Liberty! Episode 1: "The Reluctant Revolutionaries" 1763-1774

Summary

The video script for 'Liberty' explores the American Revolution's roots, from the initial bonds with Britain to the growing desire for independence. It details the colonists' transformation from subjects to citizens, the challenges they faced, including the Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party, and the ideological battle for freedom. The series highlights key figures like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, illustrating the struggle between loyalty to Britain and the fight for self-governance, culminating in the revolutionary idea of ordinary people governing themselves.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The script discusses the American Revolution, focusing on the shift from British subjects to independent citizens and the creation of a new system of government.
• 🤝 It highlights the support of organizations like Foothill Capital Corporation and Norwest for the 'Liberty' series, emphasizing the value of education and community.
• 👥 The series covers the transformation of America's founding fathers, who were initially wealthy patricians and not inclined towards revolution, yet ended up leading the uprising.
• 🗣️ The script underscores the importance of power dynamics, with the American colonies initially revering the British monarchy and later opposing parliamentary taxes and duties.
• 📜 The introduction of the Stamp Act is depicted as a pivotal moment that sparked widespread outrage and resistance among the colonists, leading to the formation of boycotts and protests.
• 🌐 The boycott of British goods is presented as a significant strategy used by the colonies to exert economic pressure on Britain, demonstrating their determination to fight for self-governance.
• 👮‍♂️ The use of British troops in Boston and the subsequent Boston Massacre are portrayed as key events that further fueled the desire for independence among the colonists.
• 📧 Benjamin Franklin's role is highlighted, showing his transition from a lover of British culture to a key figure in the push for American independence, including his involvement in the publication of Thomas Hutchinson's letters.
• 🍵 The Boston Tea Party is described as a symbolic act of defiance that resonated widely and further damaged relations between the colonies and Britain.
• ⚔️ The script suggests that the conflict escalated to a point where military force and political maneuvering became the primary means of resolving disputes between Britain and the colonies.
• 📚 The series 'Liberty' and its companion book are offered as resources for those interested in a deeper understanding of the American Revolution, including a soundtrack featuring notable artists.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Stamp Act in the context of the American Revolution?

The Stamp Act was significant because it was the first direct tax imposed by the British Parliament on the American colonies, which sparked outrage and protests among the colonists, marking a key event leading to the American Revolution.

How did Benjamin Rush's experience in England influence his perspective on the American Revolution?

Benjamin Rush, a future signer of the Declaration of Independence, felt a sense of awe when he sat on the throne of King George III. This experience highlighted the vast difference between the power of the monarchy and the aspirations of the American colonists, reinforcing his commitment to the cause of independence.

What was the role of the East India Company in the events leading to the American Revolution?

The East India Company had a surplus of tea, and the British Parliament decided to sell it to the American colonies at a low price with a nominal tax. This move was intended to be a way of taxing the colonies that they would welcome, but it instead led to the Boston Tea Party, a key event in the lead-up to the American Revolution.

Why did the British government send troops to Boston in 1770?

The British government sent troops to Boston to quell the rioters and arrest the ringleaders of the protests against British policies. They believed that firm measures were needed to restore order and control in the colony.

What was the Boston Massacre, and how did it impact the American Revolution?

The Boston Massacre was an incident on March 5, 1770, where British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists, killing five. It was portrayed by the colonists as an unprovoked attack on innocent civilians and became a rallying point for opposition to British rule, further fueling the movement for independence.

What was the purpose of the boycott of British goods by the American colonies?

The purpose of the boycott was to hit England where it hurt economically, by refusing to purchase British goods. This was a form of economic protest aimed at pressuring the British government to reconsider its policies towards the colonies.

How did the publication of Thomas Hutchinson's letters impact the situation in Massachusetts?

The publication of Thomas Hutchinson's letters, which were leaked by Benjamin Franklin, caused a sensation and led to widespread anger in Massachusetts. The letters were seen as evidence of Hutchinson's betrayal of the colonies' interests to the British government, leading to demands for his removal as governor.

What was the British government's response to the Boston Tea Party?

The British government responded to the Boston Tea Party with punitive measures, passing a series of laws known as the Coercive Acts, which included closing the port of Boston and putting Massachusetts under military rule.

What was the role of the Declaratory Act in the escalation of tensions between Britain and the American colonies?

The Declaratory Act asserted the absolute right of the British Parliament to make laws for the American colonies in all cases whatsoever, which was seen by the colonists as a direct challenge to their rights and autonomy, further escalating tensions.

How did Benjamin Franklin's experiences in England shape his views on the British government and the American Revolution?

Benjamin Franklin's experiences in England, including his interactions with the British government and his observations of social inequalities, led to a growing disillusionment with British rule. His initial affection for England soured into a deep resentment, making him a key figure in advocating for American independence.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Financing the American Revolution 🎵

This paragraph introduces the series 'Liberty' on KCET, highlighting its sponsors, including Foothill Capital Corporation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. It sets the stage for the American Revolution, emphasizing the emotional ties between England and her colonies, and the looming conflict over taxation and self-governance. The segment also introduces the concept of power and its central role in the series, illustrating the transformation of American subjects into citizens of a new nation with a novel system of government.

05:03

🌟 Colonial Aspirations and the British Empire 🌟

The second paragraph delves into the life of American colonists in the 1760s, who considered themselves part of the British Empire and admired British culture. It discusses the impact of the British victory over France and the subsequent opportunities for colonial expansion. The paragraph also introduces key figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, who, despite their ambitions and contributions, felt the sting of British aristocratic disdain due to their colonial origins.

