Road to Revolution

Road to Revolution

The Results of the French and Indian War

Between 1754 and 1763, Britain and France—and their respective allies—fought the French and Indian War. The war was started over by competing colonial claims to the Ohio territory of North America.

The French and Indian War was a world war that ended with France surrendering all claims to Canada and to territories east of the Mississippi River and Spain ceding (giving) Florida to Britain. Although the Treaty of Paris—signed in 1763 formally ended the fighting —was favorable to Britain, there were many sacrifices in waging the war. After its end, Britain decided to ease its financial difficulties by taxing the North American colonies.

The red line represents the Proclamation of 1763

Multiple Choice

Review: The French and Indian War costs Britain a lot of money - which group has to pay for the French and Indian War?

• France

• Native Americans

• Colonists

• Britain

Multiple Choice

Review: Why does Britain claim that the colonists have to pay for the French and Indian War?

• British redcoats were fighting to protect the colonists in North America

• Britain was broke and really needed the colonists help in pay for the war.

• Britain wanted the colonists to remember they were in charge of them.

Multiple Choice

As a result of the French and Indian War, which group has to give up all of its claims to land in North America?

• Britain

• Colonists

• French

• Native Americans

Multiple Choice

What other countries give up land to Britain as a result of the French and Indian War?

• The Dutch give Britain New York

• The Spanish give Britain California

• The Native Americans give Britain all of the land in the west

• The Spanish give Britain Florida

Open Ended

What does the Proclamation of 1763 say, and why were the colonists mad about it?

Taxation

A tax is a money a person is required to pay to the government. These taxes today could come out of your income or could come from buying items from a store. The British began taxing items the colonists wanted to buy after the French and Indian War.

The Stamp Act

The first tax placed on the colonies to raise money for Britain after the French and Indian War was the Stamp Act. In March 1765, British Prime Minister George Grenville authored the act, which required that all newspapers and documents—including official court documents—in the North American colonies be printed on stamped paper from London. Additionally, the stamped paper had to be purchased with British money which was different from the money the colonists used in North America, and hard to find.

The only person to stand up to the Stamp Act in British Parliament was William Pitt, Grenville’s brother-in-law turned political rival. Pitt challenged Parliament’s right to tax the colonists. The British Constitution prohibited the taxation of British subjects without their consent or approval which was provided through representation in Parliament. Though the British had imposed restrictions and duties on colonial trade, the passage of the Stamp Act was the first time they had sought to tax the colonists for the purpose of raising money.

All paper entering into the colonies needed to have a stamp on it like so - this was a tax paid on that piece of paper - Imagine paying extra for any paper you buy. Is that fair?

Multiple Choice

What did the stamp act tax?

• Paper

• Sugar

• Tea

• Stamps

Open Ended

The reading states "The British Constitution prohibited the taxation of British subjects without their consent or approval which was provided through representation in Parliament." What does this mean?

Open Ended

Do you think colonists living in North America should have to pay taxes to England (their mother country) without giving their approval to the taxes first?

Open Ended

What does the phrase “no taxation without representation” mean?

Road to Revolution

The Stamp Act was greeted with widespread anger in the colonies. Many colonists including newspaper printers, students, attorneys, and judges took the form of street protests that sometimes turned violent. Newspapers began to fear that freedom of the press would be taken from them.

While townspeople rioted, colonial assemblies debated. Samuel Adams and Benjamin Franklin were among the most influential voices arguing that since the American colonies were not represented in the British Parliament, that body had no right to tax them. The slogan “No taxation without representation!” arose from colonial opposition to the Stamp Act and proved enduring. The British countered with the theory of virtual representation, which meant that members of Parliament were obligated to defend the interests of British subjects and colonists alike.

In October 1765, delegates from the colonies met in New York City at the Stamp Act Congress, where they drew up formal petitions to the British Parliament and to King George III to repeal or take back the act. It was the first unified colonial response to British policy and it provided the British a taste of what would come soon thereafter.

Petition

A written request by the people to the government asking that government to change or fix the law.

Multiple Choice

What slogan did the colonists respond with upon being taxed through the Stamp Act.

• "Don't tax me bro!"

• "No taxation without representation"

• Taxes are wiggity wack