The Burning of Gaspee was more than a conflict in American History it was an incident that sparked the fire that began the American Revolutionary War. In order to understand this theory you must first understand what events caused the burning of Gaspee. Years Prior to the Burning of Gaspee Great Britain had obtained a huge amount of debt defending the American Colonies. The British felt that the colonist should be paying for their fair share, they needed more money to run their expanded empire. Great Britain decided that they would tax the colonist to pay off their existing debt. The colonist became very angry with this. The British tried to enforce new policies and taxes which the colonist evaded by smuggling. The American Columnist had grown …show more content…
He was known for unjustly beating Americans who offended him; boarding and detaining vessels and confiscating cargoes, often without reason, and without recourse for merchants whose goods were impounded. He often delayed ships that had properly passed customs. In Newport Most believed that the harassment was aimed at members of the sons of liberty. On June 9, the Gaspee and Dudingston approached the Hannah with Captain Benjamin Lindsey and demanded the vessel submit to being boarded. Lindsey refused, warning shots were fired. A chase ensued, the Gaspee perused the Hannah up the bay aground on Namquid Point.
Captain Lindsey informed John Brown of the Gaspees’ situation. Brown instructed Abraham Whipple, his sea captain to gather and prepare longboats. He recruited a young boy to beat a drum and walk up and down the street to chant that the Gaspee was grounded. Men began to volunteer, Providence's wealthiest and best-known citizens -- merchants, sea captains, lawyers, a doctor, and others some wore disguises and some were armed. There were about sixty five people in total for this voyage of destruction of the Gaspee. Their intent was to Burn the