston, however, the governor was committed to forcing the issue and landing the tea.

“Four ships were due to arrive in Boston with tea. The first was the Dartmouth. One of the ships was lost in a storm on the way. Governor Hutchison ordered the British Naval Commander to block the entrance to the harbor to stop the ships from departing. Large crowds met at Faneuil Hall, at a meeting called by Samuel Adams, on November 29, 1773. The colonists demanded that the tea be returned. The ship's captain finally agreed. However, the governor would not hear of it. On December 16th, the last day the tea could be downloaded and tax paid or the cargo forfeited, 7,000 people gathered at another meeting held Old South Meeting House. Once again, this meeting was called by Samuel Adams. It was clear the governor would not budge. Samuel Adams announced at the meeting they could do nothing more to save the country.

“As the meeting ended, a group of men made their way to the harbor dressed as Mohawk Indians. In small boats, they rowed out to the ships holding the tea. The men demanded access to the tea, which they promptly dumped into Boston Harbor. The tea would not be landed and the tax was not paid.”


(Note: Unless otherwise stated, the historical information presented in quotations comes from www.historycentral.com.)

The Untold Story of American Independence - Part 3

Townshend Acts Imposed (1767)

 

“The Townshend Acts imposed in the colonies in 1767 were a series of taxes on all goods imported into the United States. These taxes were instituted for a couple of reasons. First, was the ongoing need to raise revenue. However, more important than the revenue was the desire of the parliament to show they had the right to impose the taxes.

 

“In 1766, a new government came into power in Great Britain. This new government, like those before it, came to the conclusion it needed to raise additional money from the colonies. Charles Townshend was the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Townshend immediately began investigating means to increase revenue from the colonies. He came up with the idea of placing a duty on items imported into the colonies. Townshend's plan was to place that taxation only on items that were not critical for trade. He did not want to disrupt any important trade. Townshend ultimately developed a list of items to tax, that included, glass, painter's colors, high quality paper wine and other items. These were all items that were not produced in the colonies and would be difficult to smuggle.

“Townshend also developed a plan to establish a Customs Commission in the Americas to enforce the new taxes. The Tax Commissioners would be colonialists who would receive payment from the crown.

“All this was taking place against the background of the continued refusal of the New York colony to enforce the Quartering Act. Their refusal infuriated many in Britain. As part of the series of acts that Townshend was to propose he included an act called the ‘New York Restraining Act’ to punish New York for their refusal. That part of Townshend's plans were passed by the parliament on May 13th. In June, Townshend presented his plan for taxation to the Parliament. He expected to raise 8,000 Pounds from galls and 5,000 from paper, 9,000 from lead and 3,000 pounds from the duties on painters' colors. The preamble to the act passed was ‘for making a more certain and adequate provision for the charge of administration of Justice, and the support of the civil government and defraying the expenses of defending, protecting and securing said colonies.’ The Parliament passed the laws by the end of June and on July 2 the King signed the bills. Never have revenue bills turned out to be so expensive.”

The Colonists Respond with Boycott (1767)

“If the British expected the Townshend Acts to be accepted by the Americans, they were sorely disappointed. The Townshend Acts further exacerbated the relations between the Americans and the British. American newspapers immediately began to criticize The Acts. The most influential opponent of the Acts was a Pennsylvanian farmer by the name of John Dickinson. Dickinson wrote a series of letters that were published by the Pennsylvania Chronicle and Universal Advertiser. These letters became known as ‘The 12 lettters from a farmer in Pennsylvania’. The first letter appeared on December 2nd 1767. These letters were reproduced in 19 of the 23 colonial newspapers.

“The overriding theme of Dickinson’s letters was that the English had the right to regulate trade. However, Dickinson maintained the English had no right to impose taxes on the colonies, since the colonies were not represented in the parliament. Dickinson suggested in his letters that the colonist petition directly to the King. Dickinson advised that until their grievances were met the colonists should boycott all English goods.

“The Massachusetts Assembly was called into session on December 30, 1767. It met for 16 days, during which time, it debated a resolution attacking the Townshend Acts. At the end of the meeting the Assembly approved a letter written primarily by Samuel Adams that was to be circulated to the other colonies. The letter called on all the colonies to resist the Townshend Acts. The letter stated that the parliament had no right to tax the colonies for the sole purpose of raising revenues, since the Americans were not represented in the parliament.

“The British government responded with outrage to actions of the assembly. The British demanded that the assembly either rescind the letter or the assembly would be disbanded. The British government knew this was a dangerous path to take, but went ahead anyway. The governor requested the presence of British troops in the colony of Massachusetts, which only further inflamed that colony. When the Massachusetts Assembly met again, it was even more-anti British. The only business the Assembly wished to conduct were protests against the Townshend Acts.

