American Revolution Podcast

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Episode 026: The Townshend Acts Jan 07, 2018

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William Pitt, champion of colonial rights, finally becomes Prime Minister in 1766. Illness however, keeps him from active participation in the government. His Lord of the Exchequer Charles Townsend tries to boost revenue by increasing tariffs on a wide variety of colonial imports. While avoiding direct taxes, the new laws are designed to extract money from the colonies as well as increase enforcement actions. Townshend hopes to introduce colonial compliance to Parliament slowly with this first step.

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Episode 025: Tensions Simmer Dec 31, 2017

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Following the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766, colonial protests stopped and trade resumed. Parliament is not happy about the pushback and seems determined to find a way to put the colonies in their place. The colonies are unhappy about the Declaratory Act and Parliament's assertion of complete tax authority over the colonies, despite a lack of colonial representation in Parilament. The colonists and the English people begin to view their interests as in competition with one another.

During this time, many small issues push colonial interests further from those in England. The death of John Robinson in Virginia reveals a major financial scandal that creates a colonial cash shortage. Parliament passes the Free Port Act, attempting to give trade advantages to London over the colonies. A New York assault case Forsey v. Cunningham threatens the right of jury trials. Bostonians get into a big fight over search warrants. New Yorkers refuse to pay Quartering Act costs for British regulars in the colony.

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Episode 024: Stamp Act Repeal and Declaratory Act Dec 24, 2017

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The Stamp Act took effect on November 1, 1765. But colonial opposition prevented the use of any stamps. Protesters forced newspapers, courts, and ports to operate without stamped paper. Creditors could not go to court to collect on debts and trading vessels stop going to England. As a result, English merchants joined in opposition to the Act.

Prime Minister Rockingham replaced Grenville and immediately set about to repeal the law. The problem was, Parliament did not want to look like it was backing down in the face of mob violence, or sending the message that it accepts colonial assertions that Parliament cannot impose taxes on the colonies. After months of wrangling and infighting, King George let it be known that he supports the repeal. Parliament passed the repeal, but on the same day also passes the Declaratory Act which says Parliament still has the authority to pass such laws whenever it wants.

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Episode 023: The Stamp Act Congress Dec 17, 2017

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Colonists at all levels of society protested the Stamp Act of 1765. Newspapers railed against it. Mobs marched in the streets, and destroyed the homes of tax agents and other supporters. Colonial politicians not only spoke out against the Act but organized the Stamp Act Congress to coordinate a unified response to this tax. At issue was "taxation without representation." Parliament, for the first time, was imposing a direct tax on the colonists, even though they had no representation in Parliament.

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Episode 022: The Stamp Act and Quartering Act of 1765 Dec 10, 2017

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In 1765 Prime Minister Grenville led passage of the Stamp Act through Parliament. He designed the tax on newspapers, legal documents and a host of other paper to collect revenues from the colonies. Although some radical Whigs like William Pitt opposed the new taxes, the law sailed through Parliament with relative ease. Parliament wanted to pay off its war debt and thought the colonies needed to contribute more. To help with enforcement, Parliament also passed the Quartering act, forcing colonies to pay for housing for soldiers in their colonies.

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Episode 021: The Colonies React to Taxes Dec 03, 2017

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Following the passage of the Sugar Act in 1764, the British colonies in North America begin to organize opposition. The new taxes and trade enforcement policies hits the colonies just when they are experiencing other economic problems. Brtiain's removal of war subsidies leads to growing unemployment and a general lack of jobs. The Currency Act contributes to exisiting money shortages. The Wheelwright Scandal makes all of this worse. British restrictions on western lands cuts off a traditional economic resource.

The colonies send petitions to London protesting the changes. They also begin writing editorials and circulating pamphlets among themselves as they start to orginaize colonial opposition. British customs officials face opposition at all levels as they attempt to enforce the law.

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Episode 020: The Sugar Act & Currency Act of 1764 Nov 26, 2017

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In 1764, with Britain under a massive debt from the Seven Years War and with increased costs of maintaining its new colonies, the Grenville Ministry passes the Sugar Act to raise revenue from the colonists. The Act itself actually cuts tariff rates, but also institutes enforcement measures to ensure the colonists cannot evade the taxes as easily as they did in the past. Parliament also passes the Quartering Act, to make colonies pay for the quartering of British Regulars within their borders, whether they are there to protect the colonists or to enforce tariff and trade laws.

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Episode 019: Suppressing the Indians Nov 19, 2017

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In 1764, in response to the Native American attacks known as Pontiac's War, the colonists strike back at the Indians, killing the guilty and innocent alike. Gen. Amherst approves use of smallpox against the Indians. He proposes a campaign of terror and slaughter against the tribes. At the insistence of Indian agent Sir William Johnson, London recalls Amherst, leaving Gen. Thomas Gage in charge. Gage follows through on Amherst's attack plan, sending out two expeditions to destroy Indian villages and kill anyone they find, taking no prisoners.

By the time the expeditions leave in the summer of 1764, the leaders find almost all tribes ready to settle. Indian attempts to bring the French back into the fight have failed. Most Chiefs realize they cannot continue the war. The Treaty of Niagara returns the Seneca to peace. Other tribes request diplomatic negotiations, eventually resulting in the Treaty of Fort Ontario in 1766. This Treaty recognizes British rule as far west as the Mississippi River.

Meanwhile, King George III issues the Royal Proclamation of 1763, requiring all British colonial settlements to remain east of the Allegheny mountains, thus forbidding westward colonial expansion. The colonists strongly oppose this restriction.

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Episode 018: Pontiac's War Nov 12, 2017

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By 1763, France has left Canada after losing the the French and Indian war. British soldiers and colonists continue to occupy land west of the Allegheny mountains in violation of promises. To save money, Britain stops making annual gifts to the tribes. The Indian tribes unite and rise up against these continuing violations of treaties. The tribes seize multiple forts and besiege others. Soldiers and colonists hunker down in forts, flee the region, or die horrible deaths.

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Episode 017: Parsons Cause, Bishops, and Trade Nov 05, 2017

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As the Seven Years War comes to an end, Britain and her colonies begin bickering over issues unrelated to the war. In Virginia, a new lawyer named Patrick Henry convinces a jury not to pay ministers the wage required under the law. The Archbishop of Canterbury is thwarted in his attempts to force New England to accept an Anglican Bishop. James Otis Jr. becomes an early advocate against the enforcement of trade tariffs through the use of general warrants.

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