A brief history of the Gadsden Flag and why it's such an important symbol today.
The Gadsden Flag
The Gadsden Flag portrays a rattlesnake coiled above the words "Don't Tread On Me!" This was not accidental, for the rattlesnake had been used as a symbol of the American spirit, apart from that of England, as early as 1754 during the French and Indian war.
In 1775, when the Gadsden Flag was presented by Statesman Christopher Gadsden to the navy, the symbol of the rattlesnake had been well defined by Benjamin Franklin earlier that year. In Franklin's words, the rattlesnake is ever vigilant, yet slow to strike, giving ample warning to the intruder, but when she does strike, it is direct and fatal.
Benjamin Franklin was apt in his judgment of the American People, and that character has remained unchanged. The Tea Party Members have given the government ample warning, exercising the right of Freedom of Speech and are prepared to use their vote. Though these weapons seem small and insufficient to defend our liberty, they are far more potent and fatal to tyranny than any other.
The Gadsden Flag now stands for the people's rights and liberties, and for the vigilance with which we must watch the government to insure that we retain those rights and liberties.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
The Boston Tea Party Essays
Below are three essays on the Boston Tea Party written by children of different ages.
The Boston Tea Party
Essay 1
In 1765, the king put a tax on lead, glass, paper, paint and tea. It upset the Colonists so much they decided to get even by not buying anything made in England. It was the English merchants who got angry about that. It cost them a lot of money and they demanded that the taxes be repealed. They were in 1770, except for the tax on tea. It was a small tax, but King George wanted to prove that he and Parliament could tax Americans if they wished to.
To the Colonists, that tea tax was an example of taxation without representation. So, in 1773, some people in Boston decided to show King George and Parliament and Lord Townshend what they thought of the tax on tea. They dressed up as Indians and climbed on a ship in Boston harbor and threw 342 chests of good English tea into the water. Americans called it the Boston Tea Party, but the English didn't. They called in an outrage.
(source, The History of US)
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Essay 2
The American people were angry with the British long before the Tea Act of 1771 that led to the Boston Tea Party. The Stamp Act of 1765 that placed a tax on nearly every paper transaction, the Townshend Act of 1767 that imposed new taxes on imported glass, lead, paper, paint and tea and also suspended the New York legislature until it agreed to quarter British soldiers, the occupation of the Colonies by British troops, and the Boston Massacre of 1770 infuriated the people. When the Townshend Act was repealed in 1770, the the Crown proved that it still retained the power to tax the Colonies by leaving the tax on tea. In addition, the Tea Act of 1773 was passed to subsidize the East India Company in the midst of its financial crisis by granting a monopoly of tea. This one-cent tax (44-cent inflation adjusted) outraged the American patriots, who called our for "no taxation without representation." A boycott of imported tea was established, the Americans instead drinking often nasty, homegrown 'liberty tea.' Despite this, American tea consumption continued to grow, and the East India Company sold more and more tea to the Colonists.
On December 17, 1773, seven thousand people waited to greet three ships bearing 90,000 lbs of tea. Among them were the Sons of Liberty who, dressed as Indians, ran aboard the ships and threw the 342 chests of tea into the ocean. Over one million of today's dollars worth of tea was lost in the sea at the hands of the patriots.
The tax on tea was small itself, but after all the British had done to America, it was the straw that started the Revolution.
(sources: Patriots, The Men Who Started the American Revolution, historycentral.com, bostonteapartyfacts.com)
--------
Essay 3
A crowd of seven thousand gathered to watch as the Sons of Liberty, dressed as Mohawk Indians and lead by Samuel Adams, boarded three British ships and threw 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor.
There were several trials held for the destruction of the ships cargo, but no one was ever convicted.
The Boston Tea Party of 1773 was a protest against growing British control. The Tea Act was the last in a long string of parliamentary acts that curtailed the Colonial American freedoms. There was the Molasses Act of 1733, the Proclamation Act of 1763, the Sugar Act of 1764, the Stamp Act of 1765, and the Townshend Act of 1767.
The Colonists were not appalled by the tax on tea in terms of the financial cost, but rather by who the tea act taxed and how it was enforced.
The tax on tea was a tax on everyone, not just the land owning voters. The Tea Act was especially bad for the American tea merchants, because it gave the East India Trading Company a monopoly on the sale of tea in the Americas. And there were only five men in the colonies that had East India Trading Company shipping contracts; Benjamin Franklin was one of those men. The rest of the merchants [those not holding a shipping contract] either went out of business or became tea smugglers like John Handcock.
The Boston Tea Party was in no way an isolated incident; there were similar tea parties in New York, Philadelphia, Annapolis, and Charleston. Delaware had one only 9 days after the Boston Tea Party.
The reason everyone remembers the Boston Tea Party is because Samuel Adams was a master of propaganda and made sure the Boston Tea Party would go down in history.
Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts one year later, in 1774, to break the Colonies. But Parliament's plan backfired because the Intolerable Acts only served to unite the Colonies and strengthen their resolve to be a free and independent country.