“Massachusetts was not the only colony to object to the Townshend Acts. The part of the Acts entitled, ‘The New York Restraining Act’ attracted the most resentment from the New York Assembly, who over the objections of the governor passed a resolution stating that the parliament had no right to suspend a state assembly. The New York legislator further affirmed that the Assembly had the right to correspond with representatives of any other colony, if it wished.

“South Carolina joined the ranks of legislatures protesting the Acts, and was soon the most vociferous of its opponents. Ultimately, it was not the political protest that had the most effect on the British, but it was the boycotts by the colonists. All of the colonies organized boycott committees. With the “encouragement’ of the Sons of Liberty, colonial merchants began boycotting British goods. This effectively cut the American purchases from England by half, seriously effecting British merchants. Between the economic and political boycotts the colonists had become united, as never before, in opposition to the British actions.”

British Troops Land in Boston (1768)

“The actions of the colonist in response to the Townshend Act convinced the British that they needed troops in Boston to help maintain order. Lord Hillsborough, Secretary of State for the Colonies, dispatched two regiments-(4,000 troops), to restore order in Boston in 1768. The daily contact between British soldiers and colonists served to worsen relations.

“The decision by the British to dispatch troops to Boston was one of their worst decisions, in an entire series of bad moves, that helped make the eventual independence of America inevitable. The British government reacted to the Americans, and specifically to the Massachusetts opposition to the Townshend act by dispatching troops to Boston. This might have been the correct policy if the opposition was just made up of a few firebrands. The British, however, misread the opposition, which was wide spread.

“The announcement that British troops were arriving created immediate resentment among the colonists. The idea that British troops were coming, not to defend the colonists in times of war, but the pacify them, seemed inconceivable to many. In addition, the idea that troops of the standing army, many of whom did not have a reputation for high moral standards, would be living in their city on a daily basis filled many Bostonians with dread.

“In the end of September 1768 troop ships, accompanied by British men of war, arrived in Boston Harbor. The troops disembarked and initially encamped on the Boston Commons, as well as, in the Court House, and in Faneuil Hall. Friction immediately broke out when the Governor offered the troops Manufactory House as a barracks. The inhabitants of the Manufactory House refused to be evicted and the troops were forced to find other locations.

“The British officers had no trouble finding lodging and being accepted into the Bostonian Society. This was not the case, however, with their soldiers. The British soldiers were consumers of both large quantities of rum and prostitutes. Both these activities were an anathema to the rather puritan population of Boston. Worse still was the harsh discipline meted out to British soldiers.

“The British had a major problem with desertions. In the first few months of their stay in Boston, 70 troops deserted and found their way into the interior of the colony. Placing sentries on the outskirts of the city to stop deserters did nothing but inflame colonists further. Finally, General Gage, who had taken command of the British troops in Boston, ordered the next deserters be captured executed. That tragic fate fell on a young deserter named Ames. He was executed on the Boston Commons after an elaborate ceremony. This act disgusted the general population of Boston, even more than the regular whipping of British soldiers on the same location for infractions against army rules.

“The colonists' views of the average British soldier varied from resentment to pity. However, while on duty, an almost guerilla war seemed to rage between the soldiers and the colonists. This, of course, eventually resulted in the most well-known and tragic action, known as ‘the Boston Massacre’.

“From the moment the British forces entered Boston to the moment they were forced by colonial troops to leave seven years later, their presence did the British no good. The extended British troop presence only served to bring the day of American independence closer.”

(Note: Unless otherwise stated, the historical information presented in quotations comes from www.historycentral.com.)

The Untold Story of American Independence - Part 2

The Quartering Act (1765)

“With the end of the French and Indian War, the British decided to maintain a larger troop deployment in North America. The problem was the cost. One of the solutions to keep down that cost was to expect the colonies to provide quarters for the soldiers. As a result, the ‘Quartering Act’ directed the colonies to construct sufficient barracks for the troops. It further stated that if there was not sufficient space for the soldiers in the barracks, then local inn keepers would have to put up soldiers and provide them with their basic needs. The act further stated also that soldiers would be put up in unused barns, outhouses and empty houses.

“The colonists objected to the Quartering Act for a number of reasons. First and foremost was the cost. Creating barracks and putting up the troops was an expensive measure that the colonies were loathe to undertake. Second, the Quartering Act was indicative of a policy Americans did not support, having a large standing army in the colonies. The colonists preferred having strong militia to deal with problems and not have a large army present.

“The strongest opponents of the Quartering Act came from New York. In early 1766, the New York Assembly refused to pay for the amount requested by the British Army to create barracks for their soldiers. A protracted dispute developed and in October, the New York assembly was suspended until it agreed to pay for the creation of barracks of the British soldiers. The Quartering Act was eventually repealed. However, while in force, it created a great deal of resentment from the colonists.”

