The Roots of the American RevolutionThe roots of the American Revolution go back ten years prior to America's birthday. In fact, those roots go back to a hundred-year-old tree. Let me explain... On September 10th in the year 1765, a copper plate with large golden letters was hung on an old elm tree in Boston. The inscription on the copper plate said "The Tree of Liberty." Why was this tree so important? And why was it called "The Tree of Liberty?" To discover the answer, we've got to go back in time to the spring of that same year. The British had accumulated a huge debt during the French and Indian War. They needed a way to pay for their war debts. The American colonists were an easy target. And so the Stamp Act was passed by the British Parliament on March 22nd, 1765. The new tax was to become effective on November 1st, 1765. Here's the important part: The Stamp Act enraged the colonists like no other tax had up to that point! It's no wonder. The Stamp Act required a tax to be paid on all documents: legal documents, permits, commercial contracts, newspapers, pamphlets, and even playing cards! The colonists viewed the tax not only as an onerous financial burden, but as a form of censorship since it would limit the colonists' ability to read and write freely. Remember, the Stamp Act came at a time when reading the printed word was the primary means of education and entertainment. The printed word was the only game in town because there were obviously no alternatives like TV, radio, or the Internet. The colonists' anger simmered for months and was finally brought to a boil in late summer. On August 14th, 1765, a crowd gathered around a large elm tree in Boston to protest the much-hated Stamp Act. In the tree they hung an effigy of Andrew Oliver, the man charged with collecting the Stamp Tax. There was also a British cavalry jackboot hanging from the branches. An imp-like devil poked its head out of the boot. In its hands was a scroll that said "Stamp Tax." This was the first blatant act of defiance against the British Empire. This is why the great elm tree became known as "The Tree of Liberty." And this was just the beginning! As 1766 rolled around, the tree became a rallying point for the Sons of Liberty, men who were to become the leaders and champions of the forthcoming American Revolution. The Tree of Liberty... The Revolutionary movement continued to gain steam even after the repeal of the Stamp Act. Ten years after Andrew Oliver's effigy had been strung up in the Tree of Liberty, the first phase of the American Revolutionary War began with the siege of Boston. George Washington and his militia trapped British troops inside the city of Boston and limited their movement. It was during this siege that British Loyalists cut down the Tree of Liberty and used it for firewood. The Loyalists knew the history of the tree, and their destruction of it was a clear act of spite and retaliation. But the liberty-minded colonists could not be deterred. Even though the Liberty Tree was gone, its memory and the values it represented were still alive and well. As resistance to the British grew, flags began to appear bearing the image of the Liberty Tree which Washington switched to a pine tree. These "pine tree" flags were flown during many battles of the American Revolution. They symbolized the colonists' spirit of liberty that could not be cut down. Today, the location where the original Liberty Tree stood is recognized as... The Birth Place of America! And yet, for all that the Liberty Tree stood for, few Americans today know about this important chapter in American history. It has been all but forgotten. Perhaps this is why Thomas Jefferson cautioned: "Yes, we did produce a near perfect Republic, but will they keep it? Or will they in their enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of their freedom? Material abundance without character is the surest way to destruction. I tremble for my country when I realize that God is just." Look around you. What we have today is exactly what Jefferson described: "Material abundance without character." This affliction is not limited to our youth as it affects plenty of Baby Boomers as well. The point is, we need to remember. We need to remember how our liberty was won. We need to remember the virtues of faith, love, and self-discipline. We need to remember the values and morals that made this country great. ... Solutions From Science |