What would you do if the U.S. Army came to your door tomorrow and demanded you pay taxes and tariffs on many of the items in your home? Would you fight back against them; would you declare yourself free and independent from America?
Yeah, we didn’t think you’d opt for the latter route…
But, believe it or not, our country was founded under those very same circumstances.
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In her first installment of her America’s Founding video series, Professor Sarah Burns discusses the initial stressors that led to the American Revolution. After a long and costly war with France, King George needed a way to pay for his large army—which it turns out—had nothing to do.
In an attempt to kill two birds with one stone, the king sent his army to the colonies to collect the very taxes needed to pay for its existence.
See Also: The Two Ideas That Made America
This ploy from the British Empire did not sit well with the colonists. Skirmishes between soldiers and civilians quickly evolved, as colonists became quickly tired of the behavior of the British occupiers. These tensions culminated in March of 1770 with the Boston Massacre, sparking the First Continental Congress and leading to the beginning of the American Revolution.
You can watch the full episode with Professor Sarah Burns below:
