978-1-4222-3353-5

16

The American Revolution

But for colonists, it didn’t matter how a tax was structured. In their view, no tax was legal unless approved by their own representatives. Other provisions of the new laws also inflamed the colonists. The vice-admiralty courts were especially troubling. Like taxation without representation, the courts violated a basic right guaranteed by England’s constitution: the right of citizens accused of a crime to a trial by jury. Rising Tensions In February 1768, the Massachusetts assembly approved a letter to be sent to other colonial assemblies. The “circular letter” laid out objections to the Townshend Acts. It suggested that the colonial legislatures consider unified action. That suggestion made British officials nervous. The Massachusetts assembly was ordered to retract its circular letter. The assembly refused. The governor of Massachusetts promptly dissolved the assembly. Tensions simmered. In June, a British warship sent to Boston seized the merchant vessel Liberty on suspicion of smuggling. The Liberty was owned by one of the Massachusetts colony’s most prominent citizens, John Hancock. Its seizure sparked a massive riot on Boston’s waterfront. Britain’s secretary of state for the colonies, Lord Hillsborough, responded to the unrest by dispatching several thousand British soldiers to Boston. The redcoats began arriving on October 1, 1768. Throughout the 13 colonies, some people refused to buy British products as a way to protest the Townshend Acts. Merchants in port cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Charleston signed non-importation agreements. They pledged to stop ordering goods from Great Britain. As a result of the boycotts , British trade with the colonies plummeted. British manufacturers and merchants felt the pinch. Some grumbled that Parliament should reconsider its policies. By early 1770, Great Britain had a new prime minister, Frederick North, who agreed. Lord North convinced Parliament to repeal all the Townshend duties except the one