Dive into the dramatic story of the American Revolution, from colonial unrest to the birth of a new nation.

[ti:Unrest in the Colonies]
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[00:00.18]Long before the first shots were fired, tensions simmered between the American colonies and Great Britain.
[00:06.48]The British government imposed new taxes, like the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, to help pay for debts from the French and Indian War.
[00:14.68]Colonists, feeling their rights were ignored, protested.
[00:18.64]"No taxation without representation," became their rallying cry.
[00:22.90]In 1770, the Boston Massacre left five colonists dead, fueling anger and resentment.
[00:30.12]Soon after, the Boston Tea Party saw colonists dump a shipment of British tea into the harbor in protest of the Tea Act.
[00:38.12]Britain responded with the Coercive Acts, harsh laws meant to punish Massachusetts.
[00:43.58]Rather than backing down, the colonies began to unite.
[00:47.54]Delegates from 12 colonies met in Philadelphia in 1774 for the first Continental Congress.
[00:54.82]They petitioned the king, organized boycotts, and prepared for the possibility of war.
[01:00.28]The stage was set for revolution.


Long before the first shots were fired, tensions simmered between the American colonies and Great Britain. The British government imposed new taxes, like the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, to help pay for debts from the French and Indian War. Colonists, feeling their rights were ignored, protested: No taxation without representation became their rallying cry. In 1770, the Boston Massacre left five colonists dead, fueling anger and resentment. Soon after, the Boston Tea Party saw colonists dump a shipment of British tea into the harbor in protest of the Tea Act. Britain responded with the Coercive Acts, harsh laws meant to punish Massachusetts. Rather than backing down, the colonies began to unite. Delegates from twelve colonies met in Philadelphia in 1774 for the First Continental Congress. They petitioned the king, organized boycotts, and prepared for the possibility of war. The stage was set for revolution.

The American Revolution

Unrest in the Colonies