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Hello American historyteller listeners. I have an exciting announcement. I'm going on tour and coming to a theater near you. This live show is a thrilling evening of history, storytelling and music, with a full band accompanying me as we look back to explore the days that made America. And they aren't the days that you might think. Sure, everyone knows July 4th, 1776. We'll be hearing a lot about that date this year. But there are many other days that are maybe even more influential, so come out to see me live. More shows to be announced soon, so for information on tickets and upcoming dates, go to americanhistorylive.com that's americanhistorylive.com Come see my days that Made America tour live on stage. Go to americanhistorylive.com. Imagine it's the night of April 18, 1775. You're a major in the British army and you're galloping down a country road outside Lexington, Massachusetts, with a small contingent of soldiers. Tomorrow morning you're planning to seize colonial munitions stored in the nearby town of Concord, part of a move to crack down on rising defiance in the colonies. But right now your objective is to overtake a lone colonist racing down the road ahead of you. You know Patriot spies are everywhere, and you can't risk word of your plans getting out, so you spur your men on, fear, fanning out to hem in the rider and force him to pull up short. With a tug of your reins, you close the ring around him and draw your pistol. I order you to dismount. The rider swings down from his saddle in a smooth motion and raises his hands in a defensive gesture, but you keep your pistol steady. Who are you? My name is Revere. What, you don't mean Paul Revere? The very same. You trade knowing glances with the others. Revere's reputation as a rabble rouser is known to every British soldier in Boston. You. You can't believe your luck. And what are you doing galloping through the countryside in the middle of the night? Well, what business is it of yours? In my experience, when a man is riding that fast, it is usually because he has something to hide. A hint of unease crosses Revere's face before he gathers himself and squares his shoulders. I have nothing to hide. And what gives you the right to detain a peaceful citizen? The authority of His Majesty King George iii. Now answer my question. I hope you know you're not going to achieve your goal tonight. Your heartbeat quickens. You wonder whether the rebels have discovered your plans for Concord, but you keep yourself composed. I don't know what you mean. We're patrolling the road in search of deserters. Oh, you're lying about that. I know what you're after, but it's no use. I've already warned every village and farm along this road, and it won't be long until 500 militiamen are gathered in concord. You tighten your grip on your pistol, your thumb twitching over the hammer. Sir? Tell the truth or I'll scatter your brains in the dirt. I'm not afraid of you, and I am telling the truth. How about you do the same? Search him for weapons. What was that? Revere grins, his eyes full of mischief. Well, it's a signal volley, a warning for every minuteman in earshot. You exchange uneasy glances with your fellow officers, and a creeping fear takes hold. If Revere isn't lying and the rebels have discovered your plans, instead of raiding a stockpile, tomorrow morning you'll be marching into battle. Whether you're exploring your current fascinations or discovering new ones, Audible has all the stories that'll introduce you to your most fascinating self. Tap into a whole new world of heated conversations with a saucy romantasy series. Become your friend group's sci fi expert on the latest blockbuster book to screen adaptation or find unexpected reveals deals through the exclusive episodes of a viral true crime podcast. However you choose to listen, Audible keeps you fascinated so you can be just as fascinating all in one easy app with plans now starting at $8.99, you'll get access to over 1 million audiobooks and podcasts, including trending bestsellers, the hottest new releases and exclusive podcasts you won't find anywhere else. Sign up now to become a member and get any audiobook every month for plus exclusive podcasts. Plans now start at $8.99. Audible be fascinated, Be fascinating. Whether you're exploring your current fascinations or discovering new ones, Audible has all the stories that'll introduce you to your most fascinating self. Tap into a whole new world of heated conversations with a saucy romantasy series, Become your friend group's sci fi expert on the latest blockbuster book to screen adaptation, or find unexpected reveals through the exclusive episodes of a viral true crime podcast. However you choose to listen, Audible keeps you fascinated so you can be just as fascinating all in one easy app with plans now starting at $8.99, you'll get access to over 1 million audiobooks and podcasts, including trending best sellers, the hottest new releases and exclusive podcasts you won't find anywhere else. Sign up now to become a member and get any audiobook every month, plus exclusive podcasts. Plans now start at $8.99. Audible Be fascinated. Be fascinating. From Audible Originals. I'm Lindsey Graham and this is American Historytellers. Our history your story. On our show, we take you to the events, the times and the people that shape America and Americans, our values, our struggles and our dreams. We'll put you in the shoes of everyday people as history was being made. And we'll show you how the events of the times affected them, their families, and affects you. Now. On the night of April 18, 1775, British soldiers arrested colonial silversmith Paul Revere near Lexington, Massachusetts. He had ridden all night from Boston spreading the word that the British were planning to raid a stockpile of colonial munitions. The next day, British soldiers and American