Stamp Tax Imposed (1765)

“The Revenue Act of 1764 did not bring in enough money to help pay the cost of defending the colonies. The British looked for additional sources of taxation. Prime Minister Grenville supported the imposition of a stamp tax. Colonial representatives tried to convince Grenville that the tax was a bad idea. Grenville insisted in having the new taxes imposed and presented them for approval to the parliament. The parliament approved the Stamp Tax in February 1765.

“The stamp tax was a tax that was imposed on every document or newspaper printed or used in the colonies. The taxes ranged from one shilling a newspaper to ten pounds for a lawyers license, Everything a colonist needed to was taxed. The income was to be directed to pay the cost of defending the colonies. The colonist particularly objected to the fact that violation of the taxes would be prosecuted by in Admiralty Courts and not by jury trials. The tax was approved with no debate.

“The colonies responded with outrage. It was considered a ‘shocking act’. The colonist considered the act unconstitutional, a tax had been imposed and they had not been consulted. They had no need to heed the taxes. The Virginia House of Burgesses was nearing the end of its session when word of the Stamp Act reached it. A young delegate named Patrick Henry introduced a Resolution which stated that: ‘That the general assembly of the colony, together with his majesty or his substitute have in their representative capacity the only exclusive right and power to levy taxes and impositions on the inhabitants of this colony and that every attempt to vest such a power in any person or persons whatsoever other than the general assembly aforesaid is illegal, unconstitutional, and unjust, and has a manifest tendency to destroy British, as well as American freedom.’ This was the beginning of a united colonial opposition to the British Act.”

Sons of Liberty Organized (1765)

“The passage of the Stamp Act created the first sustained opposition to the British. The opposition was not only political. The opposition also took the form of demonstrations, rioting and other acts of violence. The violent actions were not spontaneous. The actions were coordinated and implemented by a new organization called ‘The Sons of Liberty’. The Sons of Liberty was founded in the summer of 1765 by a group of shopkeepers and artisans in Boston. The founders of the group were not the most prominent of Boston’s citizens. However, the group included Benjamin Edes, who was a printer and John Gil who ran the Boston Gazette, thus assuring they were able to spread their message.

“The first action the Sons of Liberty initiated took place on August 14, 1765. The Son’s burned an effigy of Andrew Oliver who was slated to become the Commissioner of the Stamps for Massachusetts. That night, a mob burned part of Oliver’s property in Boston and ransacked an abandoned house belonging to Oliver.

“The Sons of Liberty quickly spread to all of the colonies. Their goal was to undermine all attempts to enforce the Stamp Act. Their actions were successful. There was no royal force available to counter the Sons of Liberty. The actions of the Sons of Liberty were instrumental in forcing the British to repeal the Stamp Act. After their initial victory, the Sons of Liberty continued their anti-British agitations, with such actions as planting Liberty trees in New York, and burning of the British revenue cutter, ‘The Gaspee’.”

                                                           

The Stamp Act Congress (1765)

“In October 1765 the Stamp Act Congress convened in New York. The Congress met in response to the passage of the Stamp Act and the growing anger in the colonies to the British action. The Stamp Act Congress marked the first time that representatives of different colonies officially met together. Four colonies were absent- Georgia, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Virginia.

“The Congress was divided between those who wanted to take strong action against Britain and those who just wanted to protest against the taxation. The President of the Congress was William Ruggles. The meeting lasted three weeks. By the end of the Stamp Act Congress the members had agreed to a joint Declaration of Rights and Grievances. The Declaration reasserted the rights of the colonists to be treated as Englishman. The major right that the colonists demanded was the right to be taxed, only if they agree.

“The Congress prepared a petition to the King, as well as letters to the Parliament, underscoring the rights. While the Stamp Act Congress did not by itself convince the British to rescind the Stamp Act, it was clearly one of the factors. Most importantly, the Congress marked an important milestone in the development of the identity of the colonies as more than just individual colonies, but the start of a greater national identity.”


Stamp Tax Repealed (1766)

“The British were surprised by the level of the opposition to the Stamp tax. They were faced with two options, repress the opposition with force or repeal the Stamp Tax. The many in Britain supported repeal of the tax, feeling it was not possible to enforce it. British merchants also supported the repeal, believing that the tax was bad for their business.“There was a heated debate in the British parliament. William Pitt one of the greatest orators in the parliament rose from his sickbed to argue for the repeal of the tax. He said, ‘This Kingdom has no right to lay a tax upon the colonies. They are the subjects of the kingdom equally entitled with yourselves to all the natural rights of mankind and the peculiar privileges of Englishmen. The Americans are the sons not the bastards of England.’ Later in his speech he stated, ‘Some have the idea that the colonies are virtually represented in this house. I would fain to know by an American is represented here?’

