Full Transcript
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tonYpkRwIrs
[00:02] We are.
[00:03] We are pioneers and trailblazers.
[00:05] We fight for freedom.
[00:09] We transform our dreams into the truth.
[00:12] Our struggles will become a nation.
[00:15] Nowhere more so than Boston.
[00:21] May 9th, 1768.
[00:25] Seven generations after John Ral's first tobacco harvest, the British won a bigger piece of the action.
[00:28] A British Customs official springs a surprise raid on the Liberty, a ship belonging to John Hancock, one of the richest men in Boston.
[00:31] But Hancock's crew has other ideas.
[01:05] they're carrying a 100 casks of imported wine and don't want to pay Duty.
[01:12] it's a radical Act of rebellion against taxes imposed by a king 3,000 M away to the British.
[01:21] they're just common Smugglers.
[01:26] this small Skirmish changes everything.
[01:29] the British sees Hancock's ship triggering riots that sweep through Boston.
[01:34] we didn't want to pay taxes to a King and to a parliament where we didn't have a voice uh and we didn't have any representation.
[01:43] we have a natural resentment toward government which was how we were born.
[01:51] the king sends 4,000 Red Coats to Boston to enforce his laws.
[01:58] Boston was City of Commerce culture civilization and Revolution unfolding.
[02:06] civilization and Revolution unfolding right before the eyes of the colonists
[02:08] right before the eyes of the colonists and the eyes of the British
[02:18] October
[02:21] British October 1768 British soldiers clamped down on Boston
[02:23] a port crucial to the British
[02:28] Empire and a hub of global trade and commerce
[02:37] its dockyards are some of the busiest in the world producing 200 ships a year from America's vast Timber reserves
[02:48] a third of all British shipping is built in the colonies
[02:51] Timber fuels the global economy much like oil does
[03:00] much like oil does
[03:08] today across New England marks identify.
[03:12] today across New England marks identify the tallest strongest trees selected by.
[03:14] the tallest strongest trees selected by the crown for British ships.
[03:18] England has lost most of its ships.
[03:21] England has lost most of its forests.
[03:23] it wants American forests.
[03:28] it wants American.
[03:28] Wood in Boston.
[03:30] Wood in Boston.
[03:33] there's one red coat for every four citizens.
[03:38] it's a city under occupation.
[03:41] Paul Rivier is a silver smith and one of Boston's prominent businessmen.
[03:46] an unlikely businessmen.
[03:49] an unlikely subversive.
[03:51] they formed and marched with insulin.
[03:54] insulin parade drums beating FES playing and colors flying.
[03:57] each Soldier having received 16 rounds of powder and.
[04:01] he is an upper middle class figure.
[04:04] someone who has risen through his own efforts.
[04:06] his own Talent he represents.
[04:09] Efforts his own talent he represents what we have created on our own with what we have created on our own with very little help from our cousins across the Atlantic but when revolution comes to North America R will be at the center of it.
[04:29] Boston and the 13 colonies are an economic powerhouse critical to Britain.
[04:39] Nearly 40% of everything exported from Britain makes its way to America.
[04:48] The fishing fleet ships thousands of tons of salted cod to the Caribbean returns with sugar and molasses.
[04:59] Molasses raw material for rum taxed by the British after every.
[05:09] Exchange in Africa rum is the currency.
[05:12] Exchange in Africa rum is the currency used to purchase the most profitable.
[05:14] used to purchase the most profitable cargo of.
[05:15] cargo of [Music].
[05:19] all African.
[05:23] slaves between 1700 and 1800 more than a.
[05:27] slaves between 1700 and 1800 more than a quarter of a million Africans are.
[05:30] quarter of a million Africans are brought to the American.
[05:31] brought to the American colonies more slaves than all those who.
[05:34] colonies more slaves than all those who came of their own free.
[05:39] will most wind up on large plantations.
[05:43] will most wind up on large plantations in the South but they're also critical.
[05:45] in the South but they're also critical to the economy of the North 10% of.
[05:49] to the economy of the North 10% of Boston's population is.
[05:51] Boston's population is black Boston is a Melting Pot and.
