7.+ROAD+TO+REVOLUTION


 * The History of British Rights -** Why are these important? The colonists will look to these rights as they disagree with England over taxation, quartering of soldiers, and trials.
 * **The Magna Carta (1215) guaranteed:**
 * King cannot take land and/or money from a citizen without Parliament’s permission (no taxes, seizures of property)
 * Entitled to a fair trial “by the lawful judgment of his peers, under the law of the land.”
 * King must rule according to the law of the land—no arbitrary power
 * //**Habeas corpus**//**— “To have the body”**
 * Authorities cannot throw a person in jail without informing them of the charges
 * **Right not to incriminate yourself**
 * **Petition of Right (1628)**
 * No taxes “without common consent by act of parliament”
 * Citizens should not be required to house soldiers (but can happen in times of martial law)
 * **English Bill of Rights (1689)**
 * Subjects have the right to petition the king without punishment
 * Elections of Parliament members must be free
 * Freedom of speech //**in**// Parliament must be protected
 * No excessive bail or cruel/unusual punishment allowed
 * No standing army in peace time
 * What Problem Do the English Have?**
 * **French and Indian War—expensive ($2 million)**
 * **Colonists** "paid no more than sixpence a year against the average English taxpayer's twenty-five shillings“ **(**[|**Davis**]**)**
 * **Need to get colonies to pay for their fair share of the war effort**
 * What Will the English Do?**
 * Raise taxes through the Stamp and Sugar Acts
 * Begin to enforce more control over the colonies


 * British Laws following the French and Indian War**
 * **1763 Proclamation Line**
 * All settlements are forbidden west of the Appalachians
 * The British government will not state that Colonials are not allowed to settle west of the line
 * Why?
 * 1) Promised the Native Americans that this land would be given to them and protected- in exchange for service during the French and Indian Wars
 * 2) British did not want the expense and human cost of having to fight the Indians (in order to protect the settlers)
 * 3) Easier to control colonists when contained in a closer distance (ex. Hard to tax, protect, and enforce laws for those who are living far away)
 * //Why might the colonists dislike this law?//
 * **1764 Currency Act**
 * The colonists are forbidden to make paper money as legal tender
 * //Enforced British Authority of Colonial Economy//
 * **1764 Sugar Act**
 * The duty on the importation of foreign molasses is reduced 6d (pence) to 3d (pence).
 * Nobody paid the 6d because it would have driven them out of business. The British hope that the 3d will now be paid…and brides to tax collectors will stop
 * There will be new duties (a kind of tax) on the imports on sugar, indigo, coffee, pimento, wine and textiles
 * All those violating this act will be tried in the Admiralty Courts- not in local courts
 * //Why would the colonists feel like this is a violation of their rights? Think of taxation and trials rights!//
 * **1765 Stamp Act**
 * Documents such as legal documents, newspapers, almanacs, playing cards, and even dice must display a government stamp
 * This had been in place in Europe for quite some time, but it had never been enforced on the colonies
 * All those violating this act would be tried in the Admiralty Courts, not in the local courts.
 * //Same as the Sugar Act- what parts of this act do you feel many colonists would have a problem with?//
 * **1765 Quartering Act**
 * All colonies in which British troops are located must furnish the troops with living quarters and supplies (like bedding, candles, salt)
 * **1765 Virginia Resolution**
 * The House of Burgesses in Virginia (representatives of the people of Virginia- created in Jamestown), reject the right of Great Britain to tax Vriginians, and declare that only Virginians can tax Virginians
 * //What does this say about the colonial view of taxation?//
 * **1765 The Sons of Liberty**
 * This patriotic group is organized, vowing to refrain from doing any business that requires stamps

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