“Prime Minister Grenville responded to Pitts speech defending the taxes. The debate went on, and the parliament decided to add a Declaratory Act that stated that the parliament had the right to impose the taxes. Finally, after the King indicated that he supported the repeal, the Stamp Tax was repealed by a margin of 200 votes.”

(Note: Unless otherwise stated, the historical information presented in quotations comes from www.historycentral.com.)

The Untold Story of American Independence - Part 1

In this post and in the related ones to follow, we will take a historical look at the events leading up to America’s independence from the British government in the late eighteenth century. In the end, we will take a biblical look at these events. As we embark on this series, we must be willing to lay aside all long held beliefs and traditions in order to clearly confirm or amend them. We will view through history the documented causes leading up to the American Revolution and, in the end, line them up against biblical doctrines and principals. God, via His word, will be our Guide and Judge. The result will either be an affirmation of various beliefs and traditions or a condemnation of them. Whatever the conclusion, we must purpose in our hearts to side with God and His perspective and to not lean on our own understanding of things nor on that of other men.

So without further delay, let us look at the supposed causes of the insatiable hunger for colonial independence from the English crown, resulting in the American Revolutionary War.

French and Indian War (1754)

“The French and Indian War was a continuation of a series of wars that had taken place between the French and British in North America. The French controlled the Mississippi River and claimed the Ohio River Valley as well. They began building forts in the area. The British started to build their own forts.

“The French expanded into areas that the British had claimed. In 1754, Major George Washington was sent by Virginia's governor to evict the French from Fort Duquesne. Washington came upon a French scouting party and ordered his men to open fire. Washington's men killed 12 Frenchmen and wounded 22. The war was on.

“During the first two years of the war the French and their Indian allies defeated the British numerous times. The period began poorly for the British and their colonial soldiers, when a British force led by British General Braddock tried to capture Fort Duquesne. A smaller French and Indian force succeeded in defeating the British force and General Braddock was defeated.

“The tide of the war changed in 1756 when William Pitt became the British Secretary of State. The British applied more resources into the battle in North America and slowly began to capture French forts. In 1759, the British won the Battle of The Plains of Abraham, which allowed them to occupy Quebec. The next year they captured Montreal, and thus completed the capture of Canada, effectively ending the war in North America. 

“The War officially came to an end on February 10, 1763, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. France officially ceded all of its holdings in North America, west of the Mississippi, while regaining the Islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. The most long lasting effect of the war was not negotiated between the parties; rather, it was the effect the war had on the American colonies. The cost of the war and of controlling the newly acquired territories was high. The British looked to the colonies to help pay those costs. That began the long spiral of events that led to the Revolution.”

British Impose New Taxes (1764)

“The British had 10,000 troops in North America at the end of the French and Indian War. The British felt they had, and were, spending a great deal of money to defend the colonies. These massive forces were needed to protect the Colonists from Indian attacks. By war's end, the British found themselves in debt to the tune of 140 million pounds, an enormous sum for those times. The British tried to address both their problems: governing and protecting the Colonists, as well as, keeping their costs down. First, they issued new proclamations to protect the Indians from further encroachment by the colonists. They hoped this effort would decrease the violence between the Colonists and the Indians, thus decreasing the need for troops. Second, the British government decided to increase the enforcement of existing taxes on the Colonists and impose additional taxes, with the hopes of at least covering the cost of the British troops stationed in North America.

“In 1763, the British issued the Proclamation of 1763. The proclamation tried to protect the Indians from further encroachments by the settlers...The proclamation outlawed the purchase of land from the Indian, unless the land was licensed by the British. The proclamation established a western boundary for colonial settlement, along the Appalachian Mountains. To the west the lands were reserved for the Indians.

“The Colonists responded to the proclamation with a combination of anger and disdain. They were angry with the government for interfering and trying to limit their economic growth. They had disdain for the government, since in their view, there was little chance this proclamation could be enforced. The Colonists felt there was no way any proclamation could stop the natural movement of the Colonists westward.

“The second British action was to pass the Revenue Act of 1764, otherwise known in the colonies as ‘The Sugar Act’. The Sugar Act actually lowered the tax on molasses, a key import of the colonies. The previous tax was seldom enforced. The new act provided strong methods of enforcing the tariff on molasses. It also placed a tax on the importation of additional items, such as silks, wines and potash.

“The American colonists responded with outrage to the new law. They took whatever actions they could to ignore and defy the new laws. Often with the blatant help of colonial officials, molasses and other goods would be smuggled into the colonies without paying the required taxes.”

(Note: Unless otherwise stated, the historical information presented in quotations comes from www.historycentral.com.)