The Founding of America - 1773-1777 - from the William Reese Company
- By Michael Stillman
The American Revolution begins.
A recent unusual, and inaccurate, description of the ride of Paul Revere by a possible presidential candidate is a reminder of how much we as Americans have collectively forgotten about our heritage. The William Reese Company has provided something of an antidote for our ignorance of this critical period in our nation's history with their Bulletin 20: The Crisis: From the Boston Tea Party to the Articles of Confederation 1773-1777. This is not a substitute for a good history book, but Reese has weaved a running commentary about the times through the 34 items offered pertaining to the period of the founding of this nation. The reality is that those most likely to collect these wonderful pieces of history probably know the story already, but an occasional reminder may help us to better appreciate the greatness of our founders, and maybe, just maybe, try a bit harder to emulate them.
Many people are not aware that the American Revolution did not start with the Declaration of Independence. It would be hard to pick a starting date. It just built up, as aggrieved colonists, particularly in Massachusetts, reacted to growing pressure and demands from Britain with resistance, increasingly armed resistance as pressure mounted. There had already been several military confrontations long before the Continental Congress made its demands known once and for all in the Declaration of Independence.
The bulletin begins with a broadside headed BOSTON, December 1, 1773, which reports on a meeting of people in the area to determine "…the most proper and effectual method to prevent the unloading, receiving or vending of detestable tea sent out by the East-India Company…" The problem here wasn't that the tea tasted bad. The British love their tea, and we were all Brits then. The issue was that Britain had given the East India Co. a monopoly on the tea trade, and slapped import duties on the product. Of course we all now know how the citizens of Massachusetts decided to prevent the unloading of the "detestable" tea. They dumped it in Boston Harbor, an event recalled as the "Boston Tea Party." Item 1. Priced at $48,000.
King George could have reacted to the Tea Party in two ways. He could have tried to understand the colonists' anger and find ways to assuage it, or he could clamp down on them even harder. He chose the latter. Item 2 is a set of the five acts of the British Parliament collectively known as the Intolerable Acts. Passed in response to the Tea Party, they closed the port of Boston until the colonists paid the East India Company for the dumped tea, revoked Massachusetts' charter, effectively imposing martial law, allowed Americans to be taken to England for trial, forced residents to quarter British soldiers, and provided certain advantages to Quebec colonists saw as a slap in the face. Once again, George III misread the colonists, who became even more rebellious rather than submissive. $35,000.
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The Founding of America - 1773-1777 - from the William Reese Company
- By Michael Stillman
The first thorough account of Lexington and Concord.
Item 12 is a copy of A Narrative of the Excursion and Ravages of the King's Troops Under the Command of General Gage, On the nineteenth of April, 1775. This is an account of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, one of those armed confrontations well before the colonies declared independence. It was to warn of the advance of British troops seeking to capture the colonists' inland ammunition storage as well as their leaders that sent Paul Revere out on his "midnight ride" mission to warn the militiamen of the advancing enemy. Adequately forewarned, the Massachusetts "Minutemen" were able to pick off advancing British soldiers and force them back to Boston, mission unaccomplished. This account is the first detailed report of the famed battle, published by noted Massachusetts printer Isaiah Thomas within in a week of the battle. $125,000.
The Massachusetts colonists and British soldiers would mix it up again later that year at Bunker Hill, an official British "victory" that did more to enhance the colonists' confidence than help the British subdue them. Once again, King George misread their determination. Item 19 is a London broadside printed in August 1775, headed By the King A Proclamation For Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition. In it George requires all colonists to help the British by disclosing who the rebels are and assist in bringing them to punishment, at pain of their own punishment for failure to comply. Like all other attempts to intimidate the colonists, this one, too, only made them more determined. $75,000.
The rebellion would now spread to other colonies, and the British would confront a wall of opposition in America. In turn that would lead to the momentous declaration of July 4, 1776, when all of the colonies would vote to declare their independence from Great Britain. Item 30 is Volume II of the Journals of Congress, Containing the Proceedings in the Year 1776… published in 1777. This includes the first printing in the Journals of Congress of the Declaration of Independence. This copy belonged to Richard Bland Lee, brother of famed revolutionary "Light-Horse Harry" Lee, and uncle of the leader of America's next enormous crisis, Confederate General Robert E. Lee. $25,000.
In 1777, the now self-declared, though unrecognized 13 independent states would come together in a union. Item 34 is the 1777 Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union Between the States… That Union would be tried in the years ahead, but has endured conflict, crisis, and ignorance to this day. $75,000.
The William Reese Company may be reached at 203-789-8081 or amorder@reeseco.com. Their website is www.reeseco.com.
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