History Lesson

Younger Daughter (YD) & I are going through her history reading for today. It covers the period from 1763 to 1783, which includes a LOT of history.

The Stamp Act and subsequent protest in 1765 drew my attention. Parliament, having received numerous protests from the wealthy lords about high property taxes, was busy shifting at least some of the burden to "the Colonies". They were aware, of course, that the lords voted while the colonists were far, far away and had no votes with which they could threaten.

The Stamp Act was, in effect, a value-added tax (a national sales tax, if you will) which placed a tax on essentially every paper transaction. If it was written on paper, it was subject to the new tax - this included everything from marriage licenses and documents of all kinds.

The colonists worried that if some documents were subject to the tax, then all might eventually be: Bibles and religious tracts were considered at risk. But making printed documents subject to this new tax ensured that the printing presses in the colonies would be aligned firmly against the distant, hostile government in London.

Colonists began forming organizations with the specific task of disrupting the collection of those taxes. "Sons of Liberty" was a popular name, and many such groups adopted it. These groups harassed the tax agents, burned the home of Massachusetts' lieutenant governor, and destroyed the stamps themselves.

The State assemblies began to offer resolutions condemning the Act, and encouraging resistance. In the face of the unified resistance, Parliament backed down. But several issues began to boil, culminating in a the war of rebellion a few short years later:

• The colonists' view of the British soldiers as an occupying force became wide-spread.
• Parliament's view of the colonists as spoiled, ignorant children solidified.
• Colonists' resentment of taxation without representation became a cause célèbre.
• Landowners in England, faced once again with rising taxes, insisted that Parliament "do something".
• Parliament issued a Declaratory Act, stating its authority to adopt new taxes whenever.
• King George III dismissed governors, and formed a new colonial government. Parliament gave the new coalition broad powers to whip the rebels into line.
• Parliament began cracking down on colonial Assemblies, and effectively throwing its weight around.
  

Contrary to what is usually taught in public school - if it's mentioned at all - the Boston Tea Party was NOT the beginning of the rebellion. It was the culmination of 10 years of active resistance.

At this point in the lesson, YD asked me, "Are we talking about history, or current events?"

That's my girl.