(sources: The Patriots Guide to American History and Patriots, The Men Who Started the American Revolution)
---------------------------
Turns out it wasn't a high tax that the Colonists were protesting, but the fact that Britain had the audacity to tax them without their consent. The merchants (small business owners) were hurt by the monopoly that was added to the Tea Act. The Tea Act was followed by the Intolerable Acts. Hmmm, sound familiar to anyone?
The Boston Tea Party
Essay 1
In 1765, the king put a tax on lead, glass, paper, paint and tea. It upset the Colonists so much they decided to get even by not buying anything made in England. It was the English merchants who got angry about that. It cost them a lot of money and they demanded that the taxes be repealed. They were in 1770, except for the tax on tea. It was a small tax, but King George wanted to prove that he and Parliament could tax Americans if they wished to.
To the Colonists, that tea tax was an example of taxation without representation. So, in 1773, some people in Boston decided to show King George and Parliament and Lord Townshend what they thought of the tax on tea. They dressed up as Indians and climbed on a ship in Boston harbor and threw 342 chests of good English tea into the water. Americans called it the Boston Tea Party, but the English didn't. They called in an outrage.
(source, The History of US)
----------
Essay 2
The American people were angry with the British long before the Tea Act of 1771 that led to the Boston Tea Party. The Stamp Act of 1765 that placed a tax on nearly every paper transaction, the Townshend Act of 1767 that imposed new taxes on imported glass, lead, paper, paint and tea and also suspended the New York legislature until it agreed to quarter British soldiers, the occupation of the Colonies by British troops, and the Boston Massacre of 1770 infuriated the people. When the Townshend Act was repealed in 1770, the the Crown proved that it still retained the power to tax the Colonies by leaving the tax on tea. In addition, the Tea Act of 1773 was passed to subsidize the East India Company in the midst of its financial crisis by granting a monopoly of tea. This one-cent tax (44-cent inflation adjusted) outraged the American patriots, who called our for "no taxation without representation." A boycott of imported tea was established, the Americans instead drinking often nasty, homegrown 'liberty tea.' Despite this, American tea consumption continued to grow, and the East India Company sold more and more tea to the Colonists.
On December 17, 1773, seven thousand people waited to greet three ships bearing 90,000 lbs of tea. Among them were the Sons of Liberty who, dressed as Indians, ran aboard the ships and threw the 342 chests of tea into the ocean. Over one million of today's dollars worth of tea was lost in the sea at the hands of the patriots.
The tax on tea was small itself, but after all the British had done to America, it was the straw that started the Revolution.
(sources: Patriots, The Men Who Started the American Revolution, historycentral.com, bostonteapartyfacts.com)
--------
Essay 3
A crowd of seven thousand gathered to watch as the Sons of Liberty, dressed as Mohawk Indians and lead by Samuel Adams, boarded three British ships and threw 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor.
There were several trials held for the destruction of the ships cargo, but no one was ever convicted.
The Boston Tea Party of 1773 was a protest against growing British control. The Tea Act was the last in a long string of parliamentary acts that curtailed the Colonial American freedoms. There was the Molasses Act of 1733, the Proclamation Act of 1763, the Sugar Act of 1764, the Stamp Act of 1765, and the Townshend Act of 1767.
The Colonists were not appalled by the tax on tea in terms of the financial cost, but rather by who the tea act taxed and how it was enforced.
The tax on tea was a tax on everyone, not just the land owning voters. The Tea Act was especially bad for the American tea merchants, because it gave the East India Trading Company a monopoly on the sale of tea in the Americas. And there were only five men in the colonies that had East India Trading Company shipping contracts; Benjamin Franklin was one of those men. The rest of the merchants [those not holding a shipping contract] either went out of business or became tea smugglers like John Handcock.
The Boston Tea Party was in no way an isolated incident; there were similar tea parties in New York, Philadelphia, Annapolis, and Charleston. Delaware had one only 9 days after the Boston Tea Party.
The reason everyone remembers the Boston Tea Party is because Samuel Adams was a master of propaganda and made sure the Boston Tea Party would go down in history.
Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts one year later, in 1774, to break the Colonies. But Parliament's plan backfired because the Intolerable Acts only served to unite the Colonies and strengthen their resolve to be a free and independent country.
(sources: The Patriots Guide to American History and Patriots, The Men Who Started the American Revolution)
---------------------------
Turns out it wasn't a high tax that the Colonists were protesting, but the fact that Britain had the audacity to tax them without their consent. The merchants (small business owners) were hurt by the monopoly that was added to the Tea Act. The Tea Act was followed by the Intolerable Acts. Hmmm, sound familiar to anyone?
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Which Side Am I On?
The other day a friend asked me which side I was on. He wanted to put me in one of his boxes. I'm on my own side; I develop my own opinions. I might agree with you on one or more issues, but you may be surprised on what we don't agree on (or maybe not). I don't really fit in a box. To quote a famous guy "I yam what I yam."
I don't believe in a cult of personality. I can't think of any person that is worthy of worship or swearing allegiance to.
