The Townshend Act Research Paper

After the French and Indian War, tension was increasing in the English Colonies due to over taxation laws. In March of 1770, hatred between the colonists and the British soldiers erupted into fighting in an event known as the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre was a significant event in the American Independence movement. The source of the conflict with the British troops and the Bostonians was the Townshend Act in 1767, three years prior to the massacre. The primary sources in this collection of documents are of different accounts of the massacre: a pamphlet of the testimony of William Wyatt, an article from the Boston Gazette and Country Journal, a sketch by Paul Revere, an account of Captain Thomas Preston, and a court case from John Adams. These documents expose the turmoil of that day from different perspectives of Bostonians and British soldiers. They also show how some colonial leaders used this event to advance the patriot cause. The account of Captain Thomas Preston said that he tried to

The Boston Massacre took place on March 5th, 1770. This historic event was caused because of an ongoing conflict between the British soldiers and the people of Boston. According to George Hewes account, “Crowds of artisans and laborers joined the elite in protesting British policies, although their differing points of view revealed the divisions within colonial society.” People were upset over the British passing the Towsend Act, which was a surplus of unpopular taxes. The people of Boston also resented the British troops, who were also looking for jobs.

The Boston Massacre is considered by many historians to be the first battle of the Revolutionary War. The fatal incident happened on March 5 of 1770. The massacre resulted in the death of five colonists. British troops in the Massachusetts Bay Colony were there to stop demonstrations against the Townshend Acts and keep order, but instead they provoked outrage. The British soldiers and citizens brawled in streets and fought in bars. “The citizens viewed the British soldiers as potential oppressors, competitors for jobs, and a treat to social mores'; (Mahin 1). A defiant anti-British fever was lingering among the townspeople.     

On March 5 1770, a union of colonists gathered at the Customs House where they protested and harassed soldiers standing outside. These colonists were representing The Sons of Liberty, a secret organization aiming to rebel against the British Parliament. There was an abundance of tension between the colonists and Great Britain after new taxes were passed and British troops arrived in Massachusetts to enforce them. After many hours of chanting and protesting a shot was fired; the atrocious event left five men dead. The question society still ponders over 200 years later is what really happened and whose fault was it? The Boston Massacre initiated because of miscommunication; it was not a massacre but a mutual riot.

Beginning in 1764, Great Britain began passing acts to exert greater control over the American colonies. The Sugar Act was passed to increase duties on foreign sugar imported from the West Indies. A Currency Act was also passed to ban the colonies from issuing paper bills or bills of credit because of the belief that the colonial currency had devalued the British money. Further, in order to continue to support the British soldiers left in America after the war, Great Britain passed the Quartering Act in 1765. This ordered colonists to house and feed British soldiers if there was not enough room for them in the colonist’s homes. An important piece of legislation that really upset the colonists was the Stamp Act passed in 1765. This required stamps to be purchased or included on many different items and documents such as playing cards, legal papers, newspapers, and more. This was the first direct tax that Britain had imposed on the colonists. Events began to escalate with passage of the Townshend Acts in 1767. These taxes were created to help colonial officials become independent of the colonists by providing them with a source of income. This act led to clashes between British troops and colonists, causing the infamous Boston Massacre. These unjust requests and increasing tensions all led up to the colonist’s declaration as well as the Revolutionary War.

The Townshend Acts of 1767 were also a critical reason for the colonial actions taken during the Imperial Crisis. These acts placed taxes on goods imported into North America, once again resulting in a boycott. These boycotts caused the colonists to rely on American made goods rather than foreign, allowing the colonists to experience the possibilities of self-sufficiency and furthering the distaste for British rule. The Townshend Acts led to the Boston Massacre of 1770, as British troops fired into a crowd of rioting Bostonians. This event increased the tensions between the colonists and British. After the Townshend Acts were repealed, the Tea Act was enforced, requiring the colonists to pay a tax for tea. This tax was rejected in the colonies because the colonies believed that recognizing the tax would be recognizing Parliament’s authority to tax unlawfully, without consent and representation. The colonists refused the act by dumping imported tea into the Boston Harbor. This infuriated the British, who then implemented the Intolerable Acts. These acts required colonists to house British soldiers in their homes without consent, restricted the colonists’ right to assemble, and allowed governors to appoint councilmen without election. The colonists viewed these acts as major threats to their freedom and further fueled conflict in the Americas.

