This lesson traces how conflict over imperial debt, taxation, and colonial resistance escalated into a crisis between Great Britain and its North American colonies.
The French and Indian War ended in 1763 with a British victory, but the conflict left the empire with enormous debt. Britain tried to raise revenue on both sides of the Atlantic, including through taxes on tea and other goods sold in the colonies. Many colonists objected to these measures and questioned Britain’s authority to tax them.
All flashcards
What was the Tea Act of 1773?
A law that gave the East India Company a privileged position, including a monopoly on colonial tea sales.
What were the Coercive Acts?
Parliament’s 1774 punitive measures against Massachusetts, including closing Boston Harbor and restricting political meetings.
Who were minutemen?
Militia members organized to mobilize quickly in response to British military actions.
What is popular sovereignty?
The principle that legitimate government derives its authority from the people.
What contradiction shaped the Declaration of Independence’s promise of equality?
Its universal language coexisted with slavery and the exclusion of women and non-White people from civic equality.
Quiz questions
What did Patriots do during the Boston Tea Party in December 1773?Answer: They boarded tea ships in Boston Harbor and dumped tea into the water.
When did fighting at Lexington and Concord begin?Answer: April 19, 1775
What happened at the Battle of Bunker Hill?Answer: British forces captured the hills, but suffered severe losses after the rebels ran out of ammunition.
What political system did Thomas Paine advocate in *Common Sense*?Answer: A republic governed by elected representatives rather than a hereditary monarch.
Who drafted most of the Declaration of Independence?Answer: Thomas Jefferson
Based on U.S. History by P. Scott Corbett, Volker Janssen, John M. Lund, Todd Pfannestiel, Sylvie Waskiewicz, Paul Vickery (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.