GETTING CLOSER TO
REVOLUTION.... MORE
EVENTS ALONG THE ROAD
FEATURING the...Townshend Act, Boston Massacre,
Tea Act, and a Boston Tea Party you’ll never forget.
THE TOWNSHEND ACT 1767
Idea by British Minister of Finance, Charles Townshend
Tax on glass, lead, paint and most notably tea.
“Indirect tax” collected at dock. Maybe the colonists won’t notice or complain.
Also included “writs of assistance” - search warrants that allowed any British
officer to enter any business or home to search for smuggled or illegal goods. Did
this fit with the idea of natural rights?
Colonists noticed. Sons of Liberty complained. Merchants in Boston boycotted the
goods. Soldiers sent from Britain to protect the dock workers and enforce the tax
collection. Once again, “No taxation without representation!”
Massachusetts Assembly closed by Britain for “inciting” colonial rebellion and
boycott.
BOSTON MASSACRE, 1770
By Fall of 1768, British sent even more soldiers “to keep the calm” in the colonies.
British Troops on the docks trying to enforce tax collection and keep the peace.
Troops tormented constantly by colonial gangs who are just “messing with” the
soldiers.
Finally, on March 5, 1770, after too much taunting and stone or snowball throwing, a
British soldier fired into an unruly crowd that had been gotten too violent.
Five colonists killed in the quick brush with violence. British soldiers were tried for
their crimes in America.
John Adams served as lawyer for the British soldiers. Six men acquitted and two
found guilty of manslaughter and discharged from British army.
Colonists published exaggerated posters of the event, and used it as propaganda to
get more colonists to hate the British.
BOSTON MASSACRE
IS THIS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? OR PROPAGANDA TO
GET UNDECIDED COLONISTS ON THE PATRIOT SIDE?
TEA ACT, 1772
In April 1770, all Townshend Acts repealed except for the tax on tea.
Also, the Tea Act actually imposed no new taxes. Only tax that was leftover from Townshend
Act.
The Tea Act was designed by the British Parliamnet to help the East India Tea Company make
money for Britain.
Colonists were told to only buy tea from the East India Company but sold to colonists at
bargain price. Old Townshend taxes at the dock still existed, but nothing new and actually
they were lowered.
Colonists didn’t like being told what to do or to have competition for the American Tea
Merchants! Plus, they would never agree to the idea that Parliament could tax them if they
had no say in the Parliament. Boycotted the tea, turned the ships back to Britain, refused to
let them unload.
East India Company ships stuck in many American harbors - especially in Boston - full of
rotting tea because no one would buy their tea.
BOSTON TEA PARTY
WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE INVITED TO THIS PARTY?
WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
BOSTON TEA PARTY, 1773
AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT AT
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/teaparty.htm
PRINTABLE VERSION AT: http://
www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pfteaparty.htm
CAN U PICTURE IT?
JUSTIFY WHICH EVENT CAUSED THE MOST COLONIAL
UNREST?