The 250th Anniversary of the Start of the American Revolution and the Place of Tariffs in It

By Philip R. Devlin

(April 15, 2025) — It is good to remember that controversy surrounding import taxes has a long history in America. The Townshend Acts passed by Parliament in 1767 sought to raise revenue to pay for the expensive French and Indian war (1756-1763) by placing a tariff on the thirteen colonies on items imported from England such as tea, glass, lead, paint, and paper. Widespread, fervent protests followed in the colonies that led to a repeal of taxes on all items– except for tea. We know what happened then! Tea got dumped into Boston Harbor, and the American Revolution ensued. In a very real sense the birth of this country came about as a consequence of import tariffs!

Below please find an edited excerpt written by 19^th century Connecticut historian and M.D. Henry Reed Stiles pertaining to the beginning of the American Revolution 250 years ago this month.

“It might have been presumed that the colonies, in retiring from a war in which they had borne so conspicuous and loyal a part, and from which they had themselves derived but little benefit, would have received from their sovereign [King George III] some mark of approbation…But that sovereign was weak, and his ministerial advisers were unprincipled and short-sighted. They found the treasury empty and the national debt increased by recent wars to almost seven millions of dollars. Their subjects at home were already alarmed and grumbling at the increased burden of taxation which seemed to await them. It was then that Grenville’s facile brain conceived the idea, ungenerous as it was unwise, of taxing the colonies by levying new duties upon their imports. This was the one straw too much which broke the camel’s back.”

“The colonists, who had sacrificed thousands of their best lives and treasures, and whose frontiers had for so many years been constantly drenched in blood, could not bear this new burden. From one and all arose a unanimous protest against “taxation without representation.”… It is true that a bill was passed in 1770 repealing the duty on all articles but tea. It was too late. For on that very day was enacting in the streets of Boston the tragedy of the Boston Massacre. Then came two years of outward quiet but really of seething unrest. Again, in December, 1773, the smoldering fire burst out anew, and Boston harbor witnessed the destruction of several cargoes of tea by a disguised but orderly band of patriots.”

Open rebellion began at Lexington and Concord 250 years ago on April 19, 1775. An alarm went out to all of the colonies for aid. Connecticut sent about 4,000 men to aid Massachusetts. The war for independence had begun.

Below is a description of the “Lexington Alarm” that first appeared in a book compiled by Connecticut’s Adjutant General in 1889:

“The crisis culminated on April 10, 1775. A detachment of British troops marching out from Boston to seize military stores, alleged to have been collected at Concord for hostile purposes, was met upon the road by the Provincials and a bloody encounter took place. The since famous skirmishes of Lexington and Concord were fought, which precipitated the Revolutionary War. An “alarm” was immediately spread in every direction…Throughout New England the news was rapidly carried by horse “expresses” from town to town. It was dispatched to Connecticut by the Massachusetts Committee of Safety at Watertown during the progress of the fighting, on “near ten o’clock” of Wednesday morning, April 19th: “The bearer, Israel Bessel, is charged to alarm the country… to Connecticut, and all persons are desired to furnish him with fresh horses as they may be needed.”

Below please find a list of the thirty-three men from Haddam who marched to defend Boston after learning about what had happened at Lexington and Concord:

Abraham Tyler, Captain, Seth Arnold, Samuel Boardman, Aimer Smith, Lieut., James Smith, Sergeant,   James Elias Smith, Jr, Charles Amos, Bailey, Sears, Jr., Joel Arnold, David Smith, John Scovil, Joseph Dickinson, Samuel .Marsh, Timothy Tyler, Corporal, Oliver Cone, Robert Bailey, David Leach, Nathaniel Hayes, David Spencer, Josiah Scovil, Porter Brooks, Stephen Spencer, David Arnold, Reuben Cone, Joshua Simons, Francis Lewis, Aaron Brainerd, Samuel Tyler, Herman Brainerd, John Willson, Benoni Simons, Jeremiah Bailey.

Below please find a list of the thirty-nine men from East Haddam who marched to defend Boston after learning about what had happened at Lexington and Concord:

Joseph Spencer, Colonel, John Villey, Captain, Daniel Cone, Lieut., Eliphalet Holmes, Isaac Spencer, Timothy Gates, Sergeant, Barzilla Beckwith, Solomon Cone, Zachariah Hungerford, Percival Gurd, Roswell Graves, Corporal, Levi Beebe, David Spencer, Stephen Ackley, Samuel Chapman, Hobert Anderson, Ichabod Champion, Silas Ackley, Jonah Cone, John Arnold, Levi Crosby, Nathan Beebe, Asa Dutton, Ezra Beckwith, Ambrose Church, Gideon Brainerd, Ely Gib, Adonijah Brainerd, Elisha A. Fowler, Jonah Brainerd, Bethuel Fuller, Gideon Cook, David Fox, Phineas Cone, Ithamer Fuller, Israel Cone, Joseph Gleason, Jonah Cone, Zachariah Gates.