[05:55] black Boston is a Melting Pot and tension is.
[05:56] tension is building nobody likes Invaders in their.
[05:59] building nobody likes Invaders in their homes to have people here foreigners on.
[06:03] homes to have people here foreigners on your soil is something is a great.
[06:05] your soil is something is a great incentive for people to.
[06:08] incentive for people to fight March 5th.
[06:11] Fight March 5th 1770 after 3 days of unrest an angry mob.
[06:15] 1770 after 3 days of unrest an angry mob roams the streets.
[06:18] Hundreds of men who lost their jobs and blame the British gather on King streets and face off against eight red coats with orders not to fire.
[06:30] What's about to happen will change America forever.
[06:35] A 17-year-old wigmaker's apprentice Edward Garrick lights the fuse.
[06:46] This is how wars start.
[06:59] [Applause]
[07:05] Private Hugh Montgomery is hit with a club.
[07:45] an African-American Crispus adct dies instantly everybody
[08:13] When the Smoke Clears four more are dead.
[08:19] how Boston reacts will change the course of history.
[08:27] silver smith and political radical Paul Rivier captures the moment.
[08:32] British soldiers kill five colonists in the streets of Boston.
[08:37] his engraving will fuel the fires of Revolution as outrage spreads across the 13 colonies.
[08:46] unhappy Boston see thy Sons deplore thy hallowed walks besmeared with Guiltless Gore whil faithless Preston and his Savage bands with murderous ranker stretched their bloody hands.
[09:06] the most formidable army in the world firing on an unarmed crowd an
[09:13] world firing on an unarmed crowd an explosive image with a title that says
[09:16] explosive image with a title that says it
[09:17] it all the bloody
[09:19] all the bloody massacre there was the old joke you give
[09:22] me a picture I'll give you a war those
[09:24] who wanted to stir things up and to make
[09:27] a statement and maybe even lead a
[09:30] revolution uh it made them able to Rally
[09:33] others to their
[09:36] side news spreads fast the colonists are
[09:40] Avid readers a legacy from the first
[09:42] Bible reading Puritans in
[09:45] Plymouth Boston has the first weekly
[09:49] newspaper there are now more than 40
[09:52] papers across the colonies and the new
[09:54] Postmaster General Benjamin
[09:58] Franklin as introduced a revolutionary
[10:00] postal delivery
[10:05] system Night Riders cut the delivery
[10:08] time in
[10:10] half the communications Network
[10:13] connecting the colonies is one of the
[10:15] connecting the colonies is one of the best in the best in the world and the British have no idea they hope the news can be contained before news reaches England.
[10:28] most of America know knows about the Boston Massacre it's a very American Spirit of an idea uh this idea that everybody should have access to knowledge it's uh it's very much like that pioneering idea everybody should be able to make their way in the world.
[10:43] a printer in Connecticut can read the exact same story as a farmer in North Carolina December 1773.
[10:55] the Boston Gazette breaks another story that will fan the FL claims of rebellion the rising tide of anger and resentment forces England's hand they repeal all taxes except one on.
[11:16] taxes except one on T it's not
[11:18] T it's not enough in one of the most famous acts of
[11:21] enough in one of the most famous acts of resistance in American history Rebels
[11:23] resistance in American history Rebels dump over $1 million worth of tea in
[11:26] dump over $1 million worth of tea in Boston Harbor
[11:29] Boston Harbor when someone comes along uh and smacks
[11:32] when someone comes along uh and smacks us we don't turn the other
[11:35] us we don't turn the other cheek that's not who we
[11:42] are the British respond by shutting down
[11:45] are the British respond by shutting down Boston
[11:46] Boston
[11:49] [Music]
[11:53] Harbor one of America's busiest wealthiest ports
[12:04] come on
[12:06] come on up hundreds lose their jobs come
[12:10] up hundreds lose their jobs come on the British mean to strangle any
[12:13] on the British mean to strangle any resistance from the rebellious colony of
[12:19] Massachusetts America is about to change.
[12:22] Massachusetts America is about to change forever.
[12:30] Tensions escalate far beyond.
[12:35] Boston settlers are pushing West.