militiamen clashed at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The culmination of a decade of tensions over taxes, representation and and imperial control. And as colonial resistance escalated into open revolt, 13 colonies joined together to break the bonds of British rule and found a new nation, the United States of America. But from the start, the odds were stacked against them. For eight long years, an amateur American army battled the world's greatest military power in a war defined by immense sacrifice and devastating loss. But the American Revolution was not merely a conflict between the American colonies and the British Empire. It was also a brutal civil war that tore families and neighbors apart. It was a war fought in pursuit of the highest ideals of freedom and equality. And it was also a ruthless contest over land, power and loyalty. One that preserved slavery and dispossessed Native Americans, stark reminders of the limits of revolutionary ideals. At a time when most of the Western world was ruled by kings, thousands of ordinary people risked everything to found a republic on the radical idea of self rule. The American Revolution was unlike anything the world had ever seen. Upending old powers, shattering centuries of tradition and giving birth to a bold experiment in democracy by putting sovereignty in the hands of the people. This is episode one in our six part series on the American Revolution. Liberty or death. On July 3, 1754, a 22 year old major in the Virginia militia led 300 men in a losing battle deep in the wilderness of the Ohio territory. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Virginians took refuge in a crude circular stockade dubbed Fort Necessity. Heavy rain poured down as they faced relentless fire from hundreds of French and Indian enemy marksmen. By the late afternoon, rain had flooded the fort and soaked the defender's powder and muskets. So with ammunition exhausted and a third of his Force killed or wounded, the young major had no choice but to surrender. His name was George Washington. Ambitious but inexperienced, he had just suffered one of the worst days of his young life. His first military defeat in a skirmish that marked the start of the French and Indian War. This was a conflict that had been brewing for years. By 1754, growing white settlement in the Ohio River Valley sparked a war between Great Britain and France and their Native American allies. Virginia leaders ordered Washington to lead a militia to the Ohio country to defend British claims. But despite his bruising defeat at Fort Necessity, his superiors gave him a second chance. And over the next few years, he cut his teeth as a military leader. By the time he retired from the militia four years later in 1758, he had learned invaluable lessons about discipline, alliance building and adaptability, experience he would carry with him in the years to come. Several Years later, in 1763, the French and Indian war ended in a decisive British victory. In the aftermath, France was forced to hand over nearly all of its North American territorial claims, including the resource rich, strategically vital Ohio River Valley. Britain's triumph sparked celebrations throughout the 13 British colonies, from New England to the Carolinas. Colonists rang church bells and lit bonfires to mark the dawn of a new era of peace and prosperity. Their optimism was fueled in part by America's explosive growth. The population of the 13 colonies had doubled every 25 years. And by the time of the war's end in 1763, the colonies were home to nearly 2 million people, including Native Americans, enslaved laborers, and settlers from a wide range of European nations. But along with their ethnic diversity, the colonies were also shaped by extraordinary geographic differences. In the tightly knit communities of New England, harsh winters and rocky soil resulted in an economy centered around small family farms, fishing and trade. The mid Atlantic colonies had a mixed economy and high level of religious tolerance that attracted Quakers and Jews. In the South, a warm climate and fertile soil fostered the growth of large plantations powered by enslaved labor with a focus on high value crops like tobacco and rice. But despite these differences, colonial Americans were bound by their strong sense of British identity. They read British books, wore British clothes, and spoke proudly of their contributions to the growing British Empire. In 1760, leading colonist Benjamin Franklin wrote, I have long been of the opinion that the foundations of the future grandeur and stability of the British Empire lie in America. Franklin pointed to the colony's vast resources and remarkable population growth as key drivers of British wealth and power. But unlike Britain, where a small elite owned most of the land and many lived as dependents White colonists in America viewed ownership of land and property as the foundation of their personal freedom. Looking west, they saw a vast terrain ripe for settlement, and many looked forward to the day when white settlers would occupy the entire continent. And one man building wealth off this westward expansion was George Washington. After making a name for himself fighting in the French and Indian War, he'd married the wealthy widow Martha Dandridge Custis, and the newlyweds had moved to Mount Vernon, the tobacco plantation Washington inherited in northern Virginia. And as he threw himself into life as a planter, he purchased slaves and expanded his estate. He also became an avid speculator in western land, eventually buying up more than 50,000 acres. And he encouraged others to do the same, advising one of his neighbors that in the west, an enterprising man with very little money may lay the foundation of a noble estate. But despite Washington and others rosy visions of upward mobility, the reality remained that most of the continent was still controlled by