The American Revolution

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[Illustration: WASHINGTON AT TRENTON By John Trumbull]

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

BY JOHN FISKE

With Many Illustrations

TWO VOLUMES IN ONE

[Publisher's Logo]

Published for THE EDUCATIONAL PRESS By HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY BOSTON

COPYRIGHT, 1891, BY JOHN FISKE

COPYRIGHT, 1896, BY HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY ABBY M. FISKE

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO REPRODUCE THIS BOOK OR PARTS THEREOF IN ANY FORM

TO MRS. MARY HEMENWAY

IN RECOGNITION OF THE RARE FORESIGHT AND PUBLIC SPIRIT WHICH SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION ONE OF THE NOBLEST HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN AMERICA, AND MADE IT A CENTRE FOR THE TEACHING OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND THE PRINCIPLES OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK

[DECORATION]

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

THE BEGINNINGS

PAGE

Relations between the American colonies and the British government in the first half of the eighteenth century 1

The Lords of Trade 2

The governors' salaries 3

Sir Robert Walpole 4

Views of the Lords of Trade as to the need for a union of the colonies 5

Weakness of the sentiment of union 6

The Albany Congress 6

Franklin's plan for a federal union (1754) 7, 8

Rejection of Franklin's plan 9

Shirley recommends a stamp act 10

The writs of assistance 11

The chief justice of New York 12

Otis's "Vindication" 13

Expenses of the French War 14

Grenville's resolves 15

Reply of the colonies 16

Passage of the Stamp Act 17

Patrick Henry and the Parsons' Cause 18

Resolutions of Virginia concerning the Stamp Act 19, 20

The Stamp Act Congress 20-22

Declaration of the Massachusetts assembly 22

Resistance to the Stamp Act in Boston 23

And in New York 24

Debate in the House of Commons 25, 26

Repeal of the Stamp Act 26, 27

The Duke of Grafton's ministry 28

Charles Townshend and his revenue acts 29-31

Attack upon the New York assembly 32

Parliament did not properly represent the British people 32, 33

Difficulty of the problem 34

Representation of Americans in Parliament 35

Mr. Gladstone and the Boers 36

Death of Townshend 37

His political legacy to George III. 37

Character of George III. 38, 39

English parties between 1760 and 1784 40, 41

George III. as a politician 42

His chief reason for quarrelling with the Americans 42, 43

CHAPTER II

THE CRISIS

Character of Lord North 44

John Dickinson and the "Farmer's Letters" 45

The Massachusetts circular letter 46, 47

Lord Hillsborough's instructions to Bernard 48

The "Illustrious Ninety-Two" 48

Impressment of citizens 49

Affair of the sloop Liberty 49-51