[12:39] Boston settlers are pushing West many have their eyes set on new land west of.
[12:42] Have their eyes set on new land west of.
[12:46] Appalachians but to protect Native.
[12:48] Appalachians but to protect Native American lands England has banned.
[12:50] American lands England has banned settlements along a boundary called The.
[12:52] Settlements along a boundary called The Proclamation.
[12:56] Line hundreds are evicted from their.
[12:58] Line hundreds are evicted from their home on the.
[13:02] Frontier September 5th.
[13:05] Frontier September 5th 1774 we want.
[13:07] 1774 we want Liberty incensed at the British actions.
[13:10] Liberty incensed at the British actions 56 delegates from across the colonies.
[13:13] 56 delegates from across the colonies gather at the First Continental Congress.
[13:15] Gather at the First Continental Congress in.
[13:18] Philadelphia it's the first step on the.
[13:21] Philadelphia it's the first step on the road to American democracy.
[13:23] Among them are John Adams Patrick Henry.
[13:26] And a Gentleman landowner from Virginia named George Washington.
[13:30] At a time when our lordly masters in Great Britain will be satisfied with nothing less than the deprivation of American Freedom.
[13:42] It seems highly necessary that something should be done to maintain Liberty across New England.
[13:50] People prepare to defend themselves.
[13:53] Smuggled arms are collected and stashed in secret hideaways.
[13:59] But while many expect conflict, most delegates in Philadelphia want peace with Britain.
[14:07] A military action would make a wound that would never be healed.
[14:13] That's good, have all day, let's go.
[14:21] Healed, that's good. Have all day. Let's go. Come on.
[14:23] Come on. The First Continental Congress resolves that a British attack on any one colony will be regarded as an attack on all of them.
[14:30] Let's go. You out the front.
[14:34] What emerges at Philadelphia is solidarity.
[14:40] The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Englanders, and New Yorkers are no more.
[14:50] I'm not a Virginian, I am an American.
[14:57] The future of the 13 American colonies hangs in the balance.
[15:05] Good morning, gentlemen.
[15:09] Spring 1775, near Concord, Massachusetts. Get those weapons stacked up. We haven't got all day.
[15:13] Local gunsmith Isaac Davis puts the town militia through basic training.
[15:18] American Patriots knew that.
[15:21] Training American Patriots knew that they were doing the right thing.
[15:22] You're starting a birth of a Nation, you know.
[15:25] You had to really believe in what you were doing.
[15:27] You got to keep this clean.
[15:29] Here, sir, you keep that clean, it'll save your life.
[15:31] You don't, if war comes, this will be America's first line of defense.
[15:33] Volunteer Home Guard with weapons paid for by local citizens.
[15:36] Gentlemen, it's looking good.
[15:39] It's looking good, let's have some breakfast and move out.
[15:41] They're farmers, blacksmith and store owners, a fighting force of ordinary Americans.
[15:45] The militia men of any of the colonies were made up of just its citizens.
[15:51] It was a citizen-based protection unit and uh some of them had some skills.
[15:57] But some of them were just the carpenters.
[16:00] Some of them were just the the mason or the blacksmith.
[16:02] I mean, these were the guys that uh they had something at stake to protect their colony.
[16:06] So they started to form together.
[16:21] colony so they started to form together just trying to help protect each other.
[16:23] just trying to help protect each other every town across the colonies has its own militia but now they're preparing to defend themselves against the British army better than yesterday now better than yesterday for six Generations across Massachusetts men are expected to serve as militia men in Massachusetts a third of all men between 16 and 50 are ready to bear arms at a minute's notice.
[16:36] better than yesterday for six Generations across Massachusetts men are expected to serve as militia men in Massachusetts a third of all men between 16 and 50 are ready to bear arms at a minute's notice.
[16:41] across Massachusetts men are expected to serve as militia men in Massachusetts a third of all men between 16 and 50 are ready to bear arms at a minute's notice.
[16:44] serve as militia men in Massachusetts a third of all men between 16 and 50 are ready to bear arms at a minute's notice.
[16:47] third of all men between 16 and 50 are ready to bear arms at a minute's notice.
