APUSH Chapter 5 - Chapter 5 From Empire to Independence The...

Chapter 5: From Empire to Independence
The Heritage of War
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Victory in the “ Great War ” (The Seven Years War) brought pride in the British
Empire, but also caused maturation of American Nationalism
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Americans no longer needed British protection from the French threat
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Americans felt a new sense of importance after victory in a major war
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Many Americans lost respect for the British soldiers
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Inept at frontier fighting, cursed freely, and broke Sabbath
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The brutal and cruel punishments of the British army helped give
Americans a separate sense of identity
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Americans continued to trade with the “enemy” (needed molasses of the French
Indies)
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Writs of Assistance - general search warrants allowing officers to enter any
place during daylight hours to seek evidence of illegal trade
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Used to try and disrupt illegal American trade with the French
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James Otis - an attorney hired by Boston merchants to fight the writs in court
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Lost the case, but advanced the argument that Parliament was violating
their own constitution
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New burdens were laid on the British government due to the extended Empire &
War
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How should they protect their new possessions?
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How should they deal with the Indians on the land?
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How should they pay off all the debt?
British Politics
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Whig - government party established by those who opposed James II in the
Glorious Revolution of 1688
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Formed majority of the British government in the 18 th century
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Championed individual liberty and parliamentary supremacy over the King
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Became complacent (smug/satisfied)
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Concerned more with the pursuit of personal gain
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King George III seeked to eliminate the Whig influence on the monarchy
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Ousted William Pitt as the prime minister
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Established the “ King’s Friends ”- a group of obedient advisers that had
power to appoint government offices
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Only retained power by being a “yesman” to the King
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Resulted in an extremely unstable government
Western Lands
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Royal Proclamation of 1763 - an order from the King to disallow expansion
beyond an imaginary line along the Appalachians
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Established new colonies of Quebec and East & West Florida

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Designed to minimize conflict with the Natives
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Extremely ineffective due to lack of enforcement
Grenville and the Stamp Act
Grenville’s Colonial Policy
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Ministry of the Treasury - created to deal with problems of British Imperial
Finances
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George Grenville - prime minister and first Lord of the Treasury
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Despised by George III , but needed because they agreed on certain policies
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Cutting gov. expenses, reducing national debt, generating more revenue
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Took for granted the need for Redcoats to defend the American frontier
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Wanted to keep a large army to avoid rapid demobilization (which would
cause many influential officers to be retired)
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Believed that Americans should have greater tax burdens
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Ordered colonial officials to tighten enforcement on illegal trade, and
ordered the navy to patrol the coast for smugglers
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