The-American-Revolution
The American Revolution
The Fight for Independence
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The American Revolution
The Fight for Independence
Our Learning Journey
What we will learn today:
Why the 13 Colonies were unhappy with British rule.
The meaning of 'No Taxation Without Representation'.
Key events like the Boston Tea Party that led to war.
Key Vocabulary
Colony
An area of land controlled by a distant country.
Tax
Money paid to the government to fund services.
Parliament
The group of people who make laws in Britain.
A World of Difference
Imagine you live 3,000 miles away from your leader. They make rules for you, but they've never even visited your town.
Would you feel like they really understood your life?
The 13 Colonies
By the 1760s, Britain had 13 colonies in North America. These people were British subjects, but they were used to running their own local affairs.
However, Britain had just fought a very expensive war (the Seven Years' War) and was deeply in debt.
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The Price of Protection
The British government decided the colonists should help pay for the war and the soldiers protecting them. They began passing new laws to collect money, starting with the Stamp Act in 1765.
Key point
The Stamp Act meant printed items—from newspapers to playing cards—required a costly government stamp.
Thinking about Taxes
The American colonists were angry because they didn't want to pay any taxes at all.
👍
TRUE
👎
FALSE
Now it's time to explain why...
Thinking about Taxes
The American colonists were angry because they didn't want to pay any taxes at all.
👎
Why is that?
a) They were very poor and had no money to give to the King.
b) They were happy to pay taxes to their own local assemblies, but not to a Parliament in London where they had no vote.
Answers on the next slide...
Thinking about Taxes
The American colonists were angry because they didn't want to pay any taxes at all.
👎
✅
Why is that?
a) They were very poor and had no money to give to the King.
b) They were happy to pay taxes to their own local assemblies, but not to a Parliament in London where they had no vote. ✅
No Representation!
The colonists' biggest complaint was that they had no representatives in the British Parliament in London.
They argued that since they couldn't vote for the people making the tax laws, the laws were unfair.
"No Taxation Without Representation!"
This became their famous rallying cry.
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Tension in Boston
Tensions between colonists and British soldiers led to the 1770 Boston Massacre.
Watch out
This event was used as 'propaganda' to turn colonists against the British.
The Boston Tea Party
In 1773, to protest a tax on tea, a group of colonists called the Sons of Liberty boarded British ships in Boston Harbour.
They threw 342 chests of tea into the water! This was a huge act of rebellion.
A British Soldier's Perspective
▶ Play audio
A Letter Home
Listen to the audio and answer the questions
1
What is the main reason the locals are angry, according to Thomas?
2
How are the locals treating the British soldiers regarding food?
3
Where is Thomas stationed?
4
What does Thomas say the locals are gathering in the countryside?
Answers on the next slide...
A British Soldier's Perspective
▶ Play audio
A Letter Home
Check your answers below
✅
1
They refuse to pay taxes without having their own representatives in Parliament.
2
They will not sell them fresh meat or vegetables.
3
Boston.
4
Weapons.
The Intolerable Acts
The King was furious about the tea. To punish Boston, Britain passed the Coercive Acts (which the colonists called the 'Intolerable Acts').
They closed Boston Harbour and took away the colony's right to govern itself.
The First Continental Congress
In 1774, leaders from 12 of the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia. They decided to support Boston and stop buying British goods until the laws were changed.
The Timeline to War
1765
The Stamp Act is passed, causing the first major protests.
1770
The Boston Massacre increases hatred towards British soldiers.
1773
The Boston Tea Party: Colonists destroy British tea.
1775
The first shots of the Revolutionary War are fired at Lexington.
Match the Terms
1.
Representation
2.
Stamp Act
3.
Boycott
4.
Parliament
a)
The law-making body of the British government.
b)
A tax on all legal documents and newspapers.
c)
Having a voice or a vote in how you are governed.
d)
Refusing to buy goods as a form of protest.
Match the Terms
✅
1.
Representation
2.
Stamp Act
3.
Boycott
4.
Parliament
c)
Having a voice or a vote in how you are governed.
b)
A tax on all legal documents and newspapers.
d)
Refusing to buy goods as a form of protest.
a)
The law-making body of the British government.
The Road to Revolution
By 1775, there was no turning back. What started as a dispute over money and taxes had turned into a fight for the right to be a free and independent nation.
Next time, we'll look at the Declaration of Independence!