10:05

👑 The Struggle for Recognition and the Stamp Act 👑

This segment focuses on the British government's decision to impose the Stamp Act on the colonies, marking the first direct tax levied by the British Parliament on the American colonists. The act sparks outrage among the colonial elite, who view it as an affront to their rights and status as British subjects. The paragraph details the strong reactions to the Stamp Act, including the resistance led by figures like George Washington and the broader implications for colonial self-governance.

15:06

📜 The Stamp Act Crisis and Colonial Unity 📜

The fourth paragraph narrates the escalating tensions due to the Stamp Act, leading to widespread protests and acts of defiance across the colonies. It describes the formation of popular committees that take justice into their own hands and the colonial leaders' efforts to organize a boycott of British goods. The paragraph underscores the significance of unity among the colonies in opposing the tax and the growing sentiment of independence.

20:07

🛳️ The Repeal of the Stamp Act and Aftermath 🛳️

This section discusses the repeal of the Stamp Act by the British Parliament, following intense colonial opposition and lobbying efforts by Benjamin Franklin. It highlights the relief felt in the colonies and the continued British assertion of their right to legislate for the colonies through the Declaratory Act. The paragraph also touches on the ongoing immigration to America and the growing sense of British identity among the colonists.

25:10

🏛️ The Colonial Boycott and the Shift in Power 🏛️

The sixth paragraph details the economic impact of the colonial boycott on British merchants and manufacturers, leading to significant distress in England. It describes the political and social changes in the colonies, with common people becoming increasingly involved in the protest movement, challenging the traditional hierarchy and power structures. The paragraph also reflects on the British government's perception of the colonies and the growing divide between the 'mother country' and her American children.

30:11

🗳️ The Boston Massacre and the Radicalization of the Colonies 🗳️

This segment recounts the Boston Massacre, a pivotal event in which British soldiers fired upon a crowd, killing five people. It discusses the radicalization of the colonies following the incident, the spread of anti-British sentiment, and the increasing involvement of common people in the political struggle for liberty. The paragraph also highlights the role of Samuel Adams and the establishment of unofficial courts by popular committees.

35:12

📜 The Hutchinson Letters and the Escalation of Conflict 📜

The eighth paragraph reveals the impact of the Hutchinson Letters, which were leaked by Benjamin Franklin to the Boston radicals. It describes the letters' content, which suggested that the British government should reign in the colonies, and the subsequent backlash against Thomas Hutchinson. The paragraph details the growing rift between England and the colonies and the efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the escalating conflict.

40:12

☕️ The Boston Tea Party and the British Response ☕️

This segment tells the story of the Boston Tea Party, an act of protest against British taxation and the East India Company's tea monopoly. It describes the defiance of the colonists, who dressed as Mohawk Indians and dumped tea into the harbor, and the British government's reaction, which included closing the port of Boston and imposing military rule. The paragraph also focuses on the personal implications for Benjamin Franklin, who was blamed for the unrest and faced prosecution.

45:14

🚢 The Road to Revolution and the Closing of Boston Harbor 🚢

The tenth paragraph discusses the British government's decision to close the port of Boston and impose martial law, escalating the conflict with the American colonies. It highlights the emotional response of the colonists, who saw this as a realization of their worst fears regarding British tyranny. The paragraph also touches on the personal reflections of Benjamin Franklin and his growing disillusionment with England, as well as the broader implications for the colonies' struggle for independence.

50:15

🇺🇲 The Colonies Unite for Independence 🇺🇲

The final paragraph sets the stage for the American Revolution, with the colonies uniting in the face of British oppression. It emphasizes the ideological battle for freedom and equality, and the colonies' resolve to stand not just for their own liberty but as a beacon for the world. The segment also mentions the availability of the 'Liberty' series and its companion book, as well as the soundtrack featuring renowned artists.

Keywords

💡American Revolution

The American Revolution refers to the political upheaval during the late 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, eventually forming the United States of America. In the video, this concept is central, as it explores the origins and progression of the revolution, highlighting key events and figures that contributed to the colonies' quest for independence.

💡Taxation without representation

Taxation without representation is a political slogan and constitutional principle that emerged from the American Revolution, reflecting the colonists' resentment towards being taxed by the British government without having a voice in that government. The script mentions this concept in the context of the colonists' opposition to British policies, such as the Stamp Act, which was one of the catalysts for the revolution.

💡Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was a significant event in American history where colonists, disguised as Mohawk Indians, dumped 340 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor as an act of protest against the Tea Act. This act of defiance is portrayed in the video as a pivotal moment that galvanized the colonists and further fueled the American Revolution.

💡Stamp Act

The Stamp Act was a direct tax imposed by the British government on the colonies for the first time in 1765, requiring colonists to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used, including legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards. The script discusses the Stamp Act as a key event that sparked widespread protest and resistance among the colonists, contributing to the growing rift with Britain.

💡Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, a polymath who made significant contributions in various fields, including science, writing, and politics. In the script, Franklin is depicted as a key figure in the events leading up to the American Revolution, including his role in the protests against British policies and his advocacy for colonial rights.

💡Thomas Hutchinson

Thomas Hutchinson was a British-American politician who served as the Chief Justice and later the Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. The script describes him as a central figure in the tensions leading to the American Revolution, particularly due to his correspondence with British officials that was leaked by Benjamin Franklin, exacerbating the conflict between the colonies and Britain.

💡Boycott

A boycott is an act of protest where a group of people abstain from buying certain products or using certain services as a way of expressing their disapproval or seeking change. In the video, the colonists' boycott of British goods is highlighted as a significant economic and political strategy used to resist British policies and assert their demands for fair treatment.

