Page 147 - American Stories, A History of the United States

A budgetary crisis forced Townshend to make good on his boast. His scheme was a
5.1 grab bag of duties on American imports of paper, glass, paint, lead, and tea, collectively
known as the Townshend Revenue Acts (June–July 1767). He hoped to generate suf-
ficient funds to pay the salaries of royal governors and other imperial officers, freeing
5.2 them from dependence on the colonial assemblies.
The chancellor recognized that without tough enforcement his duties would not
produce the promised revenues. Therefore, he created an American Board of Customs

5.3 Commissioners, a body based in Boston, supported by reorganized vice-admiralty
courts in Boston, Philadelphia, and Charles Town. For good measure, Townsh-
end persuaded Parliament to order the governor of New York to veto all bills that
colony’s assembly passed until it supplied resident British troops in accordance with
5.4
the Quartering Act (May 1765). This law required the colonies to house soldiers in
barracks, taverns, and vacant buildings and provide the army with firewood, candles,
and beer, among other items. Many Americans regarded this as more taxation without
representation, and in New York, at least, colonists refused to pay.
Americans showed no more willingness to pay Townshend’s duties than they had
Quick Check to buy Grenville’s stamps. The Sons of Liberty organized boycotts of British goods.
Why did Charles Townshend so badly Men and women took oaths before neighbors promising not to purchase certain goods
misread the American situation?
until Parliament repealed their unconstitutional taxation.

surge of Force
In October 1768, British rulers made another mistake, one that raised tensions
almost to the pitch they had reached during the Stamp Act riots. The issue at the
heart of the trouble was the army. To save money and intimidate troublemakers, the

Read the Document Boston Gazette, Description of the Boston Massacre (1770)

ThE BosTon massaCRE this etching by Paul Revere shows british redcoats firing on ordinary citizens,
an event known as the boston Massacre. in subsequent editions, the blood spurting from the dying Americans
became more conspicuous.
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