Parliament vs the Colonies (US History EOC Review - USHC 1.2)

Summary

This video provides a detailed overview of the events leading to the American Revolution, focusing on tensions between the British Parliament and the American colonies. It covers key historical moments such as the French and Indian War, the introduction of various taxes like the Sugar, Stamp, and Townshend Acts, and colonial resistance including protests, boycotts, and violent confrontations like the Boston Massacre. The video emphasizes the growing divide over issues like taxation, economic freedom, and the right to self-defense, culminating in the colonists' decision to fight for independence.

Takeaways

• 🚂 The session focuses on the conflict between the British Parliament and the 13 American colonies, especially leading to the American Revolution.
• 💸 The French and Indian War caused significant debt for Britain, leading them to tax the colonies to help pay for it, sparking resentment.
• 🏛️ The British imposed several controversial taxes on the colonies, including the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Townsend Acts, leading to resistance.
• ⚖️ Colonists were angry about the lack of jury trials in Admiralty courts for smugglers, a right previously guaranteed by the Magna Carta.
• 🛑 The Stamp Act of 1765, an internal tax on legal documents, sparked mass protests and boycotts, with colonists rejecting taxation without representation.
• 👥 Groups like the Sons of Liberty used mob violence and intimidation to protest taxes, while the Daughters of Liberty supported boycotts by producing homemade goods.
• 💀 The Boston Massacre of 1770 was a turning point, depicted in propaganda like Paul Revere's engraving, further increasing tensions.
• 🍵 The Tea Act of 1773 gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea, leading to the Boston Tea Party, a major act of defiance against British control.
• ⚔️ The Intolerable Acts were harsh penalties on Massachusetts, leading to the organization of Minutemen and preparing for conflict with British forces.
• 🔫 The first open conflict between the colonies and Britain occurred at Lexington and Concord, marking the start of the American Revolution.

Q & A

What was the major turning point in the relationship between Britain and its 13 colonies?

The French and Indian War (1754-1763) was the major turning point because it left Britain with a significant national debt, leading them to impose taxes on the colonies to help pay for it, which frustrated the colonists.

Why did the British impose new taxes on the colonies after the French and Indian War?

The British imposed new taxes because they felt the war was partly fought to protect the colonies, and they believed the colonies should help cover the war's costs, especially due to Britain's rising national debt.

What were the three significant taxes imposed on the colonies in the 1760s?

The three significant taxes were the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Acts, each of which contributed to growing tension between Britain and the colonies.

What was the Sugar Act, and why did it upset the colonists?

The Sugar Act was a tax on imported sugar, and although the tax rate was lower than before, the British actually enforced it this time, which angered colonists, particularly smugglers, who saw it as a tax increase.

Why was the Stamp Act particularly controversial?

The Stamp Act was controversial because it was an internal tax on legal documents, and the colonists believed that only their own legislatures had the right to impose such taxes, not Parliament.

How did the colonists react to the Stamp Act?

The colonists reacted with mass resistance, including boycotts of British goods, mob violence, and protests. Groups like the Sons of Liberty also engaged in acts of intimidation against tax collectors.

Who were the Sons of Liberty and the Daughters of Liberty?

The Sons of Liberty were a group of colonial activists who used intimidation and mob violence to resist British taxation. The Daughters of Liberty contributed by making homespun fabrics to reduce the colonies' dependence on British textiles.

What led to the Boston Massacre, and how was it portrayed?

The Boston Massacre occurred in 1770 when British troops clashed with a mob. It was portrayed by propagandists like Paul Revere as a cold-blooded attack on peaceful colonists, though the actual event was much more chaotic.

What was the Tea Act, and how did it contribute to the American Revolution?

The Tea Act of 1773 gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea in the colonies, which angered the colonists even though it lowered tea prices. It was seen as a violation of economic freedom and led to the Boston Tea Party.

What were the Intolerable Acts, and why were they significant?