💡Parliament

In the context of the video, Parliament refers to the legislative body of Great Britain, which had authority over the American colonies. The script discusses the decisions made by Parliament that affected the colonies, such as the imposition of taxes and the subsequent reactions from the colonists, illustrating the tension between the legislative power and the colonists' desire for self-governance.

💡Liberty

Liberty, in the context of the video, symbolizes the concept of freedom and the right to self-governance, which the American colonists sought to achieve. The term is used to encapsulate the overarching theme of the video, which is the struggle for independence and the establishment of a new nation based on democratic principles.

💡Gesture politics

Gesture politics refers to actions or behaviors intended to convey a political message or to influence public opinion. The script uses this term to describe the Boston Tea Party as a powerful symbolic act that resonated widely and became a defining moment in the lead-up to the American Revolution, demonstrating the colonists' commitment to their cause.

💡Non-importation agreement

The non-importation agreement was a strategy employed by the American colonies to resist British policies by agreeing not to import British goods. The script mentions this as a collective effort by the colonies to exert economic pressure on Britain, showcasing their unity and determination to challenge British authority.

Highlights

The series 'Liberty: The American Revolution' explores the transformative period when Americans transitioned from subjects of a king to citizens of a separate nation.

The narrative covers 25 years of history, focusing on key themes like taxes, freedom of speech, and the power of government over people's lives.

Benjamin Rush's awe at sitting on the throne of King George III highlights the colonial reverence for the British monarchy before the revolution.

Colonists considered themselves fortunate to be part of the British Empire, valuing its culture, civilization, and military protection.

The Stamp Act of 1765 imposed taxes directly by the British Parliament, sparking outrage and leading to widespread colonial protests.

George Washington and other colonial leaders saw the Stamp Act as a direct attack on their rights and an assertion of British control without representation.

The repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766 was a significant victory for the colonists, reaffirming their loyalty to the British crown.

The introduction of new taxes on manufactured goods in 1767 reignited colonial resistance and boycotts of British products.

Benjamin Franklin's efforts to mediate and prevent escalation are highlighted by his poem urging moderation and respect for the 'old mother' England.

The Boston Tea Party of 1773 was a pivotal act of defiance against British taxation, leading to severe punitive measures from the British government.

The arrival of British troops in Boston in 1768 and the subsequent Boston Massacre in 1770 galvanized colonial opposition and unity.

Franklin's discovery and release of Governor Hutchinson's letters in 1772 shifted blame for colonial unrest onto local officials, not just British policies.

Franklin's fall from favor in England and his growing revolutionary sentiments marked a significant turning point in his political stance.

The closing of Boston Harbor and the imposition of military rule in Massachusetts in 1774 were direct responses to the Boston Tea Party, escalating tensions.

The series underscores the paradox of the American Revolution: colonial leaders initially sought to preserve their rights as Englishmen but ultimately created a new, independent nation based on revolutionary ideals.

Transcripts

[Music]

liberty on kcet is made possible by our

members

and the following foothill capital

corporation

one of america's leading asset-based

lenders providing financing to companies

across the united states and canada

foothill capital corporation

a nor west company

[Music]

the democracy project

coming up on liberty the taxes and

duties imposed on us by parliament

must be instantly opposed england stirs

emotion in her colonies

i do not however want to drive them to

despair

only to submission and america stirs up

boston harbor

our cause is righteous but i see our

generation

and perhaps our whole land drowned in

blood

liberty the american revolution is

brought to you by nor west

banking mortgage and consumer finance we

care about our communities and the value

of education

and are proud to support this series nor

west

to the nth degree major funding is also

provided by the national endowment for

the humanities

expanding america's understanding of who

we were who we are

and who we will be the arthur vining

davis foundations

the eberly foundation the corporation

for public broadcasting

and by annual financial support from

viewers like you

[Music]

hello i'm forrest sawyer welcome to our

series

liberty we live in a time of fast

breaking news

which seems very far from the 18th

century world

the subject of this series yet if you

pick up a newspaper on any given day

you'll see items very familiar to the

people who launched this country

issues like taxes freedom of speech and

the big theme that runs through this

entire series

power the power that government has over

our lives

this series covers a span of 25

extraordinary years

a period when americans transform

themselves from subjects of a king

to citizens of a separate nation and on

the way

they devised a totally new system of

government

nothing's more surprising than the

beginnings of the conflict the founding

fathers

like george washington were wealthy

patricians

the last thing they wanted was a

revolution yet the rich

and powerful came to lead this uprising

one which would ultimately turn their

privileged society

upside down as in all history at the

time

nobody knew where they were going and

they certainly didn't know how

everything would turn out

but without intending it they came up

with the most revolutionary idea of the

modern world

the idea that without kings and noblemen

ordinary people could govern themselves

[Music]

[Applause]

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[Applause]

in the 1760s a young american doctor

benjamin rush is touring england he is a

future signer of the declaration of

independence

but on this sunny october day as he has

led into the throne room of king george

iii his king the independence of america

could not be further from his mind

i gaze for some time at the throne with

emotions that i cannot describe

i ask my guide if it is common for

strangers to sit on it

he tells me no but upon my importuning

him a good deal

i convince him to allow me the liberty

accordingly i advance towards the throne

i sit down on it

i am seized with a kind of awe

i feel as if as if i'm on top of a

mountain

[Music]

all men's passions all men's hopes

aspire to nothing higher

than this throne

benjamin rush indeed all american

colonists

consider themselves blessed to be part

of the largest most powerful empire in

the world

the colonists revere their king and

admire everything

english wealthy virginia planters send

their children

to england to be educated new yorkers

read british books and british

newspapers

in boston they drink their tea from

wedgewood cups imported

from england

britain has just defeated its

traditional enemy france

in a conflict that has spanned the globe

[Music]

