Road

to the Revolutionary War Play

By: Courtney Nakahara

Scene 1 Quartering Act

Narrator 1: The year is 1765, and King George III has sent some British soldiers to protect the
colonists from the French and Native Americans.

King George III (to Parliament): As you know we have a large debt for protecting the land and
lives of those poor colonists. (Parliament nods and agrees) We have already sent soldiers to
help protect them, but they should be the ones to shoulder the cost of all of this. Thus, I
propose we have the colonists pay for the protection and housing of the soldiers. (Parliament
nods and agrees)

Parliament 1: What shall we call this payment from the colonies?

Parliament 2: How about calling it the Quartering Act?

King George III: Lets put it to a vote, all in favor of the Quartering Act say aye.

Parliament 1 & 2: Aye!!!

Narrator 2: And with that, the colonists were now required to provide food and shelter for the
British soldiers. However, in the colonies, the reactions to the Quartering Act were much
different.

Colonist 1: I cant believe I have to provide a room and food for these ungrateful British
soldiers. Doesnt King George III and Parliament realize I can barely provide a house and feed
my own?

Colonist: 2: I know!! I am getting tired of being governed by the King, instead our colonial
legislature. Im going to send a letter to the King explaining how unjust it is that we dont have a
say in which laws get passed.

END SCENE 1



Scene 2 Stamp Act

Narrator 1: Later in 1765, the King and Parliament met again to discuss their debt from the
French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War. They decided they needed another
law for the colonies.

King George III: Here ye, here ye. We are still in debt from the Seven Years War, and those
colonists must pay. Therefore, I hereby pass the Stamp Act into law, and move to make it
effective immediately. Let it be known in the colonies that all printed paper must have a stamp
to show they have paid our paper tax of one shilling per paper. Tax collectors, spread this news
to everyone and begin collecting this new tax money.

Tax Collector: Yes, my King. Right away your majesty.

Narrator 2: Back in the colonies, this news caused united forms of protest in the colonies. One
was called the Stamp Act of Congress.

Patrick Henry: House of Burgesses Assembly members, this law is most unjust! I declare,
anyone who pays this stamp tax is an enemy of Virginia.

Loyalist Burgess Member: I declare that by not following this British law we are committing an
act of treason. A betrayal of our homeland in favor of helping the enemy.

Patrick Henry: If this be treason, make the most of it. Representatives from each colony, we
must join together and repeal this tax.

Narrator 2: The other protest was a group of men called the Sons of Liberty. They met in secret
and worked to intimidate the tax collectors to resign from their jobs.

Samuel Adams: My fellow patriots, we must ban together against this Stamp Act as fighters for
liberty and justice. No taxation, without representation. Lets make these tax collectors regret
helping the enemy.

Narrator 3: Samuel Adams was one of the major leaders of this group. These men, later named
the Sons of Liberty would attack British tax collectors and force them to resign. These two
forms of protest would get the Stamp Act repealed a year later, but the taxation wasnt over
yet.

END SCENE 2


Scene 3 Townsend Act

Narrator 1: A couple of years later, in 1767, Charles Townshend (pronounced Town-shund)
called for new taxes. Parliament listened to him, the treasurer of the British government, and
passed the Townshend Acts.

Charles Townshend: These colonists need to pay for themselves. I propose a new set of taxes
to be placed on the colonists. The taxes would be on all imported British goods including paper,
lead, glass, and tea.

Parliament: We agree. Lets pass these taxes and name them the Townsend Acts in honor of
Charles.

Narrator 2: Back in the colonies, there was much unrest. The colonist felt they were not being
heard. We are currently in a town meeting in Boston. Lets listen to how the colonists plan to
fight these new taxes on British imports.

Colonist 1: This is completely unconstitutional! Doesnt Britain understand no taxation without
representation. Lets get some ideas on how to fight these new taxes. Anyone?

Colonists 2: How about we boycott, meaning refuse to buy, any British goods. If they want to
tax unfairly, we can refuse to do business with them.

Colonist 1: Alright, thats the spirit. Let us band together and boycott their goods. You there,
start creating a list of goods we need to stop buying.

Colonist 3: Wait. I am all for this, but how are we going to get our goods, clothes, and supplies?

Colonist 1: Well, my fine wife and her friends can help with the clothing. They can spin their
own thread and make us all the clothes we need. Any other wives and daughters are welcome
to join them to support this boycott. Remember we must work together and use our resources
to get Britain off our backs. Lets begin making a list of things we need to look into.

Narrator 3: Alright. I am going to fast forward us a bit. In April 1770, Parliament repealed all the
Townshend duties except the tax on tea. They kept this tax because it helped Britain to assert
its right to tax the colonies. However, the colonists would soon face bigger conflicts and
eventually protest this tea tax as well.


END SCENE 3