The Townshend Acts started about 1767. This Act stated that any any British soldiers or tax collectors could search anything the colonists owned such as; boats, warehouses, farms, and homes to see if there was any smuggled/ stolen goods. The warrants also said that the officers could take anything the colonists owned, that they thought was stolen or smuggled.

The colonists were not thrilled about the Townshend duties. However, when the redcoats were marching down the streets even though their facial expressions showed dislike they kept it down. The other 12 colonies thought that they restrained because they were scared. On, March 5, 1770, it was a turning point for the colonist because Townshend Act was repealed except for tax on tea. On this day the 60 people of Boston gathered in front of the custom house and attacked the Redcoats with rocks and snowballs. The redcoats replied by firing back at the Bostonians without Captain Thomas’ permission. It resulted in the death of 5 people which lit up their desire for independence.

The Boston Massacre, known as the Incident on King Street by the British happened on March 5 1770. A squad of British soldiers were being attacked by a mob. One of the soldiers fired, which caused others to fire. Over all five died all colonists. The event greatly boosted the revolution.

A series of laws created by the English Parliament and by Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Townshend. The Townshend Acts added responsibilities on glass, lead, paints, paper and tea imported to colonies. Townshend imagined the acts would provide more money for expenses in the colonies. But many Colonists viewed the Act as a sign of power. Ending in limits for the imports from Britain. In 1770, Parliament repealed all the Townshend acts except the tax on tea.

“Between the hours of nine and ten o’clock, being in my master’s house, was alarmed by the cry of fire, I ran down as far as the town-house, and then heard that the soldiers and the inhabitants were fighting in the alley… I then left them and went to King street. I then saw a party of soldiers loading their muskets about the Custom house door, after which they all shouldered. I heard some of the inhabitants cry out, “heave no snow balls”, others cried “they dare not fire”. The Boston massacre has been no massacre it was propaganda. The incident that happened March 5th, 1770 in the streets of Boston only killed five people and had six people with non fatal injuries. There were

From over taxing to unfair courts, The Boston Massacre was the foundation that helped tip the tide towards Americans wanting absolute freedom from monarchy. The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770, between a patriot mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of British soldiers. Fearing for their life, the soldiers fired, killing five “unarmed” citizens. Even though their actions were somewhat justified, the revealing that they were let off with little to no charges, which took place in their own courts, caused citizens to question even more their loyalty

By 1765, at a Stamp Act Congress, all but four colonies were represented as the “Declaration of Rights and Grievances” was passed. They were determined to let Parliament know that they were equal to British citizens, that there would be no “taxation without representation,” and all efforts to stop tax on colonists would continue (Kennedy, etal 2011.) Although Lord Rockingham, the predecessor of Grenville, sought to repeal of the Stamp Act, this in no way meant Parliament was conceding their control. In fact, while the Stamp Act was repealed, another called the “Declaratory Act of 1766,” gave Parliament the authority to make laws binding the American Colonies, “in all cases whatsoever.” In 1767, George III passed the Townshend Acts to collect tax on glass, lead, paints, paper and, tea. Recognizing that tea was a favorite among the Americans, it ensured greater revenue the British government. Again, the colonists’ rights for representation were ignored and they started to boycott British goods and ultimately, smuggle tea. When the Quartering Act was passed, which specified that colonists were to give room and board to British troops, tension began to rise. For two years, the colonists tolerated British troops on their soil and their dissatisfaction with the British Parliament and King George III became evident through many violent riots, abusiveness of tax collectors and destruction of property. According to Kennedy, etal (2011), Parliament, continually met with

In 1770 an extraordinary number of British troops were stationed in Boston. The Colonists didn’t understand why there were so many troops after the war. This added to the already existent tension. The colonists taunted the Red Coats and on March 5, 1770 the colonists threw snowballs resulting a hasty decision by the Red Coats to fire at the colonists. Five colonists were killed and nine were wounded. This night is known as the Boston Massacre.

The Boston Massacre is considered by many historians to be the first battle of the Revolutionary War. The fatal incident happened on March 5 of 1770. The massacre resulted in the death of five colonists. British troops in the Massachusetts Bay Colony were there to stop demonstrations against the Townshend Acts and keep order, but instead they provoked outrage. The British soldiers and citizens brawled in streets and fought in bars. “The citizens viewed the British soldiers as potential oppressors, competitors for jobs, and a treat to social mores”. A defiant anti-British fever was lingering among the townspeople.