in north america the french have been

driven from canada

and much of the west

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the colonists see this as a victory for

their way of life

with british culture civilization and

the protection of british military

might the colonial provinces of america

look to a rosy future

the future would bring freedom it would

bring prosperity

because it would be british the

tyrannical french and spanish had been

removed from the continent

uh how surprising this is to us

we don't think of this as the great

division uh their view of the future

uh seems naive uh

so different than what we knew their

future would have been

which tells us something what came was

not expected

and it was it wasn't certainly not

desired they were british

they wanted to be british they were

proud of being british

that they would 13 years later be

declaring their independence

is enormously paradoxical uh

it did not have to be it should not have

been

from their perspective that it happened

is a great mystery that needs to be

[Music]

explained

[Music]

so

[Music]

in the 1760s the 13 american colonies

are an outpost of the british empire

most of north america is a wilderness

inhabited by

indian tribes

a few dirt paths link the colonies

it takes two weeks to get a letter from

boston to new york

and most colonists have never traveled

more than 30 miles from the place where

they were born

you wouldn't recognize america

geographically or politically

it was a society strung out along the

atlantic seaboard

it was a totally rural society there

were only a handful of cities with as

many as 10

000 people in them new york being one

boston

philadelphia and charleston

now with the end of the long war vast

new tracts of land

opened for exploitation the american

colonies have more than ever

become the land of opportunity

no one sees this better than the future

founding fathers

they all have great ambitions

george washington at 31 has recently

married martha custis

an extremely wealthy widow with a large

tobacco plantation

and a seat in the virginia legislature

washington is determined to become the

richest and most influential man

in virginia

john adams of massachusetts the second

president of the future united states

is a struggling country lawyer

i want to do something that will

surprise the world

something grand wild to cut a flash

to strike amazement to catch the

attention of everyone

will it be some quick action or a slow

silent imperceptible move

shall i creep or shall i fly

the most famous american in the world is

benjamin franklin

he too has big plans he is trying to

convince the british government to

establish a colony in the newly

conquered territories to the west

he will be the principal landowner

franklin offers a member of the cabinet

a piece of the action an application is

about to be made for a grant of land in

the territory on the ohio river

this land will soon be settled by large

numbers of people from the neighboring

provinces

one share will get you 40 000 acres

and costs next to nothing shall i put

your name down

franklin has made a fortune in the

printing business and has now gone on to

the gentlemanly pursuits of science and

politics

at 57 he has outgrown the provincialism

of the colonies

and has moved to the center of the

empire london

england i was traveling in a country

town last sunday

and thought back to new england where a

man might be thrown in jail

for singing while walking down the

street on the sabbath

here i can go to an opera or play on

sunday

and it's not only singing but fiddling

and dancing

i look around for god's judgments but i

see no signs of them

the markets are filled with plenty the

cattle fat and strong

the fences and houses all in good repair

i am beginning to suspect that the deity

is not nearly as angry

at the offense of breaking the sabbath

as your average

new england magistrate

franklin is pennsylvania's unofficial

ambassador to england

he is looking for some high office in

the british government

he had numerous friends uh

in england in the intellectual world his

problem of course was

uh that he was outside uh

the the inner circle uh

of power within the country he didn't um

mix on social terms uh with the people

who exercised real power

in great britain real power is solidly

in the hands of the aristocracy

men who owe their position not to merit

an ability

but to family their lineage

franklin comes from very humble birth

the tenth son

of a candle maker he may have discovered

the cause of lightning

he may be the darling of the

enlightenment but to the nobility

he is and always will remain a commoner

he's an almanac maker a chimney doctor

a printer's devil an atheist

and the father of several monsters

like franklin all the future founding

fathers are seen as

insignificant provincials the george

washingtons and john hancocks

may be the most powerful men in the

colonies they may run their huge estates

and their colonial governments

but they are painfully aware that they

are looked down upon by the ruling

gentry

of england they try to compensate for

their uncertainty

they try to affect a certain refinement

they are very attentive

to form in fashion but they never get it

quite right

and when the english gentry come they

they make remarks about

well they have fine carriages but they

don't have matched horses

and then when they have matched horses

they don't have the right salary there's

always another level

they're never getting it quite right

these virginians

to charles lawrence london august 10th

1764. sir

you will send me the following item and

charger to my account

one livery suit of worsted shag of the

enclosed color

and lined with red wool make the coat

with plain white buttons and a collar of

red shag with a narrow lace around it

i must note that in prior shipments

instead of sending me goods which are

fashionable

you have often sent articles that could

only have been worn by

our forefathers in days of yore and for

these goods that you palm off on us

your prices are exorbitantly high it

will be impossible to continue to do

business with you unless there is some

alteration for the better

george washington

they know that by the standard of

england

by the measure of england they are not

respected

they are not looked upon this great men

they are not looked upon this grand days

they are at best men of commercial

wealth

and yet they have this pretension

themselves within their society

of their own self-importance

and this makes them uncomfortable when

they confront england

a sense of inferiority extends to all

aspects of colonial life

american artists feel they must go to

london to learn from the masters

they still try to copy the haughty pose

of a gainsborough portrait

but these americans will never be part

of the aristocratic world they aspire to

they will create a new world and sooner

than anyone back then

would ever have predicted

london spring of 1765

a debate in parliament over what seems

to be a very small shift in colonial

policy

running the overseas provinces has

become extremely expensive

parliament announces that for the first

time the americans will pay a small tax

not to their local legislatures but

directly

to england i think that's the first

thing that one has to

say looking back on it seeing now as we

must do

that this was the opening of something

which was going to be

very big and very important is that

nobody

realized that at the time the british

government had

a variety of bits of legislation in hand

dealing with a variety of problems as

governments do

this was one of them a moderately

prominent piece of legislative program

of 1765

uh tidying up various details of the

administration of colonies

but it wasn't really a country of vast

interest it was rather technical it was

extremely remote

she would stop the average man in the

street and said what do you think about

the stamp act my man

uh he would have said what

it is called the stamp act because taxed

items will have to carry a stamp

paid for by the user test

pressings are made and the new tax is

set to go into effect in the fall

it takes six weeks by sailing ship for

news of the tax to cross the ocean

[Music]

