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


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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…

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