Lead-up to Revolution

In the 1760s and 1770s, British attempts to increase control over the American colonies were met with growing contempt and hostility. The Stamp Act was passed in 1765, requiring colonies to use stamped paper for legal documents, newspapers, and commercial paper; when officials came to Boston to regulate these documents, masked men intimidated them until they retreated. British soldiers occupying Boston were frequent targets of ridicule, and surcharges on imports such as glass, paint, and tea resulted in boycotts from colonists. On March 5, 1770, the British fought back, firing into a crowd and killing five Americans— an event that is now known as the Boston Massacre. Eventually, Britain relaxed their control, and taxes were repealed, apart from a tax on tea. On December 16, 1773, the Boston Tea Party occurred when a group of men dressed as Native Americans dumped 340 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. The following year, British Parliament passed a series of measures in response to the event, including a ban on town meetings and the closing of Boston’s port. Ammunition was seized from colonists by British general Thomas Gage in an effort to alleviate the potential military threat to his troops. In April 1775, the American Revolution began when the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord.

Letter from acting Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson to Gov. Francis Bernard describing the
Boston Massacre

Letter from Benjamin Franklin regarding a
Parliamentary act

A letter from the
Speaker of the Massachusetts House
of Representatives to Benjamin Franklin

Proclamation of
Gov. Thomas Gage, denouncing the proceedings of Provincial Congress as illegitimate

Writs of Assistance case, including petition by Thomas Lechmere and writ of assistance issued June 1762

Address to the King, thanking him for assenting to the repeal of the Stamp Act

Letter summarizing
the disorder in Massachusetts in connection with the Stamp Act

Two letters from Thomas Hutchinson, one summarizing the Boston Tea Party and one discussing its aftermath

Resolve electing several well-known figures as a committee to meet committees from several other colonies at Philadelphia

Letter to Gov.
Thomas Gage from the Massachusetts Congress on the disastrous effects of the Intolerable Acts, asking him to reconsider

Proclamation of
King George III to suppress rebellion and sedition in the North American colonies

Letter from the Massachusetts House
of Representatives to the Virginia House
of Burgesses

Resolve of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress establishing a pay scale for soldiers raised for
the war

Docket entry for
John Hancock

Docket entry for
John Hancock's ship,
the HMS Liberty

Inquest of Michael Johnson (alias for Crispus Attucks) after the Boston Massacre

Revolutionary War

Curated by: Colette Pollauf
With Assistance From: Yolande Bennett & Elizabeth O'Connell

Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Lead-up to Revolution

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