Download George Hewes Recalls the Boston Tea Party (1834)

Preparing the Revolution—Article Review
Thomas Hutchinson Recounts the Reaction to the Stamp Act in Boston (1765):
Reflection:
The British crown made the Stamp Act in the American Colonies so they would
come out of debt after the French and Indian War. They established the Stamp act in
1765, and it was not wanted in none of the colonies, and was especially opposed in
Boston, and Connecticut. Mr. Oliver gave his opinion that the people from Boston, and
the people of the other colonies were not going to submit to the Stamp Act. The people of
Connecticut threatened to hand the Distributor on the first tree after he entered the
colony, which made Mr. Oliver quit before he went through another day. On the 26th of
August, there was another mob on King Street, they were intoxicated and had rage with
the Lieutenant Governor. They broke into his house, and filled his house. They destroyed
his house, and carried away everything that was in the house.
Focus Question: What were the social, political, and economic factors that drove the
American colonies from dependency on Great Britain to independence?
An economic factor that drove the American colonies away from dependency on
Great Britain to independence was the Stamp Act which was a tax levied on the
American colonies by the British crown to help relieve the huge debt which was caused
by the French and Indian war. This Act caused the American colonies to rebel against
Britain’s taxation upon them, leading to one of the first steps in the American Revolution.
Samuel Drowne’s Testimony on the Boston Massacre (March 16, 1770):
Reflection:
On March 5th at the time of nine o’clock, Samuel Drowne saw a number of about
14 or 15 soldiers of The 29th Regiment who came from Murray’s barrack to attack a
town called Cornhill in Boston with armed soldiers. As they walked into the town, they
assaulted anyone they encountered. When they got to the Town-house, they saw soldiers
there armed with firelocks who told the soldiers of the 29th Regiments to turn away, all
soldiers from both sides placed themselves of the street, ready during this time about two
hundred people had gathered. Captain Preston directed his soldiers. The 29th regiment
dared and challenged the soldiers of the town to fire. Captain Preston, who heard this,
called out to his men saying FIRE and then began the bloodshed. Captain Preston noticed
two gunshots that came from the Custom house during the fire dispute.
Britain imposed a tax on tea due to the debt it had from the war it had with France
and this symbolized that the colonies had “taxation without representation.” A boycott of
British tea was held when the price of tea fell but the tax remained during the time when
tea was being imported from India. Three British ships carrying tea were on their way to
the Boston harbor and the Massachusetts government did grant Samuel Adams
permission to send the ships back to sea because he said that the tariff for the shipment
had to be paid. On December 6, 1773, men disguised as Native Americans attacked the
ships and threw the tea in the harbor.
Focus Question: What were the social, political, and economic factors that drove the
American colonies from dependency on Great Britain to independence?
Some of the social factors simply grew out of the colonies and the colonists
beginning to lose the ties to their "mother country" as they spent more time in America
and more generations were starting in America that simply had no allegiance, or
significantly less allegiance to a King that ruled from thousands of miles away. The
colonists began to think of themselves as Americans and this changed their outlook and
led to desires to determine their own political fortunes. The colonies also grew in their
material wealth and as merchants and others gained more resources and influence
because of their wealth. Their desire to make and keep their own money might have
driven them to call for independence with so much in way of British taxes and acts on the
Colonists. For example, the passage of the Quartering Act and the Stamp Act ended up
taking an economic toll on the Colonists. Both acts took away some of the colonists'
right to keep and make their own money. Yet at the same time, these acts could be seen
as fundamentally wrong to the colonists' sense of political rights, as both acts took away
from the colonists' ability to live a life free from intrusion.
George Hewes Recalls the Boston Tea Party (1834):
Reflection:
Reading through the passage, we didn't necessarily understand why the colonists,
who dumped the tea, decided to dress and imitate Indians. It could have been to frame
them as enemies, or it could have just been the closest thing they had to a disguise, where
they would not be seen as traitors or be recognized. We also did not understand George
Hewes’ clear motives to be part of the radical action because we did not see what a
shoemaker would gain from such behavior. The Boston Tea Party could have been more
successful if the colonists’ plan to rebel against the duty placed on tea was more strategic
and premeditated because it could have allowed for a lot more destruction and
enthusiasm on the colonists’ side; it could have been seen as a threat to the British, which
could have been their ultimate goal in “planning” whole event. However, the British did
not consider the colonists’ action a threat because they did nothing to stop the “Indians”
as they overthrew the tea.