[16:50] ready to bear arms at a minute's notice excellent good shot we keep this up we're going to give those Red Coats a scare.
[16:53] notice excellent good shot we keep this up we're going to give those Red Coats a scare.
[16:55] up we're going to give those Red Coats a scare.
[16:57] scare all right the British will not stand for any armed resistance.
[17:00] right the British will not stand for any armed resistance.
[17:03] resistance April 19th 1775 after midnight 900 Red Coats leave their barracks in Boston for Lexington and Concord about 20 M away their orders arrest the rebel leaders and seize their.
[17:07] April 19th 1775 after midnight 900 Red Coats leave their barracks in Boston for Lexington and Concord about 20 M away their orders arrest the rebel leaders and seize their.
[17:11] 1775 after midnight 900 Red Coats leave their barracks in Boston for Lexington and Concord about 20 M away their orders arrest the rebel leaders and seize their.
[17:13] their barracks in Boston for Lexington and Concord about 20 M away their orders arrest the rebel leaders and seize their.
[17:17] and Concord about 20 M away their orders arrest the rebel leaders and seize their.
[17:20] away their orders arrest the rebel leaders and seize their.
[17:26] Weapons news of the British attack also.
[17:28] Weapons news of the British attack also reaches Paul.
[17:30] Reaches Paul Riv his Midnight Ride will alert local militias.
[17:36] River rides ahead of the militias.
[17:39] River rides ahead of the British troops.
[17:42] His warning spreads from town to town across the New England.
[17:55] Countryside Paul River reaches Lexington in time to spread the word.
[18:02] The British are coming we need to war the militia get them.
[18:05] War the militia get them together all right come on.
[18:18] By 5 in the morning 60 militia men line up.
[18:22] They're commanded by a Farmer John.
[18:26] John Parker they're faced off.
[18:29] Parker they're faced off against hundreds of well-armed and.
[18:31] against hundreds of well-armed and highly experienced British.
[18:33] highly experienced British [Music].
[18:37] [Music] soldiers what happens next will.
[18:40] soldiers what happens next will transform the world.
[18:45] forever Sunrise April 19th.
[18:51] 1775 on one side 60 men poorly armed and.
[18:55] 1775 on one side 60 men poorly armed and barely trained.
[18:59] barely trained on the other hundreds of the most.
[19:01] on the other hundreds of the most powerful army in the.
[19:03] powerful army in the world men who have only been active for.
[19:05] world men who have only been active for a handful of months versus an.
[19:09] a handful of months versus an army that in the past 20 years has.
[19:13] army that in the past 20 years has fought on five continents and defeated.
[19:15] fought on five continents and defeated everything in his.
[19:17] everything in his path for these Rebels the fight is for.
[19:20] path for these Rebels the fight is for nothing less than Freedom.
[19:23] nothing less than Freedom itself these guys were revolutionaries.
[19:25] itself these guys were revolutionaries they were Scallywags they were Rebels.
[19:28] they were Scallywags they were Rebels some some of them were gentlemen Farmers.
[19:31] some some of them were gentlemen Farmers some of them were overeducated some of them were undereducated and really was The Birth of a Nation the Lexington militia gathers on the village common Dairy Farmers and shopkeepers but also among them are free African-Americans and slaves.
[19:53] it is a unique experience that African-Americans have had in the military in America uh African-Americans fought for the country even before it was a country.
[20:03] African-Americans like Prince esterbrook you give me training you give me a weapon and I can perform as well as you can then there is no power on Earth that's going to hold me down forever.
[20:20] stand your ground don't fire unless fire to pawn but if we mean to have War.
