Colonies Respond I: To the Boston Tea Party

What period marks the second phase of the American colonists' move towards independence?

The years 1770 to 1776.

What event led to British troops being sent to Boston in 1768?

The liberty riots.

Who was Paul Revere and what was his role in the propaganda surrounding the Boston Massacre?

Paul Revere was a silversmith and a member of the Sons of Liberty who created an engraving that depicted the Boston Massacre.

What was the purpose of the engraving created by Paul Revere?

To serve as propaganda against the British, portraying them negatively.

What incident sparked the events leading to the Boston Massacre?

Children throwing rocks and snowballs at a British customs officer, who then shot one of the children.

Who was Samuel Adams and what was his role during this period?

Samuel Adams was a professional revolutionary who used propaganda to stir up anti-British sentiment.

What event is referred to as the Boston Massacre?

The shooting incident on March 5, 1770, where British soldiers fired into a crowd, killing five colonists.

What was the immediate cause of the shooting during the Boston Massacre?

A brick thrown by a crowd member hit a British soldier, causing chaos and leading to the soldiers firing their muskets.

How many people were killed during the Boston Massacre?

Five people were killed, including Crispus Attucks.

What was the significance of Crispus Attucks in the Boston Massacre?

Crispus Attucks was an African-American sailor considered the first casualty of the American Revolution.

Who defended the British soldiers in the trial following the Boston Massacre?

John Adams, who would later become the second president of the United States.

What was the public perception of the Boston Massacre as portrayed by Samuel Adams?

It was portrayed as a brutal massacre of innocent colonists by the British.

What was the outcome of the trial for the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre?

The soldiers were acquitted of murder, with some being found guilty of lesser charges.

What role did propaganda play in the events surrounding the Boston Massacre?

Propaganda was used to manipulate public opinion against the British and rally support for the colonial cause.

What was the reaction of the British government to the unrest in Boston?

They sent troops to restore order, which escalated tensions further.

What was the significance of the engraving of the Boston Massacre?

It became a powerful piece of propaganda that fueled anti-British sentiment among the colonists.

How did the Boston Massacre affect colonial unity?

It galvanized colonial resistance and increased calls for independence from British rule.

What was the role of the Old State House in Boston during the events leading to the Boston Massacre?

It served as a backdrop in the propaganda engraving and was a site of colonial governance.

What was the public's response to the funeral of the boy shot by the British customs officer?

Samuel Adams turned the funeral into a parade to incite anger against the British.

What was the atmosphere in Boston leading up to the Boston Massacre?

Tensions were high, with crowds becoming increasingly hostile towards British soldiers.

What was the significance of the term 'massacre' in the context of the Boston Massacre?

It was used to evoke strong emotional reactions and rally support for the revolutionary cause.

What was the impact of the Boston Massacre on the relationship between the colonies and Great Britain?

It deepened the divide and increased the desire for independence among the colonists.

What was the role of Crispus Attucks in the Boston Massacre narrative?

He was depicted as a martyr for the cause of American independence.

How did the British soldiers react during the Boston Massacre?

They were nervous and fired into the crowd amidst chaos.

What was the long-term effect of the Boston Massacre on American history?

It became a symbol of British oppression and a rallying point for the American Revolution.

What was John Adams' stance on the trial of the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre?

He believed in providing a fair trial, regardless of public opinion.

How did John Adams' decision to defend British soldiers affect his reputation?

His reputation suffered temporarily, but he was later seen as a fair and principled man.

What was the significance of the Boston Massacre trial in relation to British propaganda?

Adams wanted to counter British propaganda by demonstrating that Americans could conduct fair trials.

What incident is referred to as the Gaspee incident?

The burning of the British customs ship Gaspee by American colonists.

What was the role of the Gaspee ship?

It was a customs cutter tasked with searching for smugglers along the coast.

What happened to the Gaspee during its encounter with a sandbar?

It became stuck on a sandbar at high tide and was subsequently burned by colonists.

How did the British government respond to the Gaspee incident?

They proposed a commission to investigate the incident and send those involved to England for trial.

Why did the proposed British commission to investigate the Gaspee incident fail?

Colonists refused to participate, as they did not want trials held in England.

What was Lord North's attitude towards the American colonies?

He had a negative view of Americans and mishandled colonial relations.

What was the purpose of the Committees of Correspondence established in the colonies?

To facilitate communication and coordination among colonies regarding British actions.

What did the Committees of Correspondence help to spread throughout the colonies?

