In this lecture, Professor Totten argues the American colonists and the British government misunderstood each other's interpretation of the imperial relationship, which led to the American Revolution. Rather than providing a united front, the colonies were "ever at variance and foolishly jealous" of one another, which made their union in the face of British actions more impressive. The British need to pay off their war debt from the French and Indian War, led them to impose direct taxes on the colonies, which had not been forced to pay such duties in the past. In addition, colonials were perturbed by British attempts to assert stricter control over colonial trade, as they pursued smugglers who had operated for decades. The New England colonies, hard hit by a series of imperial wars, were more radical than the other colonies, and as a result, Boston was the hotbed of dissent. Several flash points erupted, which led the colonies to hold a "Continental Congress" in order to debate what steps to take next. The result would lead to the American Revolution.

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