America Case

Chapter Objectives – As you read the chapter, you should be able to… 1. Explain the deeply rooted historical factors that moved America toward independence from Britain. 2. Describe the theory & practice of mercantilism & explain why Americans resented it. 3. Describe the goals of the King, Prime Minister, & Parliament. 4. Explain why Great Britain attempted tighter control & taxation of Americans after 1763. 5. Describe the methods of colonial resistance that forced repeal of all taxes except the tax on tea. 6. Explain how sustained agitation & resistance to taxes led to the Intolerable Acts & the outbreak of war. 7. Evaluate the effectiveness of early colonial attempts to unify themselves against Britain. 8. Assess the balance of forces between the British & the American rebels as the two sides prepared for war.

Chapter Themes – Create a “fact sheet” (a list of about 5-10 pieces of SFI) for each a. The British Empire attempted to more strictly enforce laws aimed at maintaining a system of mercantilism while colonists objected. b. The American Revolution occurred due to the constant spiral of action & reaction between the British government & the seditious colonists. c. The conflict gradually moved from an ideological & political debate to open violence & warfare.

Chapter Review Questions – Answer using complete sentences. Be sure to look for various aspects of the question/answer & provide as much information as possible. 1. What factors triggered the deterioration in relations between Great Britain & its American colonies? 2. Does Adam Smith support mercantilism? Why or why not? 3. What were the goals of British imperial reformers?

4. Explain the intellectual, political, & economic rationales colonists offered for their dissatisfaction with British rule between 1763 & 1775? 5. List the similarities & drastic differences between the two Boston Massacre prints on p.129. Speculate as to why the images are so dissimilar. 6. Which political & social organizations among American colonists actively supported the rebellion against Great Britain? Which individual leaders played important roles in pushing events toward war? 7. What methods did the colonists use in their struggle with British authorities & how did the British attempt to counteract them? 8. Why did the leaders of the colonies & of Britain fail to reach a compromise? How did the actions on each side contribute to military confrontation at Lexington & Concord? 9. What advantages & disadvantages did the American rebels & the British army possess at the outset of war?