A network of communication and shared responses to British policies.

What was John Adams' background before becoming a lawyer?

He came from a farming family and was the first in his family to attend Harvard.

What was John Adams' approach to law and order?

He prioritized doing what was right over seeking popularity.

What was the public sentiment towards the British customs ships like the Gaspee?

They were widely hated, as many colonists benefited from smuggling.

What was the outcome of the Gaspee incident for the British government?

It highlighted the growing tensions and resistance among the American colonies.

How did the British government view the actions of the colonists during the Gaspee incident?

They saw it as a crime that needed to be punished.

What was the significance of the fair trial established by Adams in the Boston Massacre case?

It set a precedent for American legal principles and rights.

What did the British hope to achieve by sending Americans to England for trial after the Gaspee incident?

They aimed to assert control and punish those involved in the incident.

What was the reaction of the colonists to the British proposal for a commission after the Gaspee incident?

Colonists were outraged and refused to cooperate.

What did the Gaspee incident reveal about colonial unity?

It demonstrated that colonists could come together against British authority.

What was the impact of the Gaspee incident on colonial politics?

It galvanized opposition to British rule and encouraged organized resistance.

How did John Adams' legal career begin?

He took on the case of the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre.

What was one of the key messages John Adams wanted to send to Britain?

That Americans were capable of conducting fair trials.

What was the long-term effect of the Gaspee incident on colonial relations with Britain?

It escalated tensions and contributed to the push for independence.

What role did local Committees of Correspondence play in the lead-up to the American Revolution?

They helped coordinate resistance and share information among the colonies.

What did the British government fail to understand about the colonists' response to their actions?

They underestimated the colonists' desire for self-governance and fair treatment.

What was the effect of the spread of information throughout the colonies?

It broadened the resistance movement and encouraged more people to get involved.

How did the colonies begin to see themselves during the resistance movement?

They started to recognize their commonalities, moving from individual identities to a collective American identity.

What was the British East India Company's role in the tea trade?

It had a monopoly on tea going into Great Britain and was politically powerful.

What financial issues did the British East India Company face?

It was going bankrupt due to high overhead and corruption, despite its monopoly.

What did Lord North do to try to help the British East India Company?

He dropped the import tax on tea to lower prices and shipped tea directly to the American colonies.

Why was the Tea Act controversial among American colonists?

It forced them to pay a tax on tea while cutting out American merchants, hurting their businesses.

What was the American response to the arrival of East India Company tea in Boston?

Many colonists refused to offload the tea, citing various excuses.

What was the Boston Tea Party?

A protest where colonists, disguised as Native Americans, dumped tea into Boston Harbor to oppose the Tea Act.

What was the estimated value of tea dumped during the Boston Tea Party in today's money?

About one to two million dollars.

What strategy did the Sons of Liberty use during the Boston Tea Party?

They targeted the tea without harming ships, sailors, or other cargo.

Why did the participants in the Boston Tea Party disguise themselves?

To avoid recognition and potential arrest by British spies.

What was the British reaction to the Boston Tea Party?

The British government was angry and saw it as a challenge to their authority.

How did the Boston Tea Party affect the relationship between the colonies and Britain?

It pushed the colonies to cooperate more closely against British rule.

What was the significance of the Boston Tea Party in the context of the American Revolution?

It was a pivotal event that united the colonies in resistance against British policies.

What was the initial perception of American identity among colonists before the resistance movement?

Colonists identified primarily with their individual colonies rather than as a unified nation.

What was one of the main goals of the Sons of Liberty during the Boston Tea Party?

To demonstrate organized resistance without resorting to violence against people.

What did the British East India Company do to maintain its monopoly?

It required that tea be purchased exclusively from them at the wholesale level in England.

What was the impact of the Tea Act on American merchants?

It hurt their businesses by eliminating them as middlemen in the tea trade.

What was a key miscalculation made by Lord North regarding the Tea Act?

He underestimated the colonists' resistance to paying taxes and cutting out American merchants.

What was the role of communication among the colonies during the resistance?

It helped to unify the colonies and spread awareness of British actions.

What was the significance of the disguise used by the participants in the Boston Tea Party?

It provided a layer of anonymity that protected them from potential repercussions.

What was the outcome of the Boston Tea Party in terms of British colonial policy?

It led to increased tensions and stricter British measures against the colonies.

How did the Boston Tea Party exemplify the growing unity among the colonies?

It showed a coordinated effort among different colonies to resist British control.