Overview
This lecture covers the origins and effects of the Townshend Acts, forms of colonial protest, and escalating tensions between Britain and its American colonies, leading up to the Boston Massacre.
British Efforts to Raise Revenue
- Britain faced heavy war debt after the Seven Years’ War and attempted to recoup funds from the colonies.
- The Stamp Act (tax on printed materials) was repealed after widespread colonial protests.
- Parliament replaced the Stamp Act with the Townshend Acts to raise revenue, maintaining Parliament's right to tax.
Provisions and Enforcement of the Townshend Acts
- The Townshend Acts taxed imports like paper, paint, lead, tea, and glass (external taxes).
- The Acts were named after Charles Townshend, who also disbanded the New York assembly for refusing the Quartering Act.
- Tax revenue was used to pay salaries for royal officials directly from Britain, reducing colonial control.
- A Board of Customs was set up in Boston to crack down on smuggling; more vice-admiralty courts (no jury) were created.
Colonial Responses and Divisions
- Some colonists, including Benjamin Franklin, accepted external taxes, but others like Samuel Adams opposed any taxation without representation.
- John Dickinson wrote "Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer" protesting British control.
- Samuel Adams' Massachusetts Circular Letter encouraged unified colonial protests but got mixed responses, especially from Southern colonies.
Escalation and British Reaction
- Non-importation (boycotts) increased, but united colonial resistance was weaker than during the Stamp Act crisis.
- Britain demanded retraction of the Massachusetts Circular Letter; Massachusetts refused, leading to the dissolution of their assembly.
- British troops were stationed in Boston to maintain order, increasing tensions.
The Boston Massacre
- Conflicts between Boston colonists and British soldiers escalated into the Boston Massacre, where British troops killed five colonists.
- Crispus Attucks, of African and Native American descent, was the first person killed in the incident.
- Paul Revere published anti-British propaganda depicting the massacre to unite other colonies against Britain.
- John Adams defended the British soldiers in court, advocating peaceful protest.
Partial Repeal of the Townshend Acts
- In response to unrest, Britain repealed all Townshend duties except the tax on tea.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Townshend Acts — Series of taxes on imported goods (paper, paint, lead, tea, glass) imposed by Britain in 1767.
- Quartering Act — Law requiring colonists to house and supply British soldiers.
- Board of Customs — British agency enforcing trade regulations and anti-smuggling laws in the colonies.
- Vice-admiralty court — Court with no jury, used to try smuggling cases.
- Massachusetts Circular Letter — Letter by Samuel Adams urging colonies to unify in protest.
- Boston Massacre — 1770 event where British soldiers fired on colonists, killing five.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review "Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer" and the Massachusetts Circular Letter.
- Prepare to discuss the impact of the Boston Massacre on colonial unity and British policy.