native people. As white settlers streamed into the Ohio river valley, their encroachment on native land sparked a widespread uprising in the summer of 1763 known as Pontiac's Rebellion. Indian nations attacked British forts and settlements, defending their lands and autonomy. And in response to this violence, the British government handed down a proclamation in October 1763 declaring all land west of the Appalachians off limits to white settlement and speculation. Their intent was to rein in frontier violence and defend the sovereignty of their native allies. But by drawing a line down the continent, the British threatened the ambitions of land hungry colonists. And they soon discovered that a measure designed to promote peace and stability had become a source of bitter resentment. Imagine it's a cold, Snowy Morning in January 1764 in the Ohio territory. You're a British soldier on horseback patrolling the woods a few miles south of Fort Pitt. You're occupied by thoughts of returning to your lodgings to warm up with a glass of sherry when you come upon a campsite where a trio of settlers are laying out the perimeter of a log cabin. A bearded man wearing a patched coat drops his axe in the snow and beckons you over. Oh, soldier, I'm glad you're here. I've got a bone to pick with you. With a pull of the reins, you bring your horse to a stop in front of the settler. There's an Indian down the creek who keeps pestering me. He says, this isn't my land, and he's been threatening me. You breathe a heavy sigh. Well, I'm afraid he's correct. You have no claim to this land. But I bought it. Fair and square. I can show you the deed. And I've spent all winter clearing it with my own two hands. Well, that doesn't change the fact that by order of the Crown, the this land is reserved for the Shawnee. Any purchases of restricted territory are now invalid. Invalid? Whatever happened to the spoils of victory? I fought in the war. You know I should have every right to this land. Well, His Majesty disagrees. I understand your frustration, of course, but this region is off limits to settlement. So then what? You're just going to let the savages run wild? Those so called savages are allies. It would be unwise to antagonize them. You and your friends need to pack up your things and leave this area. On. Go where? I don't care where you go, just as long as it's back east over the mountains. And I'll be back in a few days with a detachment of soldiers to see that you obey. With a flick of the reins, you turn your horse away from the settler, but not before you see him raise his fist. You come and try. This is my land and I won't be leaving you. Ride away feeling exhausted by having to police people who insist they own any piece of soil their boots touch. They curse you every chance they get, but they still expect you to protect them from the Indians. It seems to you that if this is what loyalty looks like out on the frontier, the Crown will spend more money restraining its own colonists than it ever did fighting the French. When the colonists received news of the 1763 proclamation, many were outraged. Especially those who believed they'd earned the right to settle in the western lands after fighting in the French and Indian War. The Crown's new policy forced settlers to abandon their farms and homesteads, but it also threatened the fortunes of wealthy land speculators like George Washington. But Washington had no intention of giving up his investments. So he dismissed the Proclamation as a temporary measure designed to quiet the minds of the Indians and continued purchasing western land. And he was not the only one. Britain struggled to enforce the Proclamation as settlers ignored its boundaries and pushed westward anyway, resentful that distant powers in London were trying to control their lives. And the colonists resentments were not unfounded. The Proclamation of 1763 was part of a broader British government effort to reform the empire and redefine relations with the North American colonies. Behind that broader effort was Britain's reigning monarch, King George III, who had ascended to the throne three years earlier at the age of 22. But despite his elevated status, George was a man of simple tastes he preferred plain food and modest clothes, and he refused to wear a wig. Despite prevailing fashions. He loved architecture, music and collecting books. And he was widely admired as a devoted husband and family man. More than anything, he saw himself as a benevolent monarch, declaring that he strove to preserve the freedom, happiness and glory of my dominions and all their inhabitants. But his lofty ideals collided with the practical realities of managing a far flung empire, which not only included the thirteen colonies, but the far more valuable sugar islands of the Caribbean, as well as important economic footholds in India. And after the French and Indian War, the King's ministers resolved to tighten control over the fast growing American colonies and raise new revenue. Britain had left 10,000 troops in America to police the frontier and defend the 1763 proclamation. But the war had nearly doubled Britain's national debt, straining its ability to maintain such a costly military presence. So ultimately, the King's ministers concluded that Americans should help pay for their own defense. And that meant new taxes. In 1764, British Prime Minister George Grenville pushed through the Sugar act, imposing taxes on Caribbean imports such as molasses. Because the law mainly affected merchants, opposition was largely confined to the heavily mercantile colonies of New England. But Grenville drew more controversy when in February 1765, Parliament handed down the Stamp Act. This law, set to take effect on November 1st of that year, would require all colonists to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used, from newspapers and legal documents to playing cards. In