ShmoopTube

Where Monty Python meets your 10th grade teacher.

Search Thousands of Shmoop Videos


5th Grade Videos 246 videos

ELA 5: How to Spot Bias
3247 Views

Check out the best bias video ever made, courtesy of the most awesome and amazing educational website in existence.

Social Studies 5: Impeachment
1011 Views

No, this isn't a terrible new mint-peach bubble gum flavor...though it does tend to leave a bad taste in people's mouths.

Social Studies 5: Jamestown
335 Views

Those settlers in Jamestown really should have settled down with all that land-stealing. Tobacco's bad for you anyway.

See All

Social Studies 5: Most Intolerable: British Acts and Taxes 123 Views


Share It!


Description:

Today we're learning about the "Intolerable Acts." Things like housing British soldiers in colonial homes, closing harbors, and putting caps on "unlimited" data plans. Yugh.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:06

[Dino and Coop singing]

00:13

In the 1760s, the British government was broke. [Hammer smashes a piggy bank]

00:16

They needed an infusion of cash, and stat.

00:19

But then someone was like, "right well, why don't we just tax those colonies in America?"

00:24

And everyone else was like, "oooooh right…yeah, let's do that." [People in historical dress]

00:27

The colonies had totally benefitted from the British Army’s victory in the expensive

00:31

French and Indian War.

00:32

Plus, England hadn’t been enforcing some taxes that were already in place, allowing [Boat arriving at a port]

00:36

colonists like John Hancock to easily smuggle in goods.

00:39

So taxing the colonists seemed totally fair.

00:42

Except that the colonists had no representation in Parliament, meaning they had no input in [Uncle Sam arriving at a parliament meeting]

00:47

laws that affected them.

00:48

Needless to say, the colonists were caught totally by surprise.

00:52

And they weren't super happy about any of it. [Uncle Sam with his fists up ready to fight]

00:55

So what kind of new taxes were the colonists looking at? [Coop pointing at a blackboard]

00:57

Well, The Stamp Tax forced colonists to use paper made in England and sealed with a revenue

01:02

stamp for things like legal documents and newspapers.

01:06

And while the Sugar Tax amount actually decreased–– [Dino pointing at a blackboard]

01:08

for the first time ever it was actually being enforced––boo!

01:12

And then came the Townshend Acts.

01:14

They were the brainchild of this guy.

01:16

Charles Townshend. [Picture of Townshend]

01:18

What a cleverly named act.

01:19

They levied taxes on lots of everyday items. [People at a restaurant]

01:22

To all of which the colonists said, “Uh, no thanks?” [Guy says no thanks to the bill]

01:26

George ended up repealing all those taxes – except the one on tea. [Taxes being crossed out on a list]

01:29

In truth, the taxes didn’t add up to much, but for the colonists, it was more the principle [King George shaking an empty piggy bank]

01:34

of the thing.

01:35

If George could do this to them, what else might he do?

01:38

Drum roll please… he could enforce The Intolerable Acts!

01:43

The Intolerable Acts included things like allowing British troops to be quartered in

01:47

private homes…

01:48

…and the closing of Boston Harbor, which costs the colonies a fortune.

01:52

George thought he’d shown the colonists who was boss…

01:54

… but he only really succeeded in making them angry. [Colonists throwing a painting of King George on the floor]

01:57

Really, really angry…

01:59

He also solidified America's preference for coffee. [Two women walking out of Starbucks]

02:02

Guess we all have post-traumatic tea tax disorder…

Related Videos

ELA 5: How to Spot Bias
3247 Views

Check out the best bias video ever made, courtesy of the most awesome and amazing educational website in existence.

Social Studies 5: Impeachment
1011 Views

No, this isn't a terrible new mint-peach bubble gum flavor...though it does tend to leave a bad taste in people's mouths.

Social Studies 5: Jamestown
335 Views

Those settlers in Jamestown really should have settled down with all that land-stealing. Tobacco's bad for you anyway.

Social Studies 5: The Birth of Canada
199 Views

Being born out of multiple wars doesn't quite seem to fit the peaceful, polite Canadians we know and love today...oh wait, they were called The Bea...

Social Studies 5: How to Analyze a Political Cartoon
636 Views

Not every cartoon is meant to entertain small children while their mother gets some "Mommy time." There are also political cartoons, which are mean...