2 – Taxes & Tea: Tensions Mount

Media Type
Audio
Spotify URL
49 min 13 s
Season 1

What was supposed to be a decade of peace and prosperity is actually the road to revolution.

In this episode of Revolution Revisited, host Maggie Creech and guest historian Dr. Richard Bell delve into the critical decade leading up to the American Revolution, from 1763 to 1773.

 

Inside the Episode:

As Britain grappled with post-war financial crisis, its new taxation policies on the American colonies ignited simmering tensions and widespread defiance. Explore key events including the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Acts, and learn how these taxes led to colonial protests, boycotts, and a growing demand for representation. Discover the pivotal moments of intercolonial unity and resistance that set the stage for the revolution. This episode highlights not just the economic grievances but the burgeoning American identity and the quest for rights and freedom that would define a nation.

Guest:

  • Dr. Richard "Rick" Bell: Professor of History at the University of Maryland and author of the book, Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home, which was a finalist for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize. He has held major research fellowships at Yale, Cambridge, and the Library of Congress and is the recipient of the National Endowment of the Humanities Public Scholar award and the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship. He serves as a Trustee of the Maryland Center for History and Culture and as a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Recommended Resources

  • Forced Founders: Indians, Debtors, Slaves, and the Making of the American Revolution in Virginia by Woody Holton
  • The Common Cause by Robert Parkinson

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Revolution Revisited 
01:36 Setting the Stage: Post-War Financial Crisis 
04:53 Colonial Reactions to British Taxation 
07:42 The Sugar Act and Its Impact 
10:05 The Stamp Act: A Direct Tax on Daily Life 
13:55 Patrick Henry and the Virginia Resolves 
28:52 The Townshend Acts and Colonial Boycotts 
38:34 The Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party 
43:50 The Coercive Acts and Rising Tensions 
47:55 Conclusion and Next Episode

COLLECTION SPOTLIGHT:

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The front and back of a revenue stamp from the British Stamp Act in 1765.

VMHC Object Number 1856.1 

Revenue stamp, British Stamp Act 1765

This revenue stamp is from the British Stamp Act in 1765. It is an impressed duty stamp, created by impressing (embossing) a stamp onto a document to show that the required duty (tax) had been paid. This embossed stamp was used in America issued with a date of registration by the British government on April 18th, 1765, for the amount of II shillings and VI pence to pay for an original grant, deed or conveyance of land of above 200 acres but not exceeding 320 acres. The tax was enforced by making the documents unenforceable in court if they had not been properly stamped.

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A spoon

VMHC Object Number 1972.12 

Stamp Act Spoon, 1766

This English silver serving spoon, commissioned by Landon Carter, a colonial writer and member of the House of Burgesses, celebrates the 1766 repeal of the Stamp Act. The reverse of the handle is engraved with Carter's initials, the date, and the words "Repeal of the American Stamp Act." Carter ordered tablespoons from London, specifying they be crafted in silver if the Stamp Act was repealed or in horn if it remained. Receiving a silver spoon represented a personal victory for Carter, who was the first public official in Virginia to speak out against the act.

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Three sepia-toned handwritten pages of the George Mercer Petition to King George III, 1772

Petition, 1772 February 20, London, Eng., to King George III. VMHC Call Number Mss2 M5345 a 1  

George Mercer Petition to King George III, 1772

George Mercer (1733–1784) was a prominent Virginian who served alongside George Washington during the French and Indian War and represented Frederick County in the House of Burgesses (1761–1765). Appointed stamp collector for Maryland and Virginia in 1765, Mercer quickly resigned due to fierce opposition from colleagues and constituents, as seen in this 1772 petition. He later testified before Parliament, warning that enforcing the Stamp Act in America would provoke unrest. Mercer stayed in England during the American Revolution, even as several family members, including his cousin George Mason, became leading Patriots.

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A white teapot with a floral pattern and a handwritten letter adhered to the base.

VMHC Object Number 1934.1.6.A-B 

Teapot belonging to Col. Francis West (1711-1796)

This teapot belonged to Col. Francis West (1711–1796), who reportedly drank tea from it in secret after the 1773 Boston Tea Party. While boycotts of British goods were central to resisting the Crown, they were difficult to enforce. Many colonists resisted changing their lifestyles, and support for rebellion was not universal. West’s private actions reflect the tension between public resistance and private adherence to familiar comforts, showcasing the complexities of colonial America's struggle for independence.

Season 1 Production Credits

Revolution Revisited™ is produced by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.
This podcast is made possible by the generous support of William & Karen Fralin.

Host: Maggie Creech
Lead Producer & Director: Hailey Fenner
Associate Producers: Nicole Martorana and Tracy Schneider
Additional Content Contribution: Sam Florer, Dr. James Herrera-Brookes, Michael Plumb, and Andrew Talkov
Special Thanks: Theresa House
Audio Production: ProPodcast Solutions
Music: "Look At Me Now" by Clejan