Britain, taxpayers had paid a stamp tax for more than 50 years. But the Stamp act was the first time Parliament planned to tax the 13 colonies directly. And when news of the Stamp act arrived in Virginia that spring, a 29 year old frontier lawyer named Patrick Henry led the opposition. Henry had only been a member of Virginia's colonial assembly for nine days, but in May 1765, he took to the floor with a fiery speech accusing Parliament of taxation without representation. Colonists were accustomed to the colonial assemblies instituting taxes and local laws, but they had no representatives in the British Parliament. In London, Henry argued that the Stamp Act, a direct tax on printed material imposed by a Parliament in which Virginians had no voice, was an assault on their rights under the British Constitution. But when he hinted that King George risked the same fate as the assassinated Roman dictator Julius Caesar, a conservative colleague accused him of treason. Nevertheless, a furious Henry refused to back away from his statement, crying out, if this be treason, make the most of it. After heated debate, the Virginia House approved the mildest four of Henry's seven resolutions. Uncontroversial statements affirming that the colonists possessed the same rights as subjects living in Britain, including taxation by consent. But newspaper editors across the colonies printed all seven resolutions, including the most radical, in which Patrick Henry asserted that only the Virginian assembly could tax Virginians by printing all seven resolutions. The press suggested that the entire assembly endorsed Henry's argument, casting their protests in a more extreme light. And as reports spread, pressure grew on other colonial assemblies to respond in kind. And colonial legislators weren't the only ones to object to the new taxes. In 1765, there were two dozen newspapers in colonial America, then one of the most literate societies in the world, and their printers and editors had a personal stake in a law that taxed by printed material. So not only did the Stamp act directly threaten their livelihoods, they also saw it as an attempt by Parliament to stifle dissent. Printers warned that the tax might mean the death of newspapers and with them, the death of liberty. So as summer turned to fall in 1765, cries of taxation without representation spread like wildfire in taverns and town squares, igniting protests and mob violence. For the first time in their history, the thirteen colonies would begin to form a united front against imperial power.
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- [21:41]
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Whether you're exploring your current fascinations or discovering new ones, Audible has all the stories that'll introduce you to your most fascinating self. Tap into a whole new world of heated conversations with a saucy romantasy series, become your friend group sci fi expert on the latest blockbuster book to screen adaptation or find unexpected reveals through the exclusive episodes of a viral true crime podcast. However you choose to listen, Audible keeps you fascinated so you can be just as fascinating all in one easy app. With plans now starting at £5.99, you'll get access to over 900,000 audiobooks and podcasts, including trending bestsellers, the hottest new releases, and exclusive exclusive podcasts you won't find anywhere else. Sign up now to become a member and get any audiobook every month, plus exclusive podcasts. Plans now start at £5.99. Audible. Be fascinated, be fascinating. In the summer of 1765, a new leader emerged in Boston, Massachusetts, galvanizing opposition to the Stamp Act Act. Samuel Adams had failed as a brewer only to find his calling in political propaganda, and he was determined to take a stand against the Stamp act, which he saw as nothing short of tyranny. With his rumpled clothes, weak voice, and trembling hands, Adams rarely struck a memorable first impression. But despite his unassuming exterior, few could rival his courage and tenacity. He was deeply sensitive to any infringements on colonial rights and declared that his mission was to keep the attention of his fellow citizens awake to their grievances and not them rest till the causes of their just complaints are removed. Or, as one of his rivals put it, adam eats little, drinks little, sleeps little, thinks much, and is most decisive and indefatigable in the pursuit of his objects. In the summer of 1765, Adams channeled these energies into a new secret organization made up of radical merchants and artisans. They called themselves the Sons of Liberty, and together they turned outcry into action by staging protests, boycotts, and attacks on tax collectors. On August 14, 1765, the sons of Liberty focused their anger on local tax agent Andrew Oliver. First, they hung an effigy of Oliver in the branches of a large elm tree in Boston Common, which soon became known as the Liberty Tree. Then, after dark, crowds stormed the streets, burned the effigy, and descended on Oliver's home, ready to tear it apart. Imagine it's late at night on August 14, 1765, in Boston. You're the lieutenant governor of Massachusetts and you've dragged the sheriff with you to the home of your brother in law, local tax collector Andrew Oliver. You warned London officials that the Stamp act was a terrible idea. Now your worst fears have come to pass. A mob has wrecked Oliver's home and used his first furniture to start a raging bonfire. You step forward into the light of the blaze, feeling the heat on your face. Good people, good people, I must ask you to Disperse at once. This is unlawful assembly. A few heads turn, and a man clutching a broken chair holds your gaze. Liberty. Property and no stamps. Property. You speak of property while you destroy a man's home, Burn his things to to ashes. Mr. Oliver has done nothing but obey the law. Aye, a law that pleases Parliament