Response to the Townshend Duties. Flashcards
Intellectual response- Who wrote condemning the TD?
John Dickinson.
IR- What did this writer argue?
. Wrote an influential attack on TD in 1768.
. Entitled Letters of a Pennsylvania Farmer.
. Was printed in most colonial newspapers.
. Argued that whilst Parliament could regulate the colonies trade, it did NOT have the right to tax them without their consent, whether it be through internal or external taxes.
IR- What did Dickinson condemn?
The suspension of the NY assembly as a blow to colonial liberty.
IR- What did other writers fear/do?
- feared the position of the new customs officials, that they would become a field of rich patronage at the disposal of the executive.
. patronage was thought to corrupt a majority in the assemblies.
Political response- What did MA assembly do?
February 1768- MA assembly sent out a circular letter denouncing the Townshend Duties for violating no taxation w/o representation. Letter largely the work of Samuel Adams and James Otis.
PR- detail what the circular letters did.
Denounced the TD, appealed to other colonies for common action.
PR- what happened as a result of the circular letter?
Several colonies approved the letter, Virginia’s House of Burgesses went further and issued one of its own, advocating for joint measures against British actions.
Sons of Liberty also revived.
Economic Response- What did Boston do?
In 1768, Boston led the way in organising a new economic boycott, other towns followed.
BUT, many did oppose non-importation so the boycott was never water tight.
ER- What did colonies pledge to do?
1769- every colony except New Hampshire had organisations which pledged to boycott British goods.
ER- What were the unofficial bodies called and what did they do?
Called Committees of Inspection, set up in most colonies to enforce non-importation.
Merchants who did not comply had workhouses broken into and goods damaged.
Faced threat of violence- could be tarred and feathered.
ER- What did non-importation lead to?
Spurred home manufacturing as an alternative to boycotted British goods.
Lead to the moral resolve of the colonies strengthening.
Unrest in Boston- What caused this?
The American Board of Custom Commissioners being based in Boston proved to be an error.
Far too few customs men to stop the smuggling and so they sought help from the royal navy.
UIB- What did the customs officers do as a result?
Called in reinforcements from the Navy.
June 1768, 50 gun warship sailed into the Boston Harbour, and the commissioners seized the Liberty- vessel belonging to radical John Hancock, but a scuffle began, leading to the reinforcements boarding the Liberty and taking the boat into the Harbour.
UIB- What happened after the scuffle?
In the face of threats, customs officials forced to take refuge in Castle William (island in Boston harbour).
By the summer of 1768. sons of liberty controlled Boston.
What was the movement that occurred as a result of the TD?
The Wilkesite movement.
Summarise the impact of the Wilkesite movement.
Imprisoned, May 1768, some 30,000 people gathered near the prison and demanded his release.
Troops fired, 6 killed, 20 wounded.
Elected to Parliament 3 times whilst in prison, 4th time commons illegally installed a rival.
His treatment suggested to Americans that the British gov was supressing liberty on both sides of the atlantic.
Overall response to the Townshend Duties.
. Acts significantly contributed to the growing calls for independence among the American colonies.
. Each imposed taxes and regulations that were met with resistance, as colonists were being unfairly taxed without representation.
. These acts fuelled a sense of injustice and a desire for self governance.
Was the response to the TD really that severe?
. There was still a sense of loyalty to Britain, and the SA was repealed and colonies had good relations once more.
. The Sons of Liberty was only localised to Boston and so was the violence and the unrest, so anger was not widespread.
