Benjamin Franklin

Coming out of the Seven Years War, Britain is on top of the world. They acquired huge amount of territory, all the territory up to the Mississippi river. It was expensive to maintain. And so you need to tax it. Franklin certainly went along with it and he said, well, empires cost money. And much to his is chagrin, he found himself going the wrong way, out of touch with American public opinion. -

Narrator

The recent war with France had expanded England's empire but left its treasury depleted. In the spring of 1765 the King's ministers and parliament came up with a new way to raise more money from the American colonies. Now all legal documents, newspapers, books, almanacs, even decks of playing cards would need official stamps purchased from the government. In Virginia, Patrick Henry denounced the Act as taxation without representation. Riots broke out in New York New London, Connecticut; Annapolis, Maryland. In Boston a group calling themselves the "Sons of Liberty" hanged and burned the stamp commissioner in effigy. Then the mob destroyed the mansion of Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson who had worked with Franklin back in 1754 to propose the Albany Plan of Union. The leaders of the protests had appropriated the motto Franklin had used at the time to encourage

the colonies to act together

join or die. Franklin didn't like the Stamp Act either but from London advised Pennsylvanians against overreacting. (intense music) His political enemies back home now spread false rumors that he helped write the Stamp Act and had been bribed by promises of a higher royal appointment. When a mob threatened to attack the Franklin home in Philadelphia, Deborah wouldn't budge. -

Narration of Deborah

the colonies to act together

I said, when I was advised to remove that, I was very sure you had done nothing to hurt anybody. and I had not given any offense to any person at all. I sent to ask my brother to come and bring his gun. If anyone came to disturb me, I would show a proper resentment -

Narrator

the colonies to act together

Shocked at the reports of mob violence in the colonies. Franklin wrote William that unless some compromise could be found to ease the tensions, events were laying the foundation of a future total separation. He flooded London newspapers with letters arguing that the Stamp Act was unfair that the recent riots did not represent the attitude of a majority of the colonists. He circulated a political cartoon, illustrating that if the crisis escalated the empire would be dismembered. On February 13th, 1766, Franklin appeared before parliament patiently answering questions posed by its members. Could an army make the colonists comply, he was asked. -

Narration of Franklin

the colonies to act together

Suppose a military force is sent into America. What are they then to do? They cannot force a man to take stamps who chooses to do without them. They will not find a rebellion; they may indeed make one.