Focus Question: What were the social, political, and economic factors that drove the
American colonies from dependency on Great Britain to independence?
During the 1760s and 1770s, colonists were beginning to become upset and
enraged about the conditions in the colonies. Much of this anger came from the aftermath
of the French and Indian War and taxes being implemented, which were factors that
influenced the American Revolution, just as The Enlightenment influenced the thoughts
of the colonists. This passion against England drove the American colonies from
dependency on Great Britain to independence.
The French and Indian War gave the colonists a sense of unity and pride, which
made them believe that they no longer needed Britain or their protection. The war was
decided by Parliament and the King, with no representatives from the colonies. The
aftermath of the French and Indian War left Britain in debt. The British wanted to use the
American colonies to pay off their costly war, so they began to tax the colonists. This
taxation caused colonists to question their rights and especially their liberty.
It was due to war debt that Britain began to tax the colonists more heavily. These
taxes led to boycotts and resistance. The Declaratory Act allowed Parliament to
completely legislate over the colonies and limited colonists’ say. It was through this act
that Parliament was able to keep taxing the American colonies. However, the colonies did
not agree with these harsh duties and began to resist. This also led into the Colonists idea
of taxation without representation, which would encourage them to seek independence.
Social factors also played a role in the American colonies’ drive to independence.
The British felt superior and felt they could rule the colonists, which infuriated the
colonists who began to stray from England. Enlightenment thinking also spurred the
colonists to question their liberty and rights. It was from this social period were many
leaders adopted concepts for their reforms, resistance, and declarations.
New York Mechanics Declaration of Independence (May 29, 1776):
Reflection:
One of the many factors that were driving the colonies into becoming independent
from Great Britain were the qualities over oppression that the royal authority possessed. I
believe that the committee, in this particular situation, the Committee of Mechanics, was
one who showed that they wanted something to be changed in their favor. In my defense,
they obtain a sort of strength and courage that was needed in order to be heard.
This committee of people showed what it was meant to be an ideal American.
They were one, in few, to take notice that with the rise in taxes, the colonies and even in a
bigger scale, their continent was going into destruction. The Royal court, Great Britain,
was only concerned with the profit of their economical nation, but they didn’t realize that
their land was becoming much more. The people began to gain knowledge into seeing
what was happening and how it was damaging/affecting them more than the crown.
The social class that was mainly oppressed were that of the lower class, those who
just listened and had no input, but I believe if it weren’t for Britain’s obsession for
prosperity, the young, less advantage class, wouldn’t have stood up to speak for
themselves. The social factor that was advocating independence from Great Britain was
the lower one who was being the main one hit with all these taxes.
Focus Question: What were the social, political, and economic factors that drove the
American colonies from dependency on Great Britain to independence?
A social factor that led to independence from Great Britain was that the royal
authority was failing to hear the grievances from the colonies. The lower class especially
was being bombarded with many economical duties that were unfair and based upon by a
tyranny that only wished to gain prosperity in their homeland. Colonists, however, were
growing up to see that 1. The treatment imposed on them was malicious, and 2. Since
they were indeed the majority of the party they could gather together to overthrow
Britain.
Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776):
Reflection:
The power in Britain was being distributed. America’s economy had a crisis when
Europe was in war with other powers. It was not an advantage to the continent by being
connected to Great Britain. They didn't want a connection with Europe because it was
their source of market for trade. Throughout the paragraphs Thomas Paine tried to
emphasize and question how it is that Britain's army expects the people to be on their side
knowing all the damage they have done to them because of the war. Such damage
includes the murders of people and children as well as the destruction of other's homes.
Focus Question: What were the social, political, and economic factors that drove the
American colonies from dependency on Great Britain to independence?
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