The Empire Strikes Back: Wait a Minute Mr. Tax Man / Conspiracy and Resistance

Question 1

Seven Years’ War (1754 - 1763)

Answer 1

• the Seven Years’ War (1754-1763) created the conditions for the eventual conflict between the colonists and Britain
• France and Britain came into conflict over land in North America (100K vs. 2mm); the French would look to Natives for allies
• In order to convince the colonies to work together and receive support of the Iroquois, Benjamin Franklin organized the Albany conference; ultimately failed to organize colonies into a union and receive Iroquois support
• The Iroquois eventually side with the British, sensing a shifting tide in the global war
• French stop fighting in 1760 with the fall of Quebec and Montreal; natives continue
• British expel the French and control the land all the way to the MS

Question 2

Proclamation Line of 1763

Answer 2

• By 1763, Great Britain was the most powerful country in the world, but also, deeply in debt due to war
• British aimed to raise taxes as a result; also erected the proclamation line of 1763: drawn along the Appalachian mountains; American colonists are told to stay east of the mountains
• The land to the west of the Appalachian to the MS was controlled by the British, but was still settled by Natives; didn’t want American colonists moving further west and starting war with Natives (too expensive)
• From the British gov’t perspective, this was good governance; to the colonists in America, this was an insult… colonists had been fighting Natives for land: this is the beginning of the tensions that lead to the American revolution

Question 3

Stamp Act and the Townsend Duties

Answer 3

• From the British perspective, the colonists were taxed lightly compared to other British subjects
• Seemed logical to increase taxes on colonists who had so clearly benefited from colonial rule (e.g., trade, support during war)
• Parliament passes Stamp Act in 1765, an attempt to tax colonists directly (tax on paper)
• Had threatened the power of colonial legislators
• Boston was the center of protest to the Stamp Act; led to formation of the Sons of Liberty
• Demonstrations occurred throughout the colonies –> ultimately resulted in the repealing of the Stamp Act and the passing of the Declaratory Act, which would pave the way for a second taxation attempt

Townsend Duties:
- Aimed to put taxes on core imports from Britain (tea, glass, lead, paint, raw materials)
- Collected near docks

Colonial Response:
- Complete boycott of all British goods; would ultimately be a difficult boycott to enforce
- Never completely effective; imports fell by half however, representing a significant fall
- Boycotts & protests had escalated tensions; King had sent troops to protect tax collectors

Question 4

Boston “Massacre”

Answer 4

• Group of dock workers went looking for a fight against soldiers; led and organized by free Black man named Crispus Attucks
• Dockworkers begin taunting soldiers which leads to a scuffle that results in 5 dead and several injured; not a massacre… but gets depicted as such by SOL member Paul Revere
• Paul Revere’s depiction of the event, propaganda, had spread throughout the colonies, and inspired outrage against the British
• Boston authorities arrested the British soldiers; though they were acquitted, the 5 dead were held up as martyrs… the memorialization of the dead led to a unification of Boston against the British
• Parliament meanwhile repealed the Townsend Duties in 1770; imports spike as a result

Question 5

Boston “Tea Party”

Answer 5

• Parliament had lifted the Townsend Duties, lifting taxes on all imports except tea
• Effect would be to make cheaper for colonists; though colonists, feared this as an attempt to levy future taxes by setting a precedent
• Sons of Liberty decided to take dramatic action against Parliament’s decision; boarded ships fulls of unpurchased tea into Boston’s harbor (Boston Tea “Party”) in December 1773
• Referred to in Britain as the “destruction of the tea”; massive destruction of private property; done in such a celebratory way that it infuriated the King, parliament, and the British public
• Attitude is that colonists are spoiled

Question 6

Coercive / Intolerable Acts

Answer 6

• In response to the Boston “tea party” British parliament responded with the Coercive acts
• Lawmakers goals were:
  1. Separate Boston from the rest of MA
  2. Separate MA from the remaining colonies
• Impact:
  1. Closed all ports of Boston
  2. Laws disbanded local government and local courts throughout MA colony / limit MA self-governance
  3. Those enforcing the King’s laws would be tried in Britain, not the colonies (Murder Act)
  4. Quartering Act; private citizens must house the King’s soldiers; residents could be expelled

Failed on both accounts:
1. The acts connected farmers with urban radicals; MA are united in their continued operation of local gov.’t
2. New royal judges sent to the colonies to govern were met with armed resistance

Others in the colonies begin to say: “if they can do it to MA, they can do it to us”… leads to fist Continental Congress where independence is discussed

Question 7

Lexington and Concord

Answer 7

• Boston is under British control but is continuing to operate their local governments, stockpiling weapons and ammunition
• Gage discovers colonists are stockpiling weapons at Concord and prepares to march to destroy them
• Loses the element of surprise and runs into conflict with colonists at Lexington
• The Lexington Militia and the red coats exchange fire; the colonists getting the worst of the exchange, retreat… local militias begin to organize in response
• Leads to skirmishes that eventually lead to real military conflict; prelude to the war