The Intolerable Acts were a series of punitive laws passed after the Boston Tea Party. They included closing the port of Boston, imposing martial law in Massachusetts, and allowing British soldiers to be tried in Britain. These acts unified the colonies against Britain and helped spark the American Revolution.

Outlines

00:00

🚂 Introduction to British-American Colonial Tensions

The presenter begins with an engaging introduction, setting the stage for an in-depth discussion on the conflict between the British Parliament and the American colonies. He humorously references a 'train of abuses and usurpations' mentioned by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, explaining how it symbolizes the growing strain between the two. The narrative starts with the French and Indian War (1754-1763), a turning point that left Britain financially strained. To pay off war debts, Britain began imposing taxes on the colonies, causing friction. The first conflict involves British standing armies in the colonies, which were seen as unnecessary but were stationed there to justify imposing taxes on the colonists.

05:03

💸 The Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Colonial Resistance

This section delves into the key taxation acts imposed by Britain, starting with the Sugar Act, which taxed imported foreign sugar. The presenter highlights how British enforcement of these taxes escalated tensions, particularly among smugglers like John Hancock. The Stamp Act of 1765, however, incited even more resistance as it introduced an internal tax on legal documents, which colonial legislatures believed should be under their control. Mass protests ensued, including boycotts of British goods, mob violence, and intimidation of tax collectors. The concept of 'no taxation without representation' became central to the colonial protest.

10:04

🧵 Sons and Daughters of Liberty Take Action

The Sons of Liberty, portrayed as a lawless mob by loyalist accounts, engaged in violent resistance, such as tarring and feathering tax collectors. Meanwhile, the Daughters of Liberty supported the boycott by producing homespun fabric to reduce reliance on British textiles. Wearing British-made clothes became socially unacceptable, and even prominent figures like George Washington adopted homespun clothing to show patriotism. The protests, combined with pressure from British merchants, led to the repeal of the Stamp Act. However, the introduction of the Townshend Acts in 1767 placed new taxes on imported goods like paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea, reigniting protests.

15:04

⚔️ The Boston Massacre and the End of the Townshend Acts

The presenter describes the Boston Massacre of 1770, a violent confrontation between British troops and a mob, which escalated tensions further. Paul Revere’s engraving of the event was used as propaganda, depicting the British as aggressors. While the Townshend Acts were mostly repealed following the massacre, the tax on tea remained, fueling future conflict. This period is characterized by a relative lull in hostilities until the Tea Act of 1773 and subsequent events, which set the stage for revolution.

🍵 The Boston Tea Party and the Intolerable Acts

In response to the Tea Act of 1773, which granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies, the Boston Tea Party took place. Colonists, disguised as Mohawk Indians, dumped tea into Boston Harbor in a dramatic act of defiance. The British retaliated with the Intolerable Acts, which imposed martial law on Massachusetts, closed the Boston port, and placed the colony under strict royal control. These acts outraged the colonists and intensified preparations for conflict, with local militia groups known as Minutemen drilling regularly in anticipation of British aggression.

🔫 Lexington and Concord: The Start of Armed Conflict

The British attempt to seize colonial arms at Concord marked a significant escalation. The Minutemen, local militia groups composed of ordinary citizens, took up arms to defend their rights, leading to the first skirmishes of the American Revolution. This moment, famously referred to as the 'shot heard round the world,' symbolized the beginning of open warfare between the colonies and Britain. The presenter sets the stage for the next segment, which will explore the Declaration of Independence and the events that followed.

Keywords

💡French and Indian War

The French and Indian War (1754-1763) was a major conflict between France and Britain, which also involved Native American tribes. This war is a key turning point in the relationship between Britain and its American colonies, as Britain expected the colonies to help pay for the war's expenses, leading to increased taxation and growing colonial resentment. It set the stage for the eventual conflict that led to the American Revolution.

💡Sugar Act

The Sugar Act of 1764 was a British law that imposed a tax on foreign sugar imported by the colonies. Although it lowered the previous tax, it was more strictly enforced, angering colonists, particularly smugglers. This act marked the end of Britain's 'salutary neglect,' where trade laws were loosely enforced, contributing to the growing tensions between Britain and the colonies.

