Themes in American History

Boston started the riots that swept colonial America

Boston and New York were two of the most prominant cities during colonial rule. They were both port cities and they were both business oriented. Both Boston and NYC had a large number of merchants and traders as well as local citizens and skilled laborers. When England imposed the Intolerable Acts, both cities fought against them. However, when they were repealed New York City stopped most of its resistance while Boston carried on with its rioting. Chudacoff and Homberger seem to disagree on which city played the most important role in the revolution. I would have to agree with Chudacoff that Boston made the greatest difference. Boston was the center of change. It fought gainst the crown to protect the interest of its citizens. In New York city, the merchants had more control, so when the taxes were reppealed, they went right back to business. Boston remained active and eventually became one of the leading causes for revolution against the crown

Tags: Boston, city, NYC, Revolutionary War

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