pass without the consent of this colony, and this is your remedy? Destruction? This is how you show regard for the rights you claim to defend? This is justice. No, it is not, sir. Go home, all of you. You glance back at the sheriff for help. Do something. But the sheriff is busy scanning the scene for an escape route. You turn back to the rioter, only to realize that he's taken a step closer. His friends join him, forming a circle around you. You sense the ground shifting beneath your feet. You must see reason. Think about what you're doing. This path can only lead to ruin. But the rioter only shakes his head, confidence radiating from him. Boys, let's show these Tories what we think of their law. A stone strikes your foot, and you stagger back as another flies back by your ear. You're gonna regret this, all of you. Another rock connects with your shoulder, and you know it's time to make your escape. You grab the sheriff by the elbow and pull him away into the darkness. And as the two of you take off, another stone knocks off your hat. Now more than ever, it's clear that this is no spontaneous act of violence. This anger goes deep, and you're not sure if it can be cont. On the night of August 14, 1765, crowds hurled rocks at Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson when he tried to stop them from ransacking the home of stamp agent Andrew Oliver. Oliver resigned the next day, and Samuel Adams celebrated the crowd's defiance in the pages of the Boston Gazette, explaining that the Sons of Liberty were animated with a zeal for their country, then upon the brink of destruction, and resolved at once to save her. Less than two weeks later, an even more aggressive mob looted Hutchinson's mansion. He and his family made a narrow escape before crowds wrecked his furniture, paintings and silverware. But Hutchinson himself opposed the Stamp Act. Still, he called the attack on his home the most barbarous outrage which was ever committed in America. Mob violence soon spread to Newport, Rhode island, and Charleston, South Carolina, too, where rioting crowds forced Crown appointed stamp agents to resign. And before long, local chapters of the Sons of Liberty sprang up outside of Boston, each organizing protests of their own. In response to this widespread outcry, the Massachusetts Colonial assembly proposed an intercolonial meeting in October 1765, delegates from nine colonies traveled to New York for the Stamp Act Congress, where they agreed to draft a formal appeal to Parliament. While affirming their loyalty to the king, who was still widely revered, they urged him to persuade Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act. They insisted that only their own colonial assemblies could levy taxes, framing taxation without representation as a violation of their rights as Englishmen. And despite their criticisms of Parliament, protesters made it clear that they were not rejecting British authority altogether. Instead, they simply wanted to protect their rights as subjects of the British crown. Samuel Adams explained the colonial mindset in a letter to a British friend, writing that the colonists were so sensible of their happiness and safety in their union with the mother country that they would by no means be inclined to accept independence. But the Stamp Act Congress held by colonial authorities represented a major step toward collective action. The spirit of cooperation was symbolized by the motto they adopted, Join or die, originally coined by Benjamin Franklin in a failed attempt to rally colonial unity during the French and Indian War. And the Stamp Act Congress petitions to London was not the only action taken to put pressure on Parliament. Around the same time, 200 merchants gathered in a New York tavern at the end of October to organize a boycott of British goods. Similar boycotts quickly spread throughout the colonies, enforced by the sons of Liberty, who threatened retaliation to anyone who refused to participate, so that by November 1, the day the Stamp act was set to take effect, boycotts and violent resistance had forced the resignation of stamp officers in every colony except Georgia. And with no officials to distribute stamped paper, the law could not be enforced. With the crisis coming to a head, the British Parliament faced a crucial decision. Some members favored repeal of the Stamp act, but others feared that if they gave in, it would only serve to undermine British authority in America. Lord Grenville went so far as to suggest deploying troops to enforce attacks with no clear path. In February 1766, Parliament summoned Benjamin Franklin to appear before them as an expert witness to explain the colony's response to the stamp. Now 60 years old, Franklin was the world's most famous American. He was a writer, printer, and inventor, known for his wit and folksy wisdom. And in the mid-1760s, he was living in London as a lobbyist for Pennsylvania. But although Franklin opposed the Stamp act, he still held a deep loyalty to Britain. So standing before Parliament, he patiently answered nearly 200 questions about the Stamp act protests. When asked if military force could make the colonists comply, he warned the members of Parliament that if troops sent to America, they will not find a rebellion. They may Indeed, make one. Franklin's testimony helped convince Parliament to repeal the Stamp act, and across the Atlantic, the colonies celebrated their victory. Certain that their work was done, the Sons of Liberty disbanded, while the residents of New York erected a new statue of King George iii. But despite backing down on the Stamp Act, British officials remained intent on raising revenue from the colonies, none more so than the head of the Treasury, Charles Townshend. Townshend had become famous for rhetorical brilliance, even while drunk on champagne, and he convinced Parliament to pass the Townshend Acts, placing new taxes on imports