GREAT BRITAIN RULES AMERICAN COLONIES It wasn't very long ago that Great all answered to the King of England Britain ruled most of North America George Ill The king was the head of In 1765 the 13 American colonies the British government He worked closely with Parliament Parliament made the laws and rules for all of the British Empire King George Ill and Parliament didn't make all of the decisions in the colonies Great Britain handled trade and other foreign affairs The colonists took care of local matters such as taxes and the local courts They also had their own militias These were small local armies Most Americans liked being part of the British Empire Great Britain King George III ruled the protected them from attacks by American Indians 13 colonies and foreign
NEW HAMPSHIRE The relationship also had financial MASSACHUSETTS benefits colonists exported The NEW YORK agricultural products such as corn RHODE ISLAND lumber and fish to Great Britain The CONNECTICUT money earned from was sent trade PENNSYLVANIA NEW JERSEY right back to England to purchase DELAWARE clothing weapons sugar and tea MARYLAND VIRGINIA NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA The 13 original colonies GEORGIA 2 5 million THE MISSING COLONY There were 13 American colonies But what about Approximate number of European settlers living in the 13 colonies in 1775 King George Ill was the leader of Great Britain Maine Maine was actually part of Massachusetts during this time In the early 1800s people living in Maine felt that they were ignored by the Massachusetts government The two territories agreed to separate Maine became its own state in 1820 Parliament made the laws for the British Empire Most Americans valued the protection and trade opportunities provided by Great
COLONISTS RAIL AGAINST UNFAIR TAXES The British government spent wanted the colonists to pay some of the debt so it imposed new taxes millions to win the French and Indian War 1754 1763 A lot of that money was spent protecting The Stamp Act of 1765 forced colonists to buy special stamped the American colonies Parliament affix the STAMP In protest of the Stamp Act one publication printed a skull and crossbones RALD
£130 million THINK ABOUT IT Britain's national debt Compare the colonists after the French and reactions to the Stamp Act and Indian War the Townshend Acts Were the colonists successful in getting Parliament thought that what they wanted Why or colonists should pay some of their debt why not The Stamp Act was passed in 1765 and paper for official documents such lasted for only five as deeds and newspapers The months The Townshend Acts colonists didn't think this was were passed in 1767 All fair The colonists didn't have any except the tea tax were representatives in Parliament So repealed by 1770 they thought that they shouldn t have to pay taxes They protested the new taxes In response the the Stamp Act by boycotting British British government shut down the goods That hurt Great Britain's Massachusetts Legislature merchants Parliament repealed the Stamp Act about five months later The other colonial legislatures felt threatened by Great Britain's control But Great Britain wasn't done taxing over local government All 12 joined the colonists The Townshend Acts the fight against the Townshend were passed on November 20 1767 Acts They were successful By They taxed English imports such as 1770 most of the taxes had been glass tea and paint The members repealed Only the tea tax remained of the Massachusetts Legislature the local government were angered by another attempt at taxation without representation They asked the other 12 colonies to protest O
