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== Violence Begins ==

== Violence Begins ==

In 1770, in what became known as the "Boston Massacre," British troops fired upon and a colonial mob for throwing snowballs (with rocks in them) at the soldiers.  The massacre resulted in the death of 5 citizens. (The future President John Adams then served as the defense attorney for the British soldiers, and obtained "not guilty" (acquittal) verdicts for them because they were provoked into shooting.)

In 1770, in what became known as the "Boston Massacre," British troops (which had been stationed in Boston to enforce the Townshend Act) fired upon a colonial mob that was throwing snowballs (with rocks in them) at the soldiers.  The massacre resulted in the death of 5 colonists.<ref>http://www.bostonmassacre.net/plot/detailed1.htm</ref>.  The future President John Adams then served as the defense attorney for the British soldiers, and obtained "not guilty" (acquittal) verdicts for them because they were provoked into shooting.

There was relative calm from 1770 to 1773.  But the calm was not complete, broken most notably by the Gaspee incident in 1772.  The Gaspee was a British ship which ran aground while chasing smugglers.  Citizens of Rhode Island boarded the ship and burned her, to the King’s great outrage.

This incident outraged the colonies, but it was followed by relative calm from 1770 to 1773.  Things were not completely calm, however.  In 1772, in what became known as the Gaspee incident, Rhode Island colonists boarded the British Gaspee ship and burned her, to the King's great outrage.  The Gaspee had run aground while chasing smugglers, and the Rhode Island colonists had taken advantage of its misfortune.

During this period of calm, Samuel Adams established another organization: the Committee of Correspondence.  This group, and others like it throughout the colonies shared information on the British’s activities in the colonies.   

Meanwhile, the revolutionary Samuel Adams was busy establishing a resistance organization known as the Committee of Correspondence.  This group, and others like it throughout the colonies, shared and disseminated information on the Britain's activities.   

Thus, although conflicts diminished somewhat from 1770 to 1773, colonists retained their opposition to British oppression.  The tea tax remained in effect, so many colonists refused to drink British tea, and once again, their boycott was felt in England.

Thus, although conflicts diminished somewhat from 1770 to 1773, colonists retained their opposition to British oppression.  The tea tax remained in effect, so many colonists refused to drink British tea, and once again, their boycott was felt in England.

Bent on destroying the colonists’ boycott of English tea, England next passed the Tea Act of 1773.  A large British tea company, the East India Company, lobbied for and obtained [[monopoly]] (exclusive) rights from the England.  The East India Company had a huge inventory of tea and received an exception from the tea tax.  On the whole, this would have significantly lowered the price of tea in the colonies.  But colonists realized the danger that lay in the establishment of a monopoly on an item taxed as heavily as tea.  Resistance began to rise.

Bent on breaking the colonists' boycott of English tea, England next passed the Tea Act of 1773.  A large British tea company, the East India Company, lobbied for and obtained [[monopoly]] (exclusive) rights from the England.  The East India Company had a huge inventory of tea and received an exception from the tea tax.  On the whole, this would have significantly lowered the price of tea in the colonies.  But colonists realized the danger that lay in the establishment of a monopoly on an item taxed as heavily as tea.  Resistance began to rise.

The East India Company proceeded to import tea from their huge inventory to Boston Harbor, where they planned to undersell colonial merchants.  The Puritans of Massachusetts were outraged.  They tried to have the tea turned back to England, but the royally-appointed governor refused.  On December 16, 1773, a group of colonists led by Samuel Adams disguised themselves as Indians and boarded the tea ships.  They dumped all of its tea into Boston Harbor.  The task took an entire night, as the ships contained 350 chests of tea.  That tea was worth about 1.87 million dollars of today’s currency.

The East India Company proceeded to import tea from their huge inventory to Boston Harbor, where they planned to undersell colonial merchants.  The Puritans of Massachusetts were outraged.  They tried to have the tea turned back to England, but the royally-appointed governor refused.  On December 16, 1773, a group of colonists led by Samuel Adams disguised themselves as Indians and boarded the tea ships.  They dumped all of its tea into Boston Harbor.  The task took an entire night, as the ships contained 350 chests of tea.  That tea was worth about 1.87 million dollars of today’s currency.