Summary of Ray Raphael's A People's History of the American Revolution

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 In November of 1747, the people of Boston rose up against the British Navy and their impressment practices. They placed a deputy sheriff in the stocks, seized officers of the Lark as hostages, and broke the windows of the Council chamber.

#2 Following in the tradition of English riots, American colonists took to the streets to demonstrate their opposition to the British taxation which followed the French and Indian War. By the end of 1765, the stamp distributors in all colonies except Georgia had resigned their posts.

#3 The Stamp Act riots were a result of the British Parliament trying to stamp out American independence. They were a mix of poor laborers and seamen who were angry at the rich merchants and officials who flaunted their wealth or abused their power.

#4 As the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, many colonists objected to the abuse of power by the British Parliament. The issue was simple and straightforward: no taxation without representation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Aug 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9798350018004

IRB Media

With IRB books, you can get the key takeaways and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

Book preview

Insights on Ray Raphael's A People's History of the American Revolution

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 5

Insights from Chapter 6

Insights from Chapter 7

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

In November of 1747, the people of Boston rose up against the British Navy and their impressment practices. They placed a deputy sheriff in the stocks, seized officers of the Lark as hostages, and broke the windows of the Council chamber.

#2

Following in the tradition of English riots, American colonists took to the streets to demonstrate their opposition to the British taxation which followed the French and Indian War. By the end of 1765, the stamp distributors in all colonies except Georgia had resigned their posts.

#3

The Stamp Act riots were a result of the British Parliament trying to stamp out American independence. They were a mix of poor laborers and seamen who were angry at the rich merchants and officials who flaunted their wealth or abused their power.

#4

As the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, many colonists objected to the abuse of power by the British Parliament. The issue was simple and straightforward: no taxation without representation.

#5

In Boston, the leader of the Stamp Act riots was Ebenezer MacIntosh, a debt-ridden shoemaker from the South End. He was appointed a fireman for Engine Company No. 9 in 1760, and rose to prominence in the annual Pope’s Day riots.

#6

The American Revolution was fueled by class antagonisms. The lower classes hated horse racing and gambling, customs of the plantation gentry. The theater was also boycotted, because the majority of people could not afford to go there.

#7

The politics of tea contributed to a transformation of social relationships. When rumor spread that Isaac Jones of Weston, Massachusetts, had been selling tea at his tavern, thirty patriots disguised with war paint broke all his windows, smashed his bowls, mugs, and china, and then forced him to apologize for his crime.

#8

The Boston Tea Party was the most famous example of the alliance between American interests and those of the colonists. On December 16, 1773, the day before customs officials were entitled to seize the cargo and land it themselves, an estimated 5,000 people traveled through a cold, steady rain to gather at the Old South Meeting House. The meeting decided to send Francis Rotch, captain of the Dartmouth, to make one final appeal to the governor.

#9

The Boston Tea Party was a completely contained and disciplined action. It was done at night, in the rain, and with a small group of people who were chosen for the task.

#10

The theory of diffusion – that ideas spread from the few to the many – has been used to explain the actions of the Boston mob in terms of Samuel Adams and his propagandists. But this is not always the case. People tend to pursue their personal interests and the interests of their communities of their own volition.

#11

Hewes was a typical example of the rabble that the British called the American population. He was poor, saucy, and at home in the streets of Boston. His political education started in 1768 with the occupation of Boston by 4,000 British troops.

#12

George Hewes was a street activist in Boston who