💡Stamp Act

The Stamp Act of 1765 was an internal tax on legal documents, newspapers, and other printed materials in the colonies. This law was controversial because it was the first direct tax on the colonies by the British Parliament, rather than through colonial legislatures. Colonists viewed it as a violation of their rights, leading to widespread protests, boycotts, and the rallying cry of 'no taxation without representation.'

💡Sons of Liberty

The Sons of Liberty was a group of colonial protestors who opposed British taxes, particularly the Stamp Act. They used intimidation, mob violence, and protests to resist British authority, often targeting tax collectors. Their activities, such as tarring and feathering officials, played a key role in organizing resistance and rallying public support against British policies.

💡Townshend Acts

The Townshend Acts were a series of laws passed in 1767 that imposed taxes on imports to the American colonies, including paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea. These acts led to further protests and boycotts in the colonies, as they reinforced the idea that Parliament was overstepping its authority. The colonial resistance to these taxes contributed to the escalation of tensions leading to the American Revolution.

💡Boston Massacre

The Boston Massacre occurred in 1770 when British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonial protestors, killing five people. It became a symbol of British tyranny and was used as propaganda by colonial leaders like Paul Revere to rally support for the independence movement. The event heightened tensions between Britain and the colonies, contributing to the revolutionary fervor.

💡Tea Act

The Tea Act of 1773 gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the American colonies. While it lowered the price of tea, it angered colonists because it represented Britain's continued efforts to control colonial trade and economics. This led directly to the Boston Tea Party, where colonists protested by dumping British tea into Boston Harbor.

💡Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was a protest in 1773 where members of the Sons of Liberty, disguised as Native Americans, boarded British ships and dumped tea into Boston Harbor. This act of defiance was a response to the Tea Act and Britain's control over colonial trade. It led to the passing of the Intolerable Acts, further escalating tensions and pushing the colonies towards revolution.

💡Intolerable Acts

The Intolerable Acts, passed in 1774, were punitive laws intended to punish the Massachusetts colony for the Boston Tea Party. They included closing the Boston port, instituting martial law, and allowing British soldiers to be tried in Britain. These acts united the colonies in opposition to British rule and were a significant step towards the American Revolution.

💡Minutemen

Minutemen were colonial militia members who trained to be ready to fight the British at a moment's notice. They played a crucial role in the early battles of the American Revolution, including the battles of Lexington and Concord, where they confronted British troops. The Minutemen symbolized the colonies' growing readiness for armed conflict and their determination to defend their rights.

Highlights

The French and Indian War (1754-1763) represents a major turning point in the relationship between Britain and its American colonies.

After the war, Britain expected the colonies to help pay off the national debt accumulated during the conflict.

Parliament enacted three key taxes in the 1760s: the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Acts, each contributing to growing colonial unrest.

The Sugar Act was an import tax on foreign sugar, and although it lowered previous taxes, it was now enforced, leading to increased frustration among colonists.

The Stamp Act of 1765 was controversial because it imposed an internal tax on legal documents without the colonies' consent, sparking mass protests and boycotts.

Colonists responded to the Stamp Act with the slogan 'No taxation without representation,' rooted in the traditional English rights established by the Magna Carta.

The Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty played key roles in resisting British policies through protests, boycotts, and intimidation of tax collectors.

The Boston Massacre in 1770, although a violent confrontation, was portrayed by figures like Paul Revere as British troops firing on an innocent crowd, fueling anti-British sentiment.

Despite repealing most Townshend Acts, Parliament retained the tax on tea, which would later contribute to the Boston Tea Party in 1773.

The Boston Tea Party was an act of protest against the Tea Act, where colonists, dressed as Mohawk Indians, dumped British tea into the harbor.

In retaliation for the Boston Tea Party, Britain imposed the Intolerable Acts, which included the Boston Port Act and the Massachusetts Government Act, putting the colony under military rule.