on glass, paper, paint, lead and tea. Townshend emphasized that unlike the Stamp act, these were indirect taxes to be paid by merchants at American ports. But colonists knew that merchants would inevitably pass the high costs onto consumers. And the news of these Townshend Acts sparked a fresh wave of resistance. Among the protesters were thousands of women who, despite having few legal rights and little political power, now organized under the banner of the Daughters of Liberty. They enforced boycotts by refusing to buy British goods, made homespun cloth, and organized public spinning events. A newspaper writer wrote, I presume there never was a time when, or a place where the spinning wheel could more influence the affairs of men than at present. Meanwhile, Samuel Adams once again sought to turn popular anger into political action. In February 1768, he convinced the Massachusetts assembly to issue a letter to other colonial assemblies urging them to work together to resist the Townshend Acts. But when this same Massachusetts assembly refused British demands to rescind their letter, the royal Governor of Massachusetts dissolved it, leaving the colony without an elected legislature. Then, in June, a riot erupted in Boston when customs officials seized a ship owned by John Hancock, a wealthy merchant and member of the Sons of Liberty, to restore order. 1,000 British troops arrived in Boston in October 1768 and placed the city under military occupation. Tensions mounted over the next year and a half as underpaid soldiers competed with residents for civilian jobs and fights broke out in the streets. Reacting to the news from London, Benjamin Franklin. Some indiscretion on the part of Boston's people or of the soldiers may occasion a tumult, and if blood is drawn, there is no foreseeing how far the mischief may spread. Franklin's premonition came to pass on the icy night of March 5, 1770, when a mob of colonists began taunting a British soldier guarding the Royal customs House. When more soldiers arrived, the colonists pelted them with snowballs, oyster shells and stones. In response, the soldiers fired into the melee, killing five Americans. The first to die was a runaway slave of mixed black and native descent. Named Crispus Attucks, who was at the front of the crowd. In the days and weeks that followed, Samuel Adams labeled the clash the Boston massacre and explosive essays in the Boston Gazette. And he made martyrs of Attucks and the other victims by organizing a public funeral attended by 10,000 people, the largest funeral North America had ever seen. Recognizing that the violence had gotten out of hand, Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson jailed the soldiers responsible and sent the rest of the troops away from the city center to a fort in Boston harbor. With soldiers no longer prowling the streets, tensions began to subside. And soon after, the colonists learned that Parliament had repealed four out of the five duties imposed by the Townshend acts, leaving only the tax on tea in place. These concessions eased tensions for more than two years. But the fragile calm came to an abrupt end in 1773 when parliament once again interfered in the tea trade by passing the Tea Act, a sort of government bailout designed to boost sales for the struggling British East India Company. Already, the colonists resented the lingering tax on tea imports. But this new law gave the British company a monopoly on the tea trade, and many feared that it would drive American tea merchants out of business. And then, in late November 1773, the first of three ships arrived in Boston harbor carrying British East India tea. The next day, broadsides appeared throughout town declaring that worst of plagues, the detestable tea has arrived in the harbor. The hour of destruction or manly opposition to the machinations of tyranny stares you in the face. Residents began holding daily mass meetings to come up with a plan of action. They urged governor Hutchinson to send the tea back to Britain, but Hutchinson refused. And as the weeks wore on, both sides dug in their heels. Customs officials refused to let the ships leave, but the Sons of Liberty refused to let anyone unload the tea. To break the stalemate, the Sons of Liberty took matters into their own hands. On the night of December 16, 1773, 100 men donned Mohawk Indian costumes before setting out for bomb Boston harbor in what became known as the Boston Tea Party. They boarded the three ships, hacked open 342 chests of tea, and dumped them overboard. This blatant destruction of private property worth more than $1.7 million in today's money marked a major step in the march to outright rebellion. But Boston's defiance would not go unchecked. Instead, the British moved quickly to reassert their authority and crack down on colonial resistance.
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- [36:27]
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My journalistic curiosity got the best of me when I found out that my own sister had started an OnlyFans account.
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What happens when connection comes with a price tag? Listen to Only Fantasy wherever you get your podcasts or binge all episodes of Only Fantasy ad free right now only on Audible. Start your Audible subscription in the Audible app or on Apple Podcasts.
- [36:59]
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Hello, I'm Matt Ford. And I'm Alice Levine. And we're the hosts of British Scandal. Yes, we are. And our new series starts with a loud, lovable woman from Bermondsey who becomes one of the most famous people in British this is the story of Jade Gooding, the reality TV star who built a fortune just by being herself and then lost everything in one of the most public racism scandals Britain has ever seen. It's a story of fame and a change of the conversation around cervical cancer forever.