when it arrives the news creates a

firestorm

up and down the continent for the

colonial elite

the men who run the local legislatures

the stamp act

is an outrage it seems to confirm their

worst suspicions

that they are not respected in england

not worth even being consulted about

this change in policy

george washington is a delegate sitting

in the virginia legislature

the stamp act imposed on the colonies by

the parliament of great britain

is an ill-judged measure parliament has

no right to put its hands into

our pockets without our consent

[Music]

even royal appointees like the highly

regarded thomas hutchinson

chief justice of massachusetts are upset

you must not deprive the colonies of

their right to make laws for themselves

parliament should only make laws

necessary for the empire

as a whole the larger meaning of their

life was wrapped up in being

being britain's they were proud not to

be dutch

not to be french not to be spanish

colonists but to be

british columnists and to have for 150

years

tax themselves govern themselves

behave just like independent englishmen

did

although they were living in america now

suddenly the stamp act

implied that they were going to be

governed taxed by a parliament

a long way away in which they had no

representatives

now the only people who were taxed

without their consent in britain

were servants people who didn't have any

property

women children and so

the stamp act seemed to americans to

reduce americans to the same status as

servants and women and all those

dependent people

who were civilly emasculated

that is they they they didn't have any

public

public role in their own governance

george washington and other colonial

leaders clearly see what will become of

them unless they take action

a line should be drawn between great

britain and the colonies

clearly establishing our rights

we must either assert our rights or

submit

and become tame and abject slaves like

the negros over whom we

rule with such arbitrary sway

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

this tax is going to touch everyone it's

probably one of the dumbest political

acts

in the history of government they tax

dice and cards so the rowdiest group of

people there are in the world sailors in

port with nothing to do

are going to be angry they tax legal

documents which means that lawyers

the most articulate and argumentative

people in america

are up in arms also if the staff man

tells you to kiss his ass

shall he get away with it and live don't

let your courage cool

or a few bullies scare you we've nothing

to fear but

slavery love your liberty

and fight for it like men who know its

value

once lost it will never

never be regained

the question in any case was never the

immediate

amount of taxation that the british were

asking of the colonists

the question was whether the british had

the right to do it at all

we are talking about people with

enormous sensitivity to the dangers of

power

if you conceded the right to parliament

to tax

and if there was no check on it no limit

it could go on

indefinitely you could be bled white the

power to tax was the power to destroy

the colonial legislators send official

petitions to the british parliament

petitions that are completely ignored

the colonists had been saved from the

specter of

french and indians and there certainly

were a lot of people in britain who

thought that they should be properly

grateful

all this effort that had been expended

on their behalf mostly at the expense of

the british taxpayer

and that it wasn't unreasonable that

they should pay a modest share

greatly less than 100 percent uh of the

cost

of imperial defense in the future

great britain protects america

america is bound to yield obedience

if not tell me when were the americans

emancipated

the stamp act was a bad idea but what

could you do

that was the problem massachusetts came

up with the answer and it was a very

good answer a very simple answer

august 14 an effigy of the stamp man

appears hanging from what became liberty

tree

mobs collected they bring coercion on

him

in short they forced the stamp man

andrew oliver to resign

now if you got one man to resign

if the stampec stamps were not going to

be distributed

well the act couldn't be put into effect

the popular fury spreads

thomas hutchinson chief justice of

massachusetts

is a passionate believer in law and

order

privately he is against the stamp tax

publicly

he makes it clear that he intends to

enforce it

on august 26 1765

a mob assembles outside his house one of

the most elegant in boston hutchinson

and his family

have just finished high tea

hutchinson escapes with his life and

little else

hutchinson thought the stamp act was a

very bad policy

but it wouldn't have crossed his mind

that you therefore would resist it

that you'd resist it with violence it

was unthinkable

everyone will suffer if the peace and

order in the community are destroyed

i hope everyone will see how easily the

people may be

duped inflamed and carried away with

madness

the intimidation of royal officials

spreads to other colonies

would-be stamp distributors are attacked

stamp paper is seized when it arrives

from england

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

colonial leaders propose a joint boycott

of british goods

a philadelphia lawyer john dickinson

supports this idea the taxes and duties

imposed on us by parliament must be

instantly opposed

the only effective opposition is through

the concerted efforts of

all the provinces by uniting we stand

by dividing we form

in far away london benjamin franklin is

surprised by the fervor of colonial

reaction to the tax

moreover the crisis is interfering with

important business he has before the

government

he lobbies for the repeal of the stamp

act

he distributes this cartoon warning the

british that without america their

magnificent empire will be a dismembered

body

one without arms and legs

franklin testifies before a

parliamentary committee

he reminds them that the colonies are

england's biggest market

they asked me about the attitude of

americans toward great britain before

the tax

we had only affection for great britain

its customs and manners

we had a great fondness for english

fashions

which greatly benefited your industry

they then asked me what is the attitude

now

it is very much altered our buying your

manufactured goods depends very much on

our affection for you

pride will induce americans like me to

wear our old clothes

and when we buy new clothes they will be

made

by us franklin has powerful allies in

parliament

among them edmund burke what are we

doing with our constant insisting on

taxing the americans

we're not getting any revenue from them

instead we're pushing them to disorder

and disobedience

you can wait up to your eyes in blood

and you'll be back where you started

with no revenue we make money from trade

not taxes that the americans tax

themselves

the pressure brings results in february

1766

parliament repeals the stamp tax

throughout the 13 colonies there is a

sigh of relief

[Music]

