Thursday, January 24, 2013

The Boston Massacre

The royal governor made the rules for the colony but only with the approval of the king, to make sure the rules were being followed he sent british soldiers. By early 1765, Parliament had passed a law named the "Quartering Act". The colonists would provide housing and supplies to british soldiers. The troops were there to protect the colonists and the land, but the colonists realized that the presence of the soldiers were to spied on them and meant to keep them from disobeying the king and the laws. Some soldiers would stayed at the colonists home. In cities like Boston they built encampments for the british troops. The colonists were not particular content with the soldiers presence.

The soldiers didn't got enough money because part of their money was sent to their families in England. So they had to look for jobs in the New World and the colonists didn't like that because they took job opportunities form them. In March 5, 1770  the Boston Massacre occurred, 5 colonists were killed. The colonists were drunk and went to throw snowballs and rocks to a soldier, the soldier ran to the camp for help. The colonists followed him and attacked the other soldiers, Their captain told them not to shoot at them but one of them didn't obey him and shoot at the colonists.

A day after, this murder was called the Boston Massacre. The colonists of Boston were horrified and shocked that such a horrible massacre took place at their city. They all wanted justice. One man had the thinking that these soldiers were not going to be treated fairly under all the circumstances and things they've all done. This man was John Adams, this man was a lawyer who thought that the laws of lands were made for equality and fairness for all the citizens. He was able to persuade the jury of citizens that the soldiers were only self defending against the mob. All the charges were dismissed except on two soldiers. These two soldierseach had a brand placed on their thumbs so everyone could know they comitteda crime.

Stamp Act

Stamp Act

On March 1765 the Stamp Act was starting. It require colonist to pay taxes on almost all printed materials. For example newspaper,documents,books,contracts,land deeds. The colonists had to buy he newspaper every single day to know the news. That was part of the American Revolution beacuse it was the first time they gave a direct tax to the colonists. The british impose new taxes to the colonies because they needed to raise more money to pay depts, protection for the land after the french and indian war. The colonists didnt think it was correct for them to pay something they have received free for years.All this was started by George Grenville who was the prime minister. The stamp documents or papers mean that the tax was already payed.

The Stamp Act also helped covering the cost of the maintanence of the troops in the colonies. The American colonists also opposed the Stam Act because they were not capable of paying the tax, and because it violated the principle of NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. Colonists did not have representation ig parliament.The colonists started to call themselves patriots beacuase they though they were equall too.In 1776 the Stamp Act was repeled.The actual cost of the Stamp Act was relatively small, the Stamp Act, however, was viewed as a direct attempt by England to raise money in the colonies without the approval of the colonial legislatures. Few colonists thought they couldnt do aything about it amd just pay.


The apparent purpose was to raise £60,000 yearly in the colonies in order to help support the cost of maintaining British troops there, a cost totaling £350,000 annually.In those times King George lll was the ruler of England, he said that the colonists deserved ti be taxed because the British protected them. King George reasoned that if money was being spent on the colonies,then the colonists needed to be paying for these services. The colonists never give up and they fighted for their rights and thats what we have to do. We need to fight for our rights in life.Here i will show you a picture of a stamp act.

Thomas Hutchinson

Thomas Hutchinson was born on September 9 1711 and died June 3 1780. He was a business man, historian, and a loyal politician of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in the years before the American Revolution. And a succesful merchant and polititian. He was born in Boston, attended Harvard earning a Master of Arts before entering business. Young Thomas entered Harvard College at twelve, graduating in 1727, his father showed him the business world early. He had deep American roots, he was a descendant of Anne Hutchinson who was expelled from Boston for her religious, his parents were both from well merchant families. His father was involved in the family mercantile trade, but was also active in political, military, and charitable circles and served on the provincial council.

He was a member of Boston Selectmen in 1737, and was popularly elected to the Legislature where he served almost continuously until 1749. He served as a member of the state council, was Chief Justice of the Superior Court, and eventually Lieutenant Governor.
He resisted Boston's drift away from England and percieved the Revolution. Hutchinson was very radical and held an rivality for the revolutionary radicals. They returned this feeling, when in 1765, as a mob they attacked and looted his personal residence.

After his attack Hutchinson began to secretly advise England to move to forcefully restrain the Colony. As the town filled with English troops, he entreated them to take the greatest care, eventhough the slightest tragedy would spread like wind.
Exactly that happened in March 5, 1770 when a group of unarmed mean threatened English soldiers. The soldiers shot and killed 5 of them.
The morning after what would later be called the Boston Massacre, Boston's selectmen demanded that Hutchinson order the English to see more "blood and carnage"



Tuesday, January 22, 2013

The French and Indian War

    The French and Indian War(1756-1763) also known as the 7 year war, was a battle between the French and Indians against England. The war first took place in the Ohio River Valley and it spread worlwide to Europe, Asia, Africa and the West indies. Was also one of the most violent wars during the 18th century.
The causes of the war were the tensions between the French and the British over colonial territory and wealth. Since each side wanted to spread and increase their land holdings and power. By November 1753, young major George Washington and group of men deliver and message demanding the French troops to retreat from the territory. In 1754 the demand was rejected, so major Washintong was authorized to build a fort near Pittsburgh but he was unsuccesful because of the strong French troops. That created  small battles between them. In 1755 the British sent General Edward Braddock, on his way the French surrender the general ending with his life.

 
  A year and half later, the French And British formally declared war in May 1756. During the first years(1756-late 1757) the French dominated the battlefield and were winning. The French had an advantage, they had formed allies with many indians, for exchange they would support them with supplies and food. But in 1758 and 1759 the british managed to capture forts, stopping trading and disserting the French. Since the French were not getting any supplies and trading they couldn't support anymore the indians, so the indians abandoned them. In September 1759 the British captured the stronghole of Quebec.
In 1760, the British had another victory, captured Montreal and controlled all of the North American frontier surrending the General and taking over control Of Canada.


  By 1763 they signed the Treaty Of Paris that declared that the war had ended. England had won the war gaining massive amounts of land, but that created a conflict between the British and the Indians. The seven year war was not only a victory for the British. Later on it genarated many economical problems and debts. When England started sending people to the colonies they  needed protection to protect their people from the Indians and to protect their  lands. They started levy heavy taxes on the colonits so they could payed all of their debts and that lead to the break out  of a revolution.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

About Us

Hello, we are making a new blog for our US History class. We are Anna, Dominique and Maria.