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Follow British Scandal wherever you get your podcasts or listen early and ad free on audible.
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In the spring of 1774, Britain's response to the Boston Tea Party was swift and harsh. In March, Prime Minister Lord Frederick north stood before Parliament and declared Boston the ringleader of all violence and opposition to the execution of the laws of this country. And to punish Massachusetts and set an example for the other colonies, Parliament passed a series of laws known as the Coercive Acts. First, Parliament closed Boston's port until the town paid for the tea they destroyed. And by preventing ships from going in and out, the law threatened to paralyze the local economy. Another measure permitted the British army to quarter soldiers in private homes. And in a major affront to Massachusetts proud history of local governance, Parliament revoked the colony's charter and banned most public meetings. To enforce these new laws, King George III appointed General Thomas Gage, the commander of the British army in America, as royal governor of Massachusetts and made him responsible for appointing all judges, magistrates and sheriffs. Gage was on leave in London when the news broke of the Boston Tea Party and meeting with the King he advised him that Americans will be lions whilst we are lambs, but if we take the resolute part, they will undoubtedly prove very meek. King George was persuaded that a little show of force would go a long way in bringing the colonies to heel. So he sent Gage back to Boston with four fresh regiments of soldiers. But this new strategy quickly backfired. While the Coercive Acts were designed to isolate Massachusetts and intimidate the other colonies into submission, instead they brought the colonies closer together, and the attack on Massachusetts was seen as an attack on all. And across America, the measures were denounced under a new name, the Intolerable Acts. A group of Maryland landowners spoke for many when they declared that Boston was suffering in the common cause of America. Support poured in from other colonies. The Virginia Colonial assembly declared a day of fasting and prayer. In solidarity, many communities sent food and supplies to Boston, where the closure of the port raised the specter of widespread hunger. Meanwhile, colonists in Massachusetts refused to accept Gage's authority as their new governor. In the summer of 1774, mobs forced the resignations of Crown appointed officials and descended on courthouses to prevent judges and lawyers from holding court, effectively shutting down the legal system. And even though Gage had dissolved the Massachusetts assembly, its members reconvened anyway, forming a shadow government in defiance of British authority. Meanwhile, all across Massachusetts, men began forming militias and stockpiling weapons and ammunition. This growing crisis underscored the need for a united front. So in September 1774, leaders from every colony but Georgia gathered in Philadelphia for the first Continental Congress. Patrick Henry described the new spirit of unity taking hold, declaring the distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers and New Englanders are no more. I am not a Virginian, but an American. And after seven weeks, this Continental Congress issued a formal declaration affirming that the colonists were entitled to the same rights as English citizens and that Parliament had no authority to pass laws governing the colonies. But despite their objection to British overreach, there were no calls for independence. George Washington summarized the prevailing opinion when he declared that independence was not desired by any thinking man in all North America. Instead, the Continental Congress appealed directly to King George, asking him to have the Intolerable Acts repealed. But as far as the king was concerned, the Continental Congress was an illegal body that deserved no response. He told the prime minister, the New England governments are in a state of rebellion. Blows must decide whether they are to be subject to this country or independent. But at the same time that the Continental Congress issued their appeal to the king, they also pursued more concrete action. Adopting a plan to disrupt British trade. In the 1770s, American markets were the fastest growing and most valuable of all of Britain's trading partners. The delegates hope that if they boycotted British goods, the economic pressure would persuade Parliament to back down. So on October 20th, the Continental Congress introduced a sweeping boycott of British trade known as the Continental Association. And throughout the colonies, local committees were tasked with enforcing strict compliance. Imagine it's March 1775 in Wilmington, North Carolina. You're lingering over breakfast with your family when you hear a knock on the front door. You plant a kiss on your daughter's head as you walk to the entrance, wondering who could be calling at this hour. As you open the door, you're startled by the sight of two dozen men standing in your front yard. Yes, can I help you? At the front of the crowd stands a middle aged man wearing a powdered wig. He examines you closely, his brow furrowed with suspicion. Hello, sir. My name is Mr. Archibald McClane, Chairman of the Wilmington Committee of Safety and Inspection. Could you please confirm that you are head of the household for this address? I am, but why do you ask? One of your neighbors intercepted a letter from you. I'm sorry, I don't understand. One of my neighbors opened my mail? Yes. A letter expressing concern about the boycott on British goods. Well, so what if I did? It is concerning. What business of that is yours? We have a duty to ensure the entire community is aligned against Parliament. Do you wish