1765  TEMPERS FLARE IN THE COLONIES

There was a lot happening in the colonies in 1765! People in all thirteen colonies were very angry with the King of England. King George II had ordered a new tax, which became known as the Stamp Tax.  Colonists already paid many taxes to England. They believed that the King and the English Lords were unfair to make the colonists pay a tax for to England for all things that used paper, like newspapers and playing cards.

Here's a picture of people protesting the Stamp Act and hanging a stuffed figure of a British soldier.
Many links explain the beginnings of the American Revolution.  Here is one:





Patrick Henry was a lawyer in the Colony of Virginia where your (6x) Great-Grandfather Gustavus lived with his father, the Reverend James Scott and his brother Johnny.  People n the village of Dumfries knew that Patrick Henry had spoken with passion and anger about the unfairness of the Stamp Tax before the Virginia House of Burgesses. His speeches were printed in handbills and newspapers, and people recited the most exciting parts to each other. Under the influence of Patrick Henry's speeches, the Virginia Burgesses wrote up resolutions about the Stamp Tax, and then sent their protest and a resolution saying that they would not pay the taxes to the King of England, King George II.

The Virginia colony challenged the King in London. This was very exciting!

You and I have to slow down our thinking right about here. We twitter, text and e-mail, but in 1765 getting a message to London and back to Williamsburg was slow, slow, slow! An ocean voyage could take 26 days, or 6 weeks, or nine weeks, or longer. So multiply by two, and add in days needed for the King to blow his top and write his reply, and you can figure that by September 2nd, when Johnny Scott lost his temper with John Baylis, tension in all thirteen colonies must have built to a high pitch! It doesn't surprise me at all that young man like Johnny Scott would behave so boldly, so unlike his father! His role model was Patrick Henry. If somebody pushed too far, he would stand up for his convictions! It was the way to be a man in the New World! The seeds of revolution were planted!

A TEN YEAR TIME LINE  

The Lives of the Scotts and American History

May 1765 -
Patrick Henry gives his first speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses, opposing the Stamp Tax.

September 4, 1765 -
Johnny Scott fights a duel with Colonel Baylis, who is mortally wounded.

Fall, 1765
Johnny and Gustavus Scott sail for England and Aberdeen, Scotland.

May, 1767-
Gustavus Scott is listed as student of the law at the Middle Temple, London, England.

1771 -
Gustavus Scott has returned to America and begins practicing law in the Colony of Maryland. One of the many lawyers in the Maryland and Virginia colonies is Patrick Henry

1773 -
The Boston Tea Party occurs

1775 - Patrick Henry's speech: "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death"
click here to hear a You Tube re-enactment of Patrick Henry's speech