The Quartering Act and Administration of Justice Act further angered colonists by allowing British soldiers to be housed in private buildings and sent back to Britain for trial.

The Minutemen, a militia made up of regular colonists, began preparing for battle, leading to the conflict at Lexington and Concord, the first battle of the American Revolution.

The Intolerable Acts escalated tensions and convinced many colonists that armed resistance against British rule was necessary.

The conflict at Concord, where British troops attempted to seize colonial arms, marked the beginning of open rebellion with the 'shot heard round the world.'

Transcripts

hey there students welcome back to

intensive review all aboard all right

because we are about to hop on to a long

train of abuses and usurpations never

mind trains didn't exist back then I

just like to blow this whistle so anyway

let's begin we're going to look at US HC

1.2 which is going to focus on the

conflict between parliament in the

colonies I'll keep in mind that I've

already done a segment on this standard

because we still got we've got a lot to

cover here so I've done a previous

segment and then I'm going to finish up

in this segment and we're going to look

specifically at this point at this long

train of abuses and usurpations that

Jefferson talks about in the Declaration

of Independence and we're going to look

at this process that leads to the

ultimate separation of the British and

their 13 American colonies so first of

all the French and Indian War happened

from 1754 to 1763 and this represents a

major turning point in the relationship

between the mother country and the 13

colonies now why is that the case first

of all that Wars cost money alright we

know that from all of these wars in Iraq

and Afghanistan that have added a good

vet to our deficit and subsequently the

national debt that keeps on piling

higher and higher well the British were

no different when you look at the French

and Indian War you see the British

national debt that is climbing and the

British are really kind of frustrated

here because the way that they see it

that they fought this war partly to

protect their colonies and they want the

colonies to help pay for it and the

other thing is that the British

citizenry they don't like standing

armies remember we were talking about

the English Bill of Rights and one of

the things was a prohibition on standing

armies well the British are thinking you

know what we could keep a standing army

but we can hide it in the colonies and

then we can get them to pay for it and

we'll get them to pay for it with taxes

because after all

they need some they need protection

right from these troops they're somehow

necessary even though the French have

been defeated or something like that but

Parliament is going to enter into this

conflict of the colonies and it's gonna

start off with three taxes now keep in

mind I'll try to keep this in groups of

three whenever I can so the three taxes

in the 1760s now what's important is not

so much the exact year but that you know

that this starts in the 1760s that

you've got these different conflicts

here alright now keep in mind that

you've got the Sugar Act the Stamp Act

and the Townsend acts each of which I'm

going to talk about briefly individually

alright now keep in mind that you've

already had the proclamation line of

1763 as well which limited the colonists

from going over the Appalachian

Mountains now keep in mind this is kind

of an insult to the colonists because it

says really that it was your fault that

this war started if you all hadn't been

going west then you wouldn't gotten into

it with the French and the Indians all

right so you've got that proclamation

line but then you've got these three

taxes now first of all smuggling it's a

serious problem now we've got a new Star

Wars movie coming out I think Christmas

and you're gonna see Han Solo famous

smuggler on the Millennium Falcon

now this is a serious problem John

Hancock was a smuggler a lot of people

know him for his signature they don't

realize this guy made a lot of money

smuggling because what happened here was

although the colonists were not supposed

to trade with other colonies they did it

anyway

because it was cheaper and they could

make money so the Sugar Act was an

import tax on foreign sugar and what

happened here was this tax was actually

lower than the tax had been but the

difference is that they were collecting

it remember the salutary neglect that's

over so the British lower the taxes but

they say well we're going to collect it

when we didn't collect the old one and

the colonists specially the smuggling

class they're thinking well I'm paying

more taxes now than when they were hired

because you're collecting it so in

reality it's a tax increase also sets up

Admiralty courts when ships are capped

then they are brought before a British

Admiralty court and not brought before

juries so that's another thing that the

smugglers are really being thoroughly

punished here in a way that they weren't

before in and keep in mind jury trials

this is something that is guaranteed by

the Magna Carta this is set up to where

you can lose your property if you are

caught smuggling and a jury is not going

to take that property away from you

it'll be a British Admiralty Court and

then in 1765 we've got the stamp act now

the Stamp Act was especially

controversial because it was an internal

tax on legal documents the colonists

didn't really dispute Parliament's right

to tax trade but when it came to

internal taxes something like a sales

tax or size tax or something like that

then it was something that should be

decided by the colonial legislatures so

what happened here in this Stamp Act was

that if you wanted to get a legal

document let's say you're buying

property you're getting married or you

are getting a university degree or

something like that

then you would need to print this on

special paper with a stamp on and you

had to pay a tax to get that paper now

the tax wasn't all that much but it was

not consented to and this met with mass

resistance in the sense of boycotts not

buying British goods which that was kind

of the whole trade thing that the

colonists export raw materials then they

bring in finished goods but they weren't

buying the finished goods there was mob

violence where people would break stuff

they demonstrate in the streets they

would tar and feather a tax collector or

vandalizes house or something like that

you can see this stamp here that is a

protest stamp printed in a paper and

this whole rallying cry of no taxation

without representation keep in mind that

that goes back to the Magna Carta that

goes back to this idea that is enshrined

in the British system so keep in mind

that these protests are rooted in

respect for traditional English rights

and you see resistance in the form of

the Sons of Liberty who engaged in

intimidation

and mob violence mass protests you see

these guys tarring and feathering a tax

collector under the Liberty tree now of

course if you look at this document you

can see that it is from a loyalist sort

of point of view that you see that

you've got a noose there and the Sons of

Liberty are being portrayed as kind of a

lawless mob which to a certain extent

they are now then there are the

daughters of Liberty now the daughters

of Liberty are assisting in the boycott

efforts by producing homes fun fabric

and what they want to do was reduce

dependence on British textiles and what

this was was always like those people

who shop with a thrift store not because

they can't afford to buy their clothes

new but because they want to be trendy

or something like that this was where

that all kind of got started we got some

of you in here that fit that bill and

what happened here was that if you're

wearing a nice British suit that's a

no-no even if you're George Washington

or somebody rich like that you should be

wearing a suit of homespun cloth to show

your patriotism

so the daughters of Liberty are making

this possible and then we can see here

that the Sons of Liberty are assembling

in order to hear of the resignation of a

tax collector who has no doubt been

intimidated into this resignation and

the Stamp Act the following year is

repealed largely because British

merchants are saying like hey we need

this business and if this is gonna cut

in our business we need to get rid of it

but Parliament's not done they are going

to levy another tax on certain products

now keep in mind these that this will be

a trade tax it won't be an internal tax

but the Townsend acts are going to tax

paper paint lead glass and tea it's just

nice to remember those things got a ring

to it so the Townsend acts in 1767 and

other tax on imports paper paint lead

glass and tea and once again you've got

more protests and that sort of thing and

then we will see that there are British

ships and all of that kind of stuff and

leading to the

Boston Massacre all right in 1770 you

see a confrontation between British

troops and a rowdy mob you know really a

rowdy lawless mob and that's not

portrayed as such in this engraving by

Paul Revere that you see British troops

all neatly lined up firing upon a crowd

which seems calm which includes women

and children and a dog that's I don't

know a stray or something like that you

see behind the British soldiers where it

says butcher's Hall well this was Paul

Revere's propaganda all right this was

not how it actually happened how it

actually happened was that this was at

night there was mob somebody yelled fire

stuff happens all right now the Townsend

Acts are repealed in the light of the

Boston Massacre with one exception the

tax on T now keep in mind here that when

we look at these years we see the

Townsend acts in 1767 then we see the

Boston Massacre in 1770 and nothing else

really happens until 1773 so the Boston

Massacre is really kind of an isolated

incident in the midst of all this so you

can really divide this into two phases

that you've seen Parliament tax the

colonies and that's kind of over the

revolutions not really inevitable yet

but then we start to see it heat up all

right that Parliament keeps the tax on T

just to show that they can that they are

lifting taxes but they are doing it kind

of you know hey we're gonna keep one tax

there and that tax is really what's

going to kind of contribute to this the

chain of events it's going to lead to

the revolution starts with the Tea Act

continues into the Boston Tea Party the

Intolerable Acts and then Lexington and

Concord all right so the Tea Act is

passed in 1773 and what this did is it

gave the British East India Company I

believe a monopoly on tea and they were

the only people who could sell it in the

colonies now this was good tea at a good

price but keep in mind that part of the

American Revolution is about economic

freedom and if you're an American you're

thinking hey you're not doing me a favor

here selling me this tea at low prices

that's good tea speaking of teachers

recharge a little bit all right but this

is a monopoly and Parliament is telling

me cut the

colonies how they will run their economy

and this leads the Boston Tea Party

which is an act of vandalism anybody

participating in this today would be

arrested people dressed up like Mohawk

Indians the Sons of Liberty and they

threw the tea in the harbor and you know

you don't keep it you're not stealing

the T this is vandalism people but it is

a massive scale of property damage and

estimated not about ninety thousand

dollars worth

that's a lot all right and what happens

as a result is the Intolerable Acts now

the Intolerable Acts they together

Institute martial law in the

Massachusetts colony military rule

essentially and what happens here is

that you've got the Minutemen who

rallied together all right now of course

the Intolerable Acts just in case now I

don't have those listed because you may

not run into those specifically on the

EOC but it's good to know what they are

okay the Intolerable Acts first of all

you've got the Boston port act which

closes the port of Boston all right so

the Boston port will be closed until it

is paid for and then the Massachusetts

Government Act which puts the colony

under the direction of a royal governor

and this royal governor is a member of

the militaries of general all right so

you've got that and then you've got a

quartering act now this is another

quartering act on top of one that

already been passed and what this does

is this allows the governor to find

private buildings to put troops because

Massachusetts was not building quarters

for the soldiers they were not providing

quarters for the soldiers like they were

supposed to all right and I'm having a

little bit of a Rick Perry moment I know

the Quebec Act oh the administration of

Justice Act and this is where British

soldiers are going to be sent then

British officials are going to be sent

back to the mother country for trial

which this especially insulting to the

colonists who had given the soldiers

involved in the Boston Massacre a not

guilty verdict so British officials and

soldiers are going to go back to Britain

for trial and then finally there's the

cool

back act which is just kind of like

icing on the cake in which québec's

territory is expanded and Catholicism

has made the official religion and this

was a nod to the people of Quebec so

Quebec gets a little thumbs up meanwhile

Massachusetts gets a thumbs down now of

course Quebec is not going to secede

from the British Empire with the rest of

the colonies and then you've got these

Minutemen now the Minutemen called this

because they're just shopkeepers and

teachers and lawyers and farmers and

bankers and regular people who are

drilling these are militia troops and

they are drilling regularly and they are

preparing for battle now these people

were typically engaged in defending

against like you know frontier Indian

attacks and that sort of thing if they

were needed but you start to get the

picture that these Minutemen are

drilling for another reason that they're

drilling because they want to fight the

British and the British get intimidated

and they send an army to go and

confiscate the Arsenal at Concord

alright that the colonists had put

together a store of arms and the British

are sent there to seize the Arsenal and

take it away so that the colonists can't

defend themselves and this is where the

line is drawn because this is an attack

on the basic right of self-defense and

the colonists decide now it is the time

to use violence and this is the old

North Bridge where you had this you know

this battle you know the shot heard

round the world and that sort of thing

and then there is Massachusetts all

right which still you know takes pride

in this Minuteman heritage even though

they call the base state not the

Minuteman state but anyway that's what

leads us to the American Revolution and

in the next segment which I hope you'll

watch with us we are going to get into

the Declaration of Independence and all

of the ends now to that see you in a bit