I do believe in the Constitution of the United States of America. While not perfect, those guys in Philly did a good job of balancing everything out. They thought about it, talked about it, and mostly came to agreement. The compromises that had to be made at the time have mostly been sorted out and corrected through the amendments. I've come to really appreciate the anti-federalists that insisted on the Bill of Rights.
There are many greedy and power hungry people in Washington, D.C., (and other places), those people are NOT on my side.
I believe everyone has the potential to abuse power.
I believe everyone makes mistakes.
Transparency is key.
I believe the best way to keep greedy people from having power is through a balance of power. This balance occurring in the three well known branches of government, Executive, Judicial, and Legislative, as well as a balance between the states and the federal government. (Remember those Anti-Federalists!)
I recognize Stupid and Evil. I'll usually give Stupid a pass, although sometimes Stupid can be educated. Evil must be fought. Not enough of us are fighting - it's time for me to step up and join the fight.
Political Correctness is Stupid and Evil.
I believe in the lesser of two evils, but I prefer to choose between the better of two goods.
I hold no bias toward race, color, creed, sex or sexual orientation. (Did I forget anything?) Not only do I not care, I usually am not paying enough attention to notice. Don't ask me what you were wearing last week -- but you can bet I'll remember what you said.
Merit Counts! Special privileges for no one. You build self esteem not by telling someone how good they are, but by ensuring they are indeed good.
I affiliate myself with the Tea Party: fiscal responsibility, small government, the Constitution. However, I won't defend anyone when they don't deserve it. If anyone does something wrong, you won't get a free pass from me. I won't defend Stupid or Evil, even if you think you're on my side.
I make decisions based on facts and logic to the best of my ability, not on wishful thinking, following along blindly, or idealism.
I believe individuals and groups of individuals are more effective in almost every situation than government. Our Military is one huge exception.
I support our Military and credit them with providing a safe and secure environment for me to raise my children. There isn't civilization without security. (Although you can have security without civilization.)
I believe private enterprise has increased our standard of living more than any non-profit organization has. Oil and computers are two good examples.
I believe that every action has unintended consequences. The pros and cons must be considered; some good actions should not be enacted because of their cons.
I believe there are absolute truths and there are lines in the sand that should not be crossed.
I believe hard work is rewarding and satisfying in and of itself and that it should be respected.
My heroes are Farmers and Firemen and Engineers. Theoretical Physicists and Plumbers are pretty cool, too. My absolute favorites are Musicians.
Your turn. What do you believe?
I don't believe in a cult of personality. I can't think of any person that is worthy of worship or swearing allegiance to.
I do believe in the Constitution of the United States of America. While not perfect, those guys in Philly did a good job of balancing everything out. They thought about it, talked about it, and mostly came to agreement. The compromises that had to be made at the time have mostly been sorted out and corrected through the amendments. I've come to really appreciate the anti-federalists that insisted on the Bill of Rights.
There are many greedy and power hungry people in Washington, D.C., (and other places), those people are NOT on my side.
I believe everyone has the potential to abuse power.
I believe everyone makes mistakes.
Transparency is key.
I believe the best way to keep greedy people from having power is through a balance of power. This balance occurring in the three well known branches of government, Executive, Judicial, and Legislative, as well as a balance between the states and the federal government. (Remember those Anti-Federalists!)
I recognize Stupid and Evil. I'll usually give Stupid a pass, although sometimes Stupid can be educated. Evil must be fought. Not enough of us are fighting - it's time for me to step up and join the fight.
Political Correctness is Stupid and Evil.
I believe in the lesser of two evils, but I prefer to choose between the better of two goods.
I hold no bias toward race, color, creed, sex or sexual orientation. (Did I forget anything?) Not only do I not care, I usually am not paying enough attention to notice. Don't ask me what you were wearing last week -- but you can bet I'll remember what you said.
Merit Counts! Special privileges for no one. You build self esteem not by telling someone how good they are, but by ensuring they are indeed good.
I affiliate myself with the Tea Party: fiscal responsibility, small government, the Constitution. However, I won't defend anyone when they don't deserve it. If anyone does something wrong, you won't get a free pass from me. I won't defend Stupid or Evil, even if you think you're on my side.
I make decisions based on facts and logic to the best of my ability, not on wishful thinking, following along blindly, or idealism.
I believe individuals and groups of individuals are more effective in almost every situation than government. Our Military is one huge exception.
I support our Military and credit them with providing a safe and secure environment for me to raise my children. There isn't civilization without security. (Although you can have security without civilization.)
I believe private enterprise has increased our standard of living more than any non-profit organization has. Oil and computers are two good examples.
I believe that every action has unintended consequences. The pros and cons must be considered; some good actions should not be enacted because of their cons.
I believe there are absolute truths and there are lines in the sand that should not be crossed.
I believe hard work is rewarding and satisfying in and of itself and that it should be respected.
My heroes are Farmers and Firemen and Engineers. Theoretical Physicists and Plumbers are pretty cool, too. My absolute favorites are Musicians.
Your turn. What do you believe?
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