Revolutionary War

In the 1600s England began colonizing the eastern seaboard of North America.  England needed wood to build ships and Pilgrims wanted religious freedom, their own land and economic opportunity. 

 In 1614 the Dutch set up trade and established New Amsterdam.  In 1664, England took New Amsterdam by force and renamed it New York.

By the 1700s, the British had established 13 colonies governed by appointees, elected legislatures and formed militias to assist English troops.

Britain won the French Indian war in 1763 at great cost.

It doubled Britain’s national debt from 75 million pounds to 133 million pounds. Half of Britian’s national income went to interest payments. Parliament began to levy taxes on the colonists and their protests were ignored and Parliament got mean.

British Colonists had considered themselves loyal subjects, but 10 years of economic warfare against the colonies and abuses by English troops caused rebellion.

In 1764 Parliament passed the Sugar Act, taxing colonists on sugar they needed to make and sell rum. Colonists began to smuggle sugar from the Caribbean to avoid the tax. Parliament also passed the Currency Act banning local currencies.

In 1765 Parliament passed the Quartering Act to place British troops in colonists’ homes and also passed the Stamp Act taxing newspapers, books and documents.

In 1770, British troops fired on protesting colonists in the Boston Massacre.

In 1773 Parliament passed the Tea Act resulting in the Boston Tea Party. Parliament closed Boston Harbor.

Benjamin Franklin attempted to convince Parliament to give colonists a voice and spread the taxes throughout the kingdom. Parliament refused to allow colonies’ representation in Parliament.

In 1774 The Continental Congress met to declare independence. All 13 colonies were represented. They appointed George Washington, General of the Continental Army.

In 1775, the Revolutionary War began with the Battle of Lexington and Concord where the British were defeated.

The War lasted for 8 years and was fought in the northern and southern colonies. British General Cornwallis surrencered at Yorktown in 1993.

Timeline:

Continental Congress met from 1774 to 1781.

George Washington appointed General of Army 1774

Declaration of Independence signed 1776

Revolutionary War 1775-1783

Treaty of Paris 1783

US Constitution written and passed in 1787 and ratified by the States in 1788.

Comments

The British and the French had different approaches to colonizing North America.  The French colonized trading posts and harbors, but engaged the Indians in the fur trade and had no interest in sending farmers to take Indian lands.

The British used land-hungry European families to establish farms and harvest timber to build ships.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader