American Revolution - Causes, Problems, Beginning - Early Modern History

Summary

This script explores the American Revolution's pivotal events, from its roots in Enlightenment thought and tax disputes to the birth of a nation. It discusses the impact of miscommunication, the Albany Plan of Union, the Proclamation of 1763, and the escalating tensions leading to the Stamp Act and the Intolerable Acts. The narrative builds towards the First Continental Congress and sets the stage for Paul Revere's ride and the battles at Bunker Hill, highlighting key moments that shaped the revolution.

Takeaways

• 🗺️ The American Revolution marked a pivotal moment in the 18th century, influenced by the Enlightenment and leading to significant changes in both the New and Old Worlds.
• 📜 The initial conflict over taxes escalated into a war that was unforeseen by those involved, ultimately shaping the destiny of nations.
• 🌐 The world's geography, including the discovery of new routes to Asia, set the stage for the exploration and colonization that would lead to the American Revolution.
• 🔄 The 'salutary neglect' policy of Britain allowed the American colonies to self-govern, fostering a sense of independence that would later fuel the revolution.
• 📊 The economic priorities of Britain, focusing more on the Caribbean and Canada, led to a lack of investment in the American colonies, contributing to the growing divide.
• ⚔️ The French and Indian War was a turning point that heightened tensions and necessitated a more active British involvement in colonial affairs.
• 📜 The Albany Plan of Union, though unsuccessful, demonstrated the possibility and desirability of colonial cooperation against common threats.
• 🚫 The Proclamation of 1763 and subsequent acts like the Stamp Act were attempts by Britain to exert more control over the colonies, sparking widespread resistance.
• 📣 The 'No taxation without representation' slogan emerged from the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, becoming a rallying cry for colonial opposition to British policies.
• 🍵 The Boston Tea Party was a direct act of defiance against British taxation policies, further escalating the conflict between the colonies and Britain.
• ⚠️ The Intolerable Acts were punitive measures by Britain that backfired, uniting the colonies against British rule and pushing them towards revolution.

Q & A

What was the seminal moment of the 18th century that led to an era of change and revolution?

The American Revolution was the seminal moment of the 18th century that led to an era of change and revolution, marking a significant shift in the fate of both the New and Old Worlds.

What was the fundamental underlying problem that led to the war between Britain and her colonial subjects?

The fundamental underlying problem was communication. The long distances and slow communication methods between North America and Europe resulted in local authorities in the Americas being on their own for months before British authorities could respond to crises.

What was the policy of London towards the American colonies prior to the French and Indian War?

Prior to the French and Indian War, London followed a policy of 'salutary neglect,' where it barely interfered in colonial affairs, allowing the colonists to manage their own affairs via elected legislatures.

Why did London prioritize the Caribbean and Canadian colonies over the American ones before the French and Indian War?

London prioritized the Caribbean and Canadian colonies over the American ones because the revenue generated by the Thirteen Colonies was significantly less compared to the fur trade centered on Canada's Great Lakes and Hudson's Bay, and the Caribbean sugar colonies which accounted for 4% of Britain's total gross national product.

What was the Albany Plan of Union and why was it rejected?

The Albany Plan of Union was a proposal by Benjamin Franklin for a unified war strategy among the colonies, which aimed to create a more centralized government. It was rejected by both the colonial legislatures who wanted more independence and the Crown who felt it gave too much power to the colonies.

What were the consequences of the Proclamation of 1763 for the American colonies?

The Proclamation of 1763 established governments for newly acquired territories and divided British North America into three parts, including the Thirteen Colonies. It forbade British settlers from moving into Indian Territory, effectively abandoning colonial settlements beyond the Allegheny Mountains and causing outrage among the colonists.

What was the main issue with the Stamp Act of 1765 that provoked anger among the American colonies?

The Stamp Act of 1765 required all legal paper to be purchased from London with a revenue stamp certifying its legality. This was the first direct tax placed on any American colonies, and it was seen as an infringement on the colonists' rights as they were not represented in the British Parliament.

What was the significance of the Declaration of Rights and Grievances sent by the colonies to the British government?

The Declaration of Rights and Grievances laid out the colonial position that they were only subject to taxation from elected governments and that they had natural rights as human beings which were being ignored. It formed the basis of colonial protests and the rallying cry of 'No taxation without representation.'

What was the immediate response of the colonies to the Tea Act of 1773, and why was it significant?

The Tea Act of 1773 allowed the British East India Company to sell unlimited tea to the colonies at a discount. The colonies saw it as a ploy to get them to accept Parliament's right to tax them. In response, nearly every colony refused tea to be landed in their ports, and the Boston Tea Party occurred, which was the final straw leading to harsh action from the British government.

What were the Coercive Acts and how did they impact the situation in Massachusetts and Boston?

The Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts, were laws passed by the British Parliament to punish Boston for the Boston Tea Party. They included closing the city port, placing Boston under military governance, allowing officials to try anyone in British courts, and requiring more extensive troop quartering. These acts further escalated tensions and led to the situation that eventually ignited the revolution.

What was the purpose of the First Continental Congress and what actions did it agree upon?

The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from every colony but Georgia to address the Intolerable Acts and British policies. The Congress agreed to resist the acts via a complete boycott of British imports and to pressure the West Indies colonies to do the same. They also agreed to reconvene the next year if their grievances were not addressed.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ The American Revolution: Missteps to a New Nation

The American Revolution marked a pivotal moment in the 18th century, emerging from Enlightenment ideals and escalating from a tax dispute into a war that would alter the destinies of the New and Old Worlds. Initially, the conflict was not anticipated to reach such magnitude. The script introduces the series on the American Revolution, highlighting miscommunication and missed opportunities leading to nationhood. It also promotes Mova Globes, showcasing their self-rotating, magnetically powered globes in various styles, from antique maps to NASA imagery, offering a 10% discount with the code KINGSANDGENERALS.

05:05

📜 The Core Problem: Communication and Colonial Governance

The root cause of the war between Britain and its colonies was poor communication, exacerbated by the slow and unreliable nature of sea travel in the 17th and 18th centuries. This resulted in British authorities being absent during crises, leading to a policy of 'salutary neglect' where colonies were granted significant autonomy. The script discusses the British Empire's prioritization of more lucrative colonies like the Caribbean over the Thirteen Colonies, and the minimal military presence in North America, which was primarily tasked with protecting trading posts and deterring French influence.

10:06

🛡️ Shifts in Colonial Dynamics Post-French and Indian War

The French and Indian War was a turning point, prompting northern colonies to strategize and seek unity, as seen in Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan of Union. The surrender of New France to British forces in 1760 opened up new territories for American colonists, but London's differing views on expansion and the need to maintain peace with indigenous tribes led to the Proclamation of 1763. This proclamation aimed to prevent conflict by restricting colonial expansion and recognizing tribal land rights, but it also sparked outrage among colonists whose land grants were ignored.

15:06

🗳️ Resistance and the Stamp Act: The Prelude to Rebellion

The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first direct tax imposed on the American colonies, requiring legal documents to bear a revenue stamp from London. This act, along with the Sugar Act of 1764, led to widespread protests and resistance, particularly in Boston, where the Sons of Liberty organized demonstrations that escalated into violence. The resistance was not only against the taxes but also against the principle of taxation without representation, leading to the formation of the Stamp Act Congress and the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which asserted the rights of Englishmen and natural human rights.

20:07

🛑 The Boston Massacre and Escalating Tensions

The Boston Massacre was a tragic incident where British soldiers fired into a crowd, killing several Americans, during a period of heightened tension in Boston. The event was used as anti-Parliamentary propaganda, further fueling resentment against British rule. The script also covers the political shifts in Britain, including the repeal of most Townshend Acts by Lord North, who retained the tea tax and the Boston garrison, signaling a hardening stance towards the colonies.

🌐 The Committees of Correspondence and the Road to Revolution

As the colonies organized in response to British policies, the Committees of Correspondence played a crucial role in coordinating opposition and spreading revolutionary sentiments. The Tea Act of 1773 and the subsequent Boston Tea Party were seen as attempts by North to assert Parliament's right to tax the colonies, leading to a complete boycott of British imports. The Intolerable Acts, including the Coercive Acts and the Quebec Act, further alienated the colonies, pushing even moderate loyalists towards the patriot cause. The First Continental Congress convened to resist British policies, but military actions by General Gage in Massachusetts heightened the sense of rebellion.

Keywords

💡American Revolution

The American Revolution refers to the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen American Colonies rejected the British monarchy and aristocracy to establish the United States of America. In the video, it is the central theme, highlighting how a dispute over taxes escalated into a war that changed the fate of both the New and Old Worlds.

💡Enlightenment

The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 18th century. The video mentions it as a precursor to the American Revolution, suggesting that the ideas of this period, such as liberty and self-governance, influenced the colonists' desire for independence.

💡Miscommunication

Miscommunication in the script refers to the failure of understanding or sharing information effectively, which is depicted as a significant factor leading to the American Revolution. The video describes how miscommunication, misunderstanding, and missed opportunities contributed to the escalation of conflicts between the colonies and Britain.

💡Navigation Acts

The Navigation Acts were laws passed by the English Parliament in the 17th and 18th centuries, with the purpose of promoting English shipping and regulating trade. In the video, it is mentioned that London didn't enforce these acts, which reflects the period of 'salutary neglect' where the colonies were left to manage their own affairs.

💡French and Indian War

The French and Indian War was a conflict that took place from 1754 to 1763, which is a part of the larger Seven Years' War. The video describes this war as a turning point, changing the dynamics of British colonial policy and leading to increased British control and taxation of the American colonies.

💡Pontiac’s War

Pontiac’s War was a conflict between Native Americans and British forces in 1763, named after the Odawa war chief Pontiac. The video script uses it as an example of the challenges Britain faced in maintaining control and good relations with indigenous tribes after the French and Indian War.

💡Proclamation of 1763

The Proclamation of 1763 was a British government response to the end of the French and Indian War, which established new territories and prohibited colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. The video explains that this proclamation was an attempt to prevent conflict with Native Americans but also caused outrage among colonists as it ignored their land grants.

💡Stamp Act

The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first direct tax imposed by the British on the colonies, requiring colonists to pay a tax on all printed documents. The video describes the act as a catalyst for colonial resistance and a significant event that led to protests and the rallying cry of 'No taxation without representation.'

💡Boston Massacre

The Boston Massacre refers to a deadly incident in 1770 where British soldiers shot and killed several American colonists during a street confrontation in Boston. The video mentions it as a pivotal event that fueled anti-Parliament sentiment and was used as propaganda to galvanize opposition to British rule.

💡Intolerable Acts

The Intolerable Acts, also known as the Coercive Acts, were a series of four laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. The video describes these acts as punitive measures that further alienated the colonies and contributed to the growing revolutionary sentiment.

💡First Continental Congress

The First Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies that met in 1774 to coordinate a response to the Intolerable Acts. The video highlights this event as a significant gathering where colonies agreed to resist British policies through a boycott of British goods, demonstrating colonial unity against British rule.

Highlights

The American Revolution marked a pivotal moment in the 18th century, influenced by the Enlightenment and leading to widespread change.

The unexpected escalation of a tax dispute into a war that defined an era shocked all parties and altered the destinies of both the New and Old Worlds.

Mova Globes are highlighted as a sponsor, offering a variety of globes with unique features like self-rotation powered by ambient light and magnetism.

Fundamental communication issues between Britain and the colonies were a key underlying problem, exacerbated by the long sea travel times.

Britain's policy of 'salutary neglect' allowed the colonies to self-govern for 70 years, reflecting the colonies' lower economic value compared to other territories.

The French and Indian War altered the dynamics of British colonial policy, necessitating a more active role in North America.

Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan of Union, though rejected, demonstrated the possibility and desirability of colonial cooperation.

The Proclamation of 1763 aimed to prevent conflict with Native tribes but inadvertently caused outrage among colonists by disregarding their land grants.

The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first direct tax imposed on the colonies, sparking widespread resistance and the rallying cry of 'No taxation without representation'.

The Boston Massacre in 1770 further fueled anti-Parliament sentiment and was immortalized by Paul Revere's engraving.

Lord North's policies, including the Tea Act, were perceived as attempts to coerce the colonies into accepting Parliament's right to tax them.

The Intolerable Acts of 1774 were designed to punish Boston and assert British authority, but instead galvanized colonial resistance.

The Quebec Act was seen as a betrayal by the colonies, as it favored French Canadians and Catholics, and expanded Quebec's borders at the expense of colonial land claims.

The First Continental Congress convened in 1774, agreeing to resist British policies through a boycott of British imports.

General Gage's attempt to disarm the militia and seize colonial military stores backfired, prompting a rapid and unified colonial response.

The growing tension between Britain and the colonies culminated in the state of rebellion declared by King George III, setting the stage for the American Revolution.

Transcripts

The American Revolution was the seminal moment  of the 18th century. It was the culmination of  

the Enlightenment and would usher in an  era of change and revolution. However,  

it was never intended to become so. That a dispute  over taxes would escalate into an era defining war  

shocked everyone involved, and forever changed  the fate of both the New and Old Worlds. Welcome  

to the beginning of our series on the American  Revolution, where we will tell the tale of  

miscommunication, misunderstanding, and missed  opportunities and led to the birth of a nation.

Technically as this began when someone in  Europe figured you could get to Asia by  

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The Core Problem The fundamental underlying problem  

that led to war between Britain and her colonial  subjects was communication. A message sent from  

North American to Europe on a typical sailing ship  of the 17th and 18th century would arrive in about  

a month assuming calm seas, favorable winds, and  correct navigation. Anything less added weeks if  

not months to a voyage. Additionally, the north  Atlantic trade winds are westerly meaning the  

return trip would take at least twice as  long, as ships either had to tack into the  

wind for a direct return, or sail down to Africa  to catch the easterly equatorial winds. Therefore,  

in a crisis, local authorities in the Americas  would be on their own for no less than three  

months before British authorities arrived on  the scene. Great Britain solved this problem  

by barely trying to govern its colonies at  all. Instead, it handed charters to establish  

colonies along with government powers, the  rights of Englishmen, and land grants to  

private individuals and/or joint stock companies. Except for a failed attempt to centralize control  

and administration in New England, London barely  interfered in colonial affairs. It didn’t have the  

resources to pay appointed governors or station  troops in every colony, nor any desire to. This  

suited the colonists, who were left to manage  their own affairs via elected legislatures.  

London didn’t even attempt to enforce he  mercantilist Navigation Acts. This period,  

known as salutary neglect, lasted 70 years . London’s neglect wasn’t simply sloth. The Thirteen  

Colonies just weren’t valuable enough as colonies  to bother closely governing. The revenue generated  

by the Thirteen Colonies paled in comparison  to the fur trade, centered on Canada’s Great  

Lakes and Hudson’s Bay. Canada in turn paled  next to the Caribbean sugar colonies, which  

accounted for 4% of Britain's total gross national  product. Therefore London prioritized protecting  

the Caribbean and Canadian colonies over the  American ones. It was rare for the total number  

of army regulars in North America to exceed four  thousand during peacetime. Most were stationed  

to protect trading posts and deter the French in  Canada. The rest were scattered in frontier forts  

and small coastal garrisons, with New York as the  army’s headquarters. Local forces were the primary  

protection for the American colonies against  raids by the French and their indigenous allies. 

Everything Changes The 1754 French and Indian War changed everything.  

Facing a reinforced and aggressive New France and  its allied tribes, representatives from the seven  

northern colonies met in Albany on June 19th  to plan their war strategy. Also in attendance  

were representatives of the Iroquois Confederacy,  whose continued alliance against the French the  

colonists were desperate to secure. Despite the  delegate's efforts, the Iroquois didn’t actually  

commit to fighting the French, instead opting  for a policy of neutral non-hostility towards the  

colonies. Next, the delegates’ attention turned  towards a unified war strategy, which culminated  

in Benjamin Franklin’s Albany Plan of Union.  While the Plan of Union was approved by all the  

Colonial delegates, it was unanimously rejected  by both the colonial legislatures and the Crown,  

much to Franklin’s frustration. The former  wanted more independence and the latter felt  

it gave too much. Despite these setbacks,  the Congress proved that cooperation between  

the 13 colonies was possible, even desirable. On September 8, 1760, New France surrendered  

to British Field Marshal Jeffery Amherst, ending  the war in North America. The American colonists  

celebrated their rival’s fall, especially since  it meant expansion. Many colonies already had  

settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains, but  they had been constantly raided by the French and  

their indigenous allies. However, with that threat  gone, the formerly disputed territory, especially  

the Ohio River valley, was now theirs for the  taking. However, London felt differently. The  

earlier conquest of French Arcadia had resulted  in extensive and costly guerrilla fighting,  

and the ongoing Seven Years War was draining  the Exchequer. The last thing London wanted  

was another war. Thus, it needed to very quickly  pacify the French Canadiens and Native Peoples. 

Secondly, the conquest had brought all of the  fur trade under British control. While this was a  

great victory, the fur trade relied on indigenous  tribes bringing furs to traders. Without good  

relations, trade was impossible. Britain had  always been able to cultivate partnerships  

with various native tribes by allying with the  rivals of French-aligned tribes. That tool was  

now gone and it was now entirely on the British  to keep their Indian suppliers happy and protect  

the fur trade. Unfortunately for London, these  goals were thoroughly undermined by Amherst,  

now the military governor of Canada. Amherst  insulted everyone, treating both the French  

Canadiens and French allied tribes poorly . This,  coupled with fears of further colonial expansion,  

ignited Pontiac’s War in April 1763, led  by the Odawa Chieftain Pontiac against the  

British. London finally realized that, 156 years  after Jamestown was founded, it would have to  

actually take the policy lead in North America. The Proclamation of 1763 and the Stamp Act 

Preventing conflict was the first step. To this  end, Parliament and King George III crafted a  

royal proclamation to allay the Indian’s fears.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t ready until October 1763,  

too late to prevent Pontiac’s War. However,  it did allow Amherst’s more conciliatory  

replacement Thomas Gage an opening offer  in peace negotiations. The Proclamation of  

1763 first established governments for newly  acquired territory in the Americas. Then, it  

divided British North America into three pieces:  the Thirteen Colonies, French-Speaking Quebec,  

and Indian Territory. British settlers were  forbidden within Indian Territory and the  

tribe's rights to their land was acknowledged.  The official reason was to meet Pontiac’s demand  

to respect Indian land. This wasn’t actually  true: London fully intended to expand British  

settlements in North America. However, it would  be at London’s direction and only after securing  

the rights to do so through purchase from the  tribes. Parliament just couldn’t say that openly  

without angering the Indians, who they were  trying to placate . The Proclamation of 1763  

caused outrage in the colonies. It ignored their  chartered land grants and effectively abandoned  

the colonial settlements that already  existed beyond the Allegheny Mountains. 

Pontiac’s War and fears of a French reconquest of  Quebec necessitated the stationing of more troops  

in North America. Paying for this required new  taxes, and since America would be the beneficiary,  

the Whig government of George Grenville decided  to make the colonies pay. Its first attempt to  

do this was the Sugar Act of 1764, which was  technically an update to an existing Navigation  

Act. This drew some protests from New England  rum distillers, but like the act it replaced,  

most colonists simply ignored or dodged the tax. It would be the Stamp Act of 1765 that provoked  

actual anger. The Act required that all  legal paper be purchased from London with  

a revenue stamp certifying its legality.  Though a longstanding tax in Britain,  

this was the first direct tax placed on any  American colonies. It was first announced in  

April 1764 but not enacted until March 1765.  This proved disastrous for Granville’s plan,  

as the delay in the act’s implementation allowed  the colonies time to prepare to resist it. The  

colonies learned of the Act’s passing in early May  1764. By late May, every English-speaking colony  

from Nova Scotia to Jamaica made clear their  intent to resist the tax. In the Caribbean,  

the strong Royal Navy garrison kept protests  muted, though most ports refused to enforce  

the tax. However, the continental colonies all saw  street protests, including the burning in effigy  

of both tax collectors and the prime minister. Boston saw the loudest protests. Beginning with  

peaceful street demonstrations organized by the  nascent Sons of Liberty under James Otis and  

Samuel Adams, it quickly escalated to violence.  Tax collectors were assaulted in the streets,  

their houses and offices attacked, and even the  lieutenant governor was attacked and expelled  

from his official residence. However, it was New  York that planned the most effective resistance  

to the Stamp Act. In addition to refusing to  quarter British troops, the merchants organized  

a boycott of British goods, the coordination of  which was the focus of the Stamp Act Congress  

in October held in New York City. Declaration of Rights and Grievances 

It also sent a Declaration of Rights and  Grievances that would form the basis of  

colonial protests over the next ten years. The  Declaration laid out the colonial position:  

since they were English and guaranteed the  rights and privileges thereof, they were only  

subject to taxation from elected governments. They  didn’t vote for Parliament, so it could not tax  

them. Moreover, they had natural rights as human  beings which were being ignored. These principles  

eventually became the continental rallying  cry of “No taxation without representation.” 

This declaration posed a huge threat to  Parliament’s plans, mostly because it was  

technically true . During the winter of  1764 as crisis loomed, Grenville claimed  

virtual representation solved the problem,  for which he was ridiculed in Parliament  

and the colonies. This loss of credibility  and news of the colonial protests led to the  

fall of Grenville’s government in July 1765. While the colonies celebrated the Stamp Act’s  

repeal, the next battle loomed. Simultaneous with  the repeal, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act,  

stating that Parliament had the same powers in  America as it did in Britain. Parliament intended  

to try again, and now Townshend had his personal  reputation to save. Thus beginning in 1767 the  

five Townshend Acts were passed. These acts were  intended to raise revenue, tighten Parliament’s  

control of trade, and punish New York for  refusing to quarter troops. Once again, there were  

riots in Boston and widespread boycotts. At the  Massachusetts assembly’s behest, numerous colonial  

legislatures began to send petitions to King  George asking him to intervene and protect their  

rights as Englishmen. The petitions went nowhere,  as the King was firmly on Parliament’s side. 

However, most alarming was the Circular  Letter written by Otis and Adams and passed  

by the Massachusetts assembly in February  1768, stating that Parliament was acting  

unconstitutionally in continuing to tax the  colonies without representing them. It was  

sent to other legislatures, to their approval. In  response, the Colonial Secretary Lord Hillsborough  

ordered Massachusetts to withdraw the letter.  When it refused, Hillsborough ordered the  

assembly dissolved and sent two thousand  troops to occupy Boston that September. 

The Boston Massacre Tensions mounted for the next year  

and a half, especially in occupied and resentful  Boston. On the night of March 5, this resentment  

boiled over. A guard on duty outside the Custom  House got into an argument with a wig maker's  

apprentice , eventually hitting him with his  musket. This caused onlookers to begin harassing  

the guard. The crowd kept growing and he retreated  up the steps and called for help. Captain Thomas  

Preston soon arrived with seven soldiers and  ordered the crowd of several hundred to disperse. 

Instead, the crowd started throwing snowballs,  rocks, and insults at the soldiers. Then  

innkeeper Richard Palmes, carrying a cudgel,  approached Preston, asking if the soldiers'  

muskets were loaded. Preston said they were,  but they’d only fire on his order. Just then,  

a missile knocked down Private Hugh Montgomery.  Dazed, he retrieved his musket, shouted “Damn you,  

fire!” and fired. Palmes then swung his cudgel  at Montgomery, hitting his arm, then at Preston,  

also hitting his arm. After a pause , the rest  of the soldiers opened fire. Three Americans  

died instantly, and two more would die of their  wounds. Both sides called for reinforcements and  

a full riot seemed imminent. Order was only  restored when the governor himself arrived at  

the Custom House and promised an investigation.  A trial ultimately resulted in two soldiers being  

found guilty of manslaughter. News of the incident  spread like wildfire and was immediately used as  

anti-Parliament propaganda, with Paul Revere’s  engraving calling it The Boston Massacre the  

most well known. The propaganda worked, and  anti-Parliament sentiment spread rapidly. 

North Comes to Power By coincidence, on the same day as the Massacre,  

the recently appointed Tory Prime Minister Lord  North repealed most of the Whig Townshend Acts,  

citing lack of revenue they generated. However,  he kept the tax on tea and the Boston garrison  

intact, and further signaled to the colonies that  this was the new status quo. Parliament was done  

backing down. In response, the colonies continued  organizing. The Committees of Correspondence,  

first set up by the Sons of Liberty to  coordinate opposition to the Stamp Act,  

became more active and spread to more colonies.  However, 1771 and 1772 were otherwise quiet and  

it looked like the conflict might be allowed to  burn out. However, Lord North wasn’t finished. 

In May 1773, the Tea Act was passed. Not a tax,  it instead allowed the British East India Company  

the right to sell unlimited tea to the Thirteen  Colonies at a discount. However, the Colonies saw  

it for what the North intended it to be: a ploy  to get them to buy more tea, paying the tea tax,  

and implicitly accepting Parliament’s right to  tax them. This led nearly every colony to refuse  

tea to be landed in their ports. Boston went  further, again, with the Boston Tea Party on  

December 16th. This was the final straw for North,  who decided that harsh action needed to be taken  

to put the colonies in their place. Massachusetts  and especially Boston would be made an example.  

The fuse of revolution was now lit. The Intolerable Acts 

At the next session of Parliament ,  the five Intolerable Acts were passed.  

The first four , called the Coercive Acts, all  directly punished Boston: closing the city port,  

placing it under military governance, allowing  officials to try anyone in British courts rather  

than local ones, and requiring more extensive  troop quartering. To enforce these acts, General  

Gage was appointed governor of Massachusetts  and ordered to consolidate his garrisons in  

Boston and move his headquarters there, which  was accomplished in May 1774. This would not  

produce the results London intended. Gage had  been stationed in North America since 1755,  

only occasionally returning to Britain, and was  quite sympathetic to the colonies' grievances.  

He would try to separate his duties as governor  from his duties as an occupier, to little effect. 

It was the fifth act that would prove most  damaging to Britain's hold on the colonies.  

Unrelated to the Coercive Acts but passed at  the same session, the Quebec Act outraged all  

parts of colonial society, even Parliament’s  strongest defenders. To placate the Canadiens,  

the Act restored rights to Catholics in  Quebec, allowed the use of French civil law,  

and most importantly, expanded Quebec’s  borders to include the Ohio River Valley,  

forever denying it to the American colonists  . This was seen as a complete betrayal and  

drove many previously moderate loyalist Americans  towards the Sons of Liberty and the patriot camp. 

The First Continental Congress On September 5, delegates from  

every colony but Georgia met in Philadelphia  for the First Continental Congress. After first  

issuing the Declaration of Rights , they agreed  to resist the Intolerable Acts via a complete  

boycott of British imports, and to pressure the  West Indies colonies to do the same. Congress  

then adjourned with an agreement to reconvene the  next year if their grievances weren’t addressed.  

The boycott quickly put enormous pressure on  Lord North to back down. However, with the  

king solidly behind him, North refused to budge  even as British exports to America plummeted.  

Whether the boycott could have worked will never  be known, as events in Boston overtook everyone. 

Even before arriving in Boston, Gage realized  that his position was impossible. He had roughly  

3,000 soldiers in Boston, which was more than  needed to keep order in a city of 16,000 but  

far too few to control the countryside. He was  effectively trapped in Boston, and lacked the  

authority or resources to change his situation.  He refused to actively oppress the population,  

but couldn’t negotiate with them either.  Instead, he hoped removing the colonists'  

ability to fight would reduce their resistance. On September 1, 1774, Gage dispatched 260 soldiers  

to seize the Powder House, the largest  gunpowder magazine in Massachusetts,  

a few miles northwest of Boston. After capturing  and removing the powder without resistance,  

a contingent stopped in Cambridge to seize two  cannons. The next day, a crowd of thousands of  

militiamen swarmed Cambridge, acting on rumors  of British regulars attacking Boston and worse.  

This forced several prominent loyalists to  flee into the city for military protection. 

As facts became clearer, the militia dispersed,  with Gage understandably perturbed by the  

swiftness and scale of the response . He didn’t  know that he was under constant surveillance  

by the Sons of Liberty, now led by Dr. Joseph  Warren. He soon learned that other colonies were  

moving their militia stores further inland, away  from his reach. Massachusetts militia also moved  

their unseized cannons out of Boston to Concord  and began looking for more powder to replace  

the lost stores. Recognizing the situation, Gage  resolved to take no further provocative action.  

Unfortunately, Parliament had contrary plans. In February 1775, King George declared before both  

Houses of Parliament that a state of rebellion  existed in Massachusetts. Immediately afterwards,  

Secretary of State William Legge ordered Gage  to quash the rebellion, disarm the militia,  

disband the Massachusetts assembly and arrest  their leaders . How was left to Gage’s discretion,  

but it was to be done as quickly as possible.  In the next episode of our history of the  

American revolution, Paul Revere will go on  his midnight ride, and continental militias  

will clash with the British at Bunker  Hill. To ensure you do not miss that,  

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