americans look around the world and

think how lucky they are to be

the subjects of king george iii

[Music]

in a time when the french king regards

himself as the direct representative of

god on earth

when the spanish king contacts his

subjects without limit

and catherine the great of russia deals

with political opponents by cutting off

their heads and displaying them at the

end of a stake

the british king stands alone

the pride the glory of britain

the direct end of its constitution is

political liberty

all through the 1760s a steady stream of

immigrants will arrive in the new world

in search of their fortunes

one such visitor is the son of an

english sheep farmer

nicholas cresswell he keeps a detailed

diary recording his impressions of his

travels

americans in general are good-natured

and agreeable but confoundedly lazy

although they come from different

countries it is remarkable

they speak english better than the

english do except of course for the new

englanders who have sort of

whining cadence that i find hard to

describe

they're tall and graceful particularly

the women

who are remarkably well shaped

but they all have very bad teeth decayed

by the time they're 25

it is perhaps the hot bread they bake at

every meal

the growth in population of this country

is amazing with the emigration from

europe

they are said to double their numbers

every 16 years

anyone with the least spark of industry

can support a family

no one fears poverty here

[Music]

the american colonies with their vast

tracts of land

are extremely valuable to england

their forests supply the tall straight

pine trees that become the masts for

britain's sailing ships

the farms and plantations export food

and tobacco to

england americans import virtually all

finished goods

from england it is an arrangement that

benefits everyone

but there are those in the mother

country who fear that this relationship

will not last there was often a notion

that the colonies had come of age

and if they were let out from the

restraining hand of england

would produce a rival to england instead

of a dutiful

child americans were referred to as

ungrateful children

what you really see is people on one

side who believe that their potential

was being squashed and people on another

side who were a little wary about this

creation that had gotten out of hand

this monster that had gotten out of hand

and

it is not unlike what happens when your

16 year old storms out of the house

over some restraint or restriction or

regulation that they believe

is no longer appropriate for their age

[Music]

the protests over the stamp act ended in

victory for the colonists

many members of parliament feel that

this is a dangerous precedent

one that will encourage further

disobedience

these presumptuous colonials will have

to be brought under control

[Music]

on the same day that the stamp act was

repealed they had passed a new piece of

legislation

the declaratory act asserting the

absolute right of the british parliament

to make laws for the american colonies

in all cases whatsoever

[Music]

a year later parliament puts teeth in

the act

with a new set of taxes on the colonies

this time

in the form of stiff duties on

manufactured goods from england

everything from paint to window panes

to tea benjamin franklin fears there is

going to be another firestorm of

colonial protest

and sends this poem to american

newspapers urging

moderation we have an old mother who

peevish is grown

she snubs us like children that scarce

walk alone

she forgets that we're grown with sense

of our own

if we don't obey orders whatever the

case she frowns and she chides and loses

all patience

and sometimes she hits us a slap in the

face her orders are so we often suspect

that age has impaired her of sound

intellect but still an

old mother should have due respect

the idea that a body of men in england

who know nothing about the colonies who

see nothing of the misery that their

taxes will inflict upon us

have given themselves the right to

command our lives and our property at

all times

and in all cases whatsoever

this is the logic of robbers and highway

men

the declaratory act strikes terror in

their hearts

earlier in the century an almost

identical act had been used to subjugate

ireland

the colonists will have to take action

[Music]

they know they have the power to hit

england where it hurts

they will boycott british goods

for the american colonies which

manufacture almost nothing

which must import even finished cloth

from england

this will mean real hardship

people will have to be convinced not to

buy british goods

merchants not to import british goods

spontaneous protests will have to be

organized

into a political movement

george washington block english goods

starve their trade in manufacturing yes

the more i think about this plan the

more ardently i wish its success

gentlemen in their several counties

should explain matters to the people

and urge them to adhere to the

non-importation agreement

for the boycott to be effective the

entire population will have to be

mobilized

but up to now the leaders have not

involved the common people in the

workings of government

indeed they think that ordinary people

have no capacity for political thought

gentlemen lead commoners know their

place

[Music]

one of the hardest things i think for us

to recapture of this

distant different world is the

distinction between commoners and

gentlemen

a kind of distinction that we find hard

to understand because

for us almost all adult males are

gentlemen

we put it on our restroom doors the term

but these gentlemen saw themselves as

separate from the rest of the populace

18th century men women and children of

every race class and region

actually believed that hierarchy was the

norm

in nature and in society some people

were better than other people some

people were placed in

circumstances that were better poor

people

were thought of as the poor if you were

wealthy

you were superior that was how

the world operated

this world is beginning to change as

common people take an

active role in the protest movement for

many of the colonial elite

it seems to threaten the very stability

of society

there are these town meetings which

people of wealth and character do not

even attend

because they are sure to be outvoted by

men of the lowest order

so it is government by the mob this has

given the

inferior people such a sense of their

own importance

that a gentleman does not get from them

even common civility anymore

[Music]