to recant your statement and issue an apology? An apology? To whom? That was a private letter, sir. Failure to comply will lead to your total isolation from the community. Your neighbors will be forbidden from speaking with you, even in church. Is that what you want for your business? For your family? You glance at the crowd of men filling your yard, anxiety tightening within you. Deep down, you don't see how your community could so openly defy British authority. But you also so don't want to be publicly shamed. Well, yes. Then I recant my statement. I spoke out of turn. It was a mistake. We will require a signature. One of the other men hands McClane a piece of paper. He holds it up for you to see. By signing this document, you pledge your full, informed support for the Continental Association. Well, allow me to retrieve my pen and ink pot. You take the document from him and rush to your study, past the bewildered stares of your wife and children. You have no wish to incur the scrutiny of your neighbors, but privately, you're stunned by the forceful methods of people who claim to be protesting tyranny. By 1775, local committees maintained strict adherence to the boycott on British goods by spying on their neighbors, forcing them to sign loyalty oaths, and publishing the names of violators in newspapers. The threat of being stigmatized and shunned was a powerful weapon of enforcement, with one Pennsylvania writer saying that being declared a public was more dreadful to a free man than the gallows, the rake, or the stake. And through these boycotts, the colonists had hoped to pressure Parliament to hear their demands. But British officials refused to make concessions. Instead, each new report of colonial defiance stiffened their resolve to crush the resistance with decisive action. And in the spring of 1775, the Prime Minister ordered General Gage to arrest two of Boston's most prominent radicals, John Hancock and Samuel Adams, both of whom were in hiding in the small town of Lexington, Massachusetts. Afterwards, Gage planned to lead a raid on a colonial arsenal in the larger town of Concord. But before Gage could act, colonial spies got word of his plan. As British troops mobilized on the night of April 18th, Boston Rebels Paul Revere and Samuel Dawes set out to warn the countryside, taking separate routes in case either was captured. During his 10 mile ride to Lexington, Revere spread the alarm to local militias, declaring, the regulars are coming out. And just after midnight, both riders reached Adams and Hancock, who narrowly escaped capture in Lexington. Later that night, Revere was seized by a British patrol. But a young doctor he'd met along the road managed to carry the warning on to Concord, so that when dawn broke on April 19, 1775, 700 British troops marched on Lexington, where they found 70 colonial militiamen waiting for them on the village green. A shot rang out, sparking a brief but deadly skirmish that left eight colonists dead and nine wounded. Next, the British marched six miles west to Concord, where they were met by a rapidly growing force of militiamen at the town's north bridge. Roughly 400 of these militiamen forced the British regulars to retreat under heavy fire. And as the British marched back to Boston, militias lined the road to continue firing on them. The colonists had won, and the events of the day would forever be remembered as the first shots of the Revolutionary War. In the aftermath of Lexington and Concord, thousands of colonists prepared to take up arms against Britain in defense of their rights. In New York, rebels paraded through the streets and raided the city arsenal. In Charleston, authorities began to fortify the harbor against a possible British siege. In Virginia, legislative leaders donned homespun garments with the words Liberty or death embroidered on their coats in honor of Patrick Henry's powerful call to arms. Give me liberty or give me death. And across the colonies men of all ages enlisted in militias, one 16 year old volunteer recalled. The whole country became electrified and almost everyone, young and old gold, were formed into companies. But most colonists were not yet fighting for independence. Instead, they steeled themselves for battle to defend their rights and freedoms as subjects of the British Empire. So even as they hurled down the path of rebellion, few could imagine the long, bloody war to independence that lay ahead. From Audible Originals this is episode one of our six part series on the American Revolution for American Historytellers. In the next episode, after the bloody Battle of Bunker Hill, newly appointed Commander in chief George Washington struggles to transform a patchwork of amateur militias into a unified army. The Second Continental Congress gathers in Philadelphia and patriots and Loyalists debate whether to take the unprecedented step of declaring independence from Great Britain. Follow American Historytellers on the Audible app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes of American Historytellers ad free by joining Audible. And to find out more about me and my other projects, including my live stage show coming to a theater near you, go to NotThatLinseyGraham.com that's NotThatLinseyGraham.com American Historytellers is hosted, edited and produced by me, Lindsey Graham for Airship. This episode is written by Ellie Stanley Edited by Dorian Marina Senior producers are Aleda Ryazanski and Andy Herman. Managing Producer Desi Blaylock Audio editing by Mohammad Shahzib Music by Thrum Sound design by Molly Bach Executive Producer for Audible Jenny Lauer Beckman, Head of Creative Development at Audible Kate Navin, Head of Audible Originals North America Marshall Louie Chief Content Officer Rachel Gyazza Copyright 202026 by Audible Originals, LLC Sound Recording Copyright 2026 by Audible Originals.