[20:29] pawn but if we mean to have War let it begin here Captain John Parker
[20:32] let it begin here Captain John Parker once fought on the side of the
[20:36] British a quarter of the men standing at
[20:38] British a quarter of the men standing at his side are related to
[20:41] his side are related to [Music]
[20:43] [Music] [Applause]
[20:44] [Applause] [Music]
[20:47] [Applause]
[20:50] [Applause] [Music]
[20:52] [Music] him no one knows who fires the first
[20:54] him no one knows who fires the first shot at Lexington
[20:57] shot at Lexington [Music]
[20:59] [Music] but it's the shot heard round the
[21:02] but it's the shot heard round the [Music]
[21:04] [Music] world I mean the Red Coats that's
[21:08] world I mean the Red Coats that's intimidating the way they move the way
[21:10] intimidating the way they move the way they March the way they execute on that
[21:13] they March the way they execute on that open space I imagine on some level for
[21:16] open space I imagine on some level for the guy who works the printing press
[21:19] the guy who works the printing press this is overwhelming beyond anything you
[21:21] this is overwhelming beyond anything you could possibly articulate in
[21:26] words fire
[21:50] Prince esterbrook is hid in the first
[21:53] Prince esterbrook is hid in the first volley no army in the world can stand
[21:56] volley no army in the world can stand toet to- Toe with the British let alone
[21:59] toet to- Toe with the British let alone a rag tag
[22:04] [Music]
[22:07] militia the British fired up to four
[22:10] militia the British fired up to four times the rate of the militia
[22:25] [Applause]
[22:33] [Music]
[22:34] [Music] [Applause]
[22:38] [Applause] [Music]
[22:41] [Music] within minutes of the first shots fired
[22:42] within minutes of the first shots fired at Lexington eight Patriots are dead 10
[22:46] at Lexington eight Patriots are dead 10 wounded the American Revolution has
[22:53] begun the Red Coats reach Concord at
[22:56] begun the Red Coats reach Concord at 9:00 in the morning
[23:00] acting on a tip off from colonists loyal
[23:02] acting on a tip off from colonists loyal to the crown they raid the militia's arm
[23:06] to the crown they raid the militia's arm stash but the rebels have got there
[23:11] first hiding almost
[23:15] first hiding almost everything good have day let's go come
[23:19] everything good have day let's go come on rest in
[23:25] [Music]
[23:35] they continue to search for
[23:37] they continue to search for weapons giving the Patriots more time to
[23:40] weapons giving the Patriots more time to spread the
[23:46] word the militia gathers just outside
[23:49] word the militia gathers just outside the town of
[23:54] Concord by late morning more than a
[23:56] Concord by late morning more than a thousand have arrived from the
[23:58] thousand have arrived from the surrounding ing
[24:01] [Music]
[24:04] [Music] Villages their plan to defend their
[24:07] Villages their plan to defend their towns against the
[24:09] towns against the British let's
[24:16] [Music]
[24:21] go the British soldiers left their
[24:24] go the British soldiers left their Barracks 15 hours ago and now they face
[24:28] Barracks 15 hours ago and now they face the 20m March back to
[24:32] [Music]
[24:48] [Music] Boston shattered
[24:51] lives an occupied
[24:56] City blood in the streets of
[25:02] Boston and now
[25:10] Lexington a people unified in the fight
[25:13] Lexington a people unified in the fight against
[25:13] against [Applause]
[25:19] [Applause] tyranny now the Patriots have their
[25:22] tyranny now the Patriots have their chance
[25:32] gunsmith and militia leader Isaac Davis
[25:35] gunsmith and militia leader Isaac Davis takes a bullet through the heart
[25:42] [Music]
[26:00] the Patriots seiz the upper hand and
[26:02] the Patriots seiz the upper hand and intend to make the British soldiers
[26:09] pay they Shadow the red coat's March
[26:12] pay they Shadow the red coat's March firing on them the entire
[26:15] firing on them the entire wave a third are killed or
[26:19] [Applause]
[26:23] [Music]
[26:25] [Music] wounded Seven Generations after the
[26:28] wounded Seven Generations after the first settlers left England in search of
[26:31] first settlers left England in search of prosperity and freedom their descendants
[26:34] prosperity and freedom their descendants will have to fight for these
[26:39] [Music]
[26:47] [Applause]
[26:49] [Applause] rights standing in their way is the
[26:52] rights standing in their way is the might of the world's greatest military
[26:54] might of the world's greatest military superpower
[26:55] superpower [Music]
[27:03] and they're not about to give up their
[27:04] and they're not about to give up their colonies lightly