Parliament Stumbles Again

You’d think Parliament got the message… The line was drawn -------- No taxation without representation!→ England in debt and still needs money→ Time to show those colonists who’s the boss→ Stamp Act was repealed → 1 year later the British try again→ Begin a taxation of common goods colonists need→ Glass, paint, tea, lead, paper→ Those not paying the tax arrested→ Tried without a jury→ Another “Rights of Englishmen” they were not given→ Sons of Liberty strike into action→ Boycott all English goods (very successful move)→ Colonists begin making their own goods→ Not as good of quality and it costs more, but it worked→

Colonists vs. British Boycott of British goods lasts for 3 years English merchants losing so much money that they demand Parliament repeal the tax Parliament could ignore the colonists’ wishes, but not the powerful businessmen in the country 1770 Parliament repeals all taxes EXCEPT the tax on tea So colonists end their boycott of all British goods EXCEPT on…. TEA Tea tax showed Parliament has the power to tax Boycott left on tea showed Parliament did not have the power to tax So no drinking of tea in the colonies? No way- they bought tea from the Dutch who smuggled it in!

Things heat up More British troops are arriving– suspicious! British say they are there to protect Colonists from Indians… But all the Indians were on the frontier, not on the cities where the soldiers were staying Colonists have had great liberties and freedom- now taken away “There will never be harmony between Great Britain and her colonies.” If a fight breaks out- “The moment any blood is shed, all affection will cease.”

The Boston massacre Boston citizens jeer at the soldiers, make fun of them, and make their lives miserable Fights break out in cities Evening of March 5, 1770, Boston: a crowd of men and boys surround a lone British soldier on duty Shout insults, throw snowballs with rocks packed inside He calls for help and soldiers come to aid him; both sides grow and they all get louder and angrier

The Boston massacre Someone- no one knows who- yells “FIRE!” Soldiers shoot at rioting crowd of colonists 5 colonists are killed or wounded Crispus Attucks, a runaway slave, was shot. He was the first black man to die for American Liberty (but not the last). Huge funerals held and many people come Shops closed for the day so people could attend Called a massacre- a needless killing of defenseless people Becomes known as the Boston massacre

A Massacre? Paul Revere (a Boston silversmith and member of the Sons of Liberty) makes a copper engraving Shows soldiers firing on innocent and peaceful colonists Printed many copies to get the colonists angry at the British Who was really to blame for the massacre?