Rhode Island's Act of Treason That Reignited the American Revolution

Before Lexington and Concord... before the Boston Tea Party... Rhode Islanders launched one of the boldest attacks of the Revolutionary era. In 1772, a group of Rhode Islanders boarded and burned a British naval schooner called the Gaspee in Narragansett Bay. But the real impact of the Gaspee Affair wasn't the destruction of the ship, it was Britain's response, which helped reignite the American Revolution at a moment when the patriot movement appeared to be fading. In this video, we explore: how Rhode Island's economy became deeply tied to smuggling and Atlantic trade why the British schooner Gaspee became one of the most hated vessels in New England how a daring nighttime raid unfolded off the coast of Warwick why the aftermath helped unite the American colonies years before independence was declared. The Gaspee Affair remains one of the most important, and most overlooked, events leading to the American Revolution. 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for Rhode Island history delivered to your inbox: https://www.storyofrhodeisland.com/en... 📸 Follow us on Instagram:   / storyofrhodeisland   Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:02 Rhode Island's Smuggling Empire 03:22 Britain Cracks Down 05:11The Revolution Loses Momentum 05:43 Enter the Gaspee 07:48 The Chase to Namquid Point 09:42 The Gaspee Attacked 11:09 Britain's Furious Response 13:12 A Threat to Colonial Rights 13:48 The Revolution Reignited 15:59 The Legacy of the Gaspee Affair