as the boycott grows and shops once

filled with british merchandise begin to

empty

more and more people are choosing to

make do without imported manufactured

goods

i have cut back on every superfluous

expense

i haven't even bought a new cap or gown

since last christmas

i'm even learning how to knit something

i've never done before

making stockings out of good new england

wool

throwing my might for the public support

the very idea that their american

cousins are involving

commoners and now even women

in politics is a subject for hilarity by

london cartoonists

but the merchants and manufacturers in

england are not amused

their factories and counting houses are

feeling the pinch

british ministry blames a few

ringleaders for all the troubles

particularly a boston radical who

celebrates popular protest

samuel adams i am no friend of riots and

tumults

but when people are oppressed when their

rights are infringed upon when

when arbitrary rulers are put over them

when government is secret

the people become alarmed if they have

any spirit of freedom

they'll fight for their liberties and

they're justified in doing so

unofficial courts run by popular

committees begin dispensing

a rough form of justice

it is more than some gentlemen have

bargained for

a few days ago we got a taste of

committed justice

they got hold of a customs officer by

the name of malcolm

it was the coldest night of the winter

he's stripped stalk naked his body

covered all over with tar

and then with feathers they dragged him

through town in a cart

crowds beating him with clubs they say

they'll hang him

unless he'll curse the governor and the

parliament which they couldn't

make him do

the doctors say his flesh was coming off

his back in slabs

it's impossible that the poor creature

can live long

throughout the colonies daily battles

with the committees are causing royal

officials great distress

in massachusetts chief justice thomas

hutchinson

fears that his beloved province is

heading for mob rule

he secretly writes to a friend in the

british parliament that firm measures

are needed from england

it is a letter that will come back to

haunt him

a thirst for liberty seems to be the

ruling passion of the present age

this restless spirit can cause anarchy

and confusion

unless some external power restrains it

i've always known that bringing peace

and good order to massachusetts

would involve some pain perhaps there

must be an abridgement of our english

liberties

for the good of the colony

the letter confirms what the british

government is already thinking

order must be restored in massachusetts

in what they consider merely a police

action they send a brigade of troops to

boston to quell the rioters

and arrest the ringleaders

sending troops to boston is asking for

trouble you are putting young soldiers

who are by nature insolent

in the midst of a people who consider

themselves threatened and oppressed

it's like setting up a blacksmith's

forge in a magazine of gunpowder

soldiers were the policemen of the age

there was no police force now we see it

as a big deal but in fact

the use of troops against rioters was

something that was absolutely common in

the 18th century it's the only way to do

it if you don't have a police force

shooting rioters may seem an atrocious

thing to happen

it's what happens in london in the 18th

century it happens in edinburgh in the

18th century

boston is no different

march 5th 1770

[Music]

an angry crowd begins throwing snowballs

at british soldiers

the soldiers fire back and five

bostonians are killed

[Music]

paul revere produces a wildly inaccurate

illustration of the event

in his version soldiers are shooting

completely innocent civilians

the incident becomes known as the boston

massacre

it galvanizes people throughout the

colonies

[Music]

in england benjamin franklin's love

affair with the mother country

is beginning to turn sour he was drawn

to its sophistication

and culture but is starting to see the

ugly realities of its social order

i recently took a tour of ireland and

scotland

in those countries there are a small

number of noblemen and gentlemen living

in the highest opulence

while the bulk of the people their

tenants live in the most

sordid wretchedness while traveling

i often thought of the happiness of new

england

every man owns some land has a vote

and lives in a tidy warm house with

plenty of food and fuel

and has sturdy clothes from head to foot

long may we continue in this condition

the more he lived in england the more

intimate he became with parliament and

with the whole system

he saw very stupid people put in power

he saw arrogance he saw discrepancy

between the rich and the poor

he saw all kinds of wrong things about

england that he hadn't noticed at the

beginning

the dispute is dragging on year after

year

[Music]

it becomes clear that the british

attempt to tax

is not working

neither side has really backed down

benjamin franklin sees that this war of

words can easily slip into open conflict

he is looking for a way to calm

passions on both sides

in december of 1772 an astonishing

packet of letters falls into his hands

among them is the very one written by

thomas hutchinson

several years earlier to a member of

parliament

franklin knows that the british have

been relying on advice from hutchinson

in fact they have just appointed him

royal governor of massachusetts

he reads the letters in a fury convinced

that the ministry has been disastrously

misled

it is better to submit to some

abridgement

of our english liberties than to break

off our connection with our protector

england one mischievous man

is the cause of all our troubles this

coward

trades the liberties of his native

country for jobs and profit

franklin realizes that if these letters

were to become

public in massachusetts the radicals

would shift the blame for the events of

the past decade away from parliament

and lay it at the feet of hutchinson

himself

let's make him like the scapegoats of

old carry into the wilderness

all the bad feeling that he's stirred up

between our two countries

he makes a momentous decision he sends

the damning letters

to the boston radicals franklin was a

very wily character

he knew they would be published though

he sent them over saying don't publish

them

he was deliberately sacrificing

hutchinson

in order to stabilize the situation and

calm the uproar

the idea being that if you pinned the

whole thing on him that it was

hutchinson who had been instigating all

of this thing

there would be a cooling off period and

the english government would be able to

work out some kind of accommodation

publication of the letters causes a

sensation

the massachusetts legislature sends a

petition to london demanding

hutchinson's removal

the petition takes six weeks to cross

the ocean

in the meantime the king is beginning to

support the idea of reigning in the

colonies

he writes to the prime minister i am

very fond of the measures you were

taking with the end of bringing the

americans to their duty

i do not however want to drive them to

despair

only to submission

[Music]

in the fall of 1773 the british

government hits on what it thinks will

be a way of taxing the colonies that

they will actually welcome

the east india company has a surplus of

tea

parliament decides to ship half a

million pounds of this tea to america

at an extremely low price with a nominal

tax of three pennies a pound

the colonists they reason could not

possibly object to paying less for their

tea

in every colony where the tea is landed

there are loud protests

it is either sent back or stored unsold

in warehouses

in massachusetts where thomas hutchinson

is governor

the story will be different hutchinson

was the key figure in the major events

of 1773

which really precipitated the american

revolution and i think it's fair it's

not an exaggeration to say

that if he had acted differently i'd

have a different passport

november 28 1773

the first ship loaded with east india

tea arrives in boston harbor

by law the t tax must be paid within

three weeks

the decision over what to do next is

squarely in the hands of governor thomas

hutchinson

i lie awake whole night in fear that i

shall be called to account in england

for my neglect of duty to the king

hutchinson could have written to england

and said i know the law i know my duty

but i cannot enforce the law it's

physically impossible

but he didn't

it's a standoff between the radicals

we dare you to have this tea unloaded

we're strong enough we're powerful

enough now we're organized enough to

make

to make a power play against you and

hutcheson who says you will not

humiliate me you

will not defy english law like this i

will see this tea unloaded and

delivered as it should be

then on december 16 1773

the day the tax must be paid a group of

men dressed up as mohawk indians

dumped 340 chests of tea into boston

harbor

the tea party was a very limited act of

violence

in fact they they do nothing but dump

tea

a padlock is broken it's replaced

we think of this as a lot of yahooing

and yelping and noise

it was just sort of poop

poop uh they were very very careful to

keep this from

getting out of hand we're all throwing

the tea overboard

we catch someone in our party trying to

stuff some of the tea into his pockets

he is stripped of his booty and his

clothes and we send him home naked

in disgrace then

we went home in an orderly fashion

boston enjoys the most peaceful night it

has had

in many a month

there was a lot of anger in london about

the dumping of the tea

what this is is a public display of

defiance

and that kind of element of defiance

more than the constitutional

formulations is more

important this is gesture politics on

the big scale and it's very successful

we still to this day

remember the boston tea party it's one

of the most successful examples of

gesture politics and it was a gesture

that the british government

understood

[Music]

january 29th 1774

the king's privy council a hearing to

consider the massachusetts petition for

the removal of thomas hutchinson as

governor

the room is packed with london society

and

all eyes are on benjamin franklin the

center of a storm of controversy

he has admitted that it was he who had

leaked hutchinson's letters to the

boston radicals

this is going to be a great show

the acid tongue solicitor general

alexander wetterburn

is representing thomas hutchinson he

focuses the full

fury of british frustration on the

colonial representative standing mutely

in a full dress suit of manchester

velvet

it is not to be hutchinson who will be

the scapegoat

but benjamin franklin himself

[Music]

when a governor presumes to write to a

friend

that he thinks it somewhat more than the

moderate exertion of english liberty

to destroy shops attack her officers

plunder her goods to

pull down their houses

it is mr hutchinson who should be

removed because he is

interrupting the harmony between great

britain

and her colonies

franklin stood conspicuously erect

the muscles of his face had previously

been composed to afford a

placid tranquil expression

it didn't change his expression in the

slightest

during the entire speech it was as if

his face was made of wood

in truth we have standing before us the

real

incendiary the man behind those

committees who are inflaming the whole

province

against his majesty's government they

have well learned the lessons taught in

dr franklin's school of politics

this wily american

this man without honor this thief

this man of letters

the attack got very personal referring

to franklin as someone

other than a gentleman and who else

would open other people's mail steal

other people's

letters and so on uh and and franklin is

said to have walked out of the cockpit

and turned to winterburn and said

i'll make your king a little man for

this

[Music]

they have begun killing the messengers

what i feel for myself is lost in what i

feel for my country

seems that i am too much an american

it took franklin a very long time to

become a revolutionary it was a very

slow evolution

step by step and slowly he was

profoundly attached to england you could

call it the love affair what he had with

england

but this love which had been so deep was

now

turning to implacable hatred

it was the reaction of a rejected

suitor franklin in disgrace

is threatened with further prosecution

for the theft of the letters

he realizes that he must leave england

his friend and fellow scientist joseph

priestley

is with him at the end

we spent his last day in london alone

together

much of the time we looked through the

american newspapers

as he read the speeches by the

inhabitants of boston

the tears trickled down his cheek

[Music]

now in parliament the hardliners take

charge

in the province of massachusetts bay you

have no government

no governor you have only the

proceedings of a tumultuous and riotous

rabble

merchants collecting themselves together

to debate political matters

we will put an end to their town

meetings and let them return to their

shops

not trouble themselves with politics and

government which they do not understand

the british send a fleet of warships to

boston

they encircle the harbor as if it were

an enemy port

the ships clear their guns ready for

firing

the greatest fear of the colonists

british tyranny

seems to have come true the port of

boston is closed

massachusetts is put under military rule

it's government enforced at the point of

a gun

i worked last night shaking from a

frightful dream

we have come to the edge of the ocean

and there is no advancing or retreating

my own sons may sink in the torrent

i wish i pray that there be some decent

honorable way to put an end to this

conflict

to be once again reconciled with old

friends

our cause is righteous and i have no

doubt a final success

but i see our generation

and perhaps our whole land drowned in

blood

as liberty continues this is but the

first scene of what may be a great

tragedy

the colonies unite to strike as one now

blows must decide

whether they're to be our subjects or

independent

but the blows of ideology we hold these

truths to be self-evident

that all men are created equal strike

deeper than the bayonet

america shall make a stand not for

herself alone

but for the world

[Music]

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the series liberty the american

revolution

is available on videocassette as a three

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the companion book to liberty has more

than 250 color images

and is written by historian thomas

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all are available by calling pbs home

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