Analysis Of The Stamp Act Protests

The British believed the Stamp Act protests were an act of uncontrolled violence, while the colonists thought it was widespread political protest. According to the letter written by Thomas Hutchinson, the royal governor of Massachusetts, on August 30, 1765, the colonists were a “hellish crew that fell upon my house with the rage of devils.” By saying this, Hutchinson means that a chaotic mob of angry Patriots destroyed his house without reason. This was seen as uncontrolled violence because the British had never seen any act this violent come from the colonists, and because the British were not leading the rebellion, it was seen as uncontrolled. Furthermore, in the same letter Hutchinson declares that the protests were an act of “...unparalleled
outrage.” Hutchinson believes that the protests were an unmatched act of violence. Since Britain had never seen any act of protest this violent from the colonists, the British thought of it as uncontrolled and violent. However, a diary entry written by John Adams, a Boston lawyer, professes that the colonists were “more attentive to their liberties...and more determined to defend them.” Adams strongly conceives the protests as the colonists discovering their rights and wanting to defend what they earned. As a result of this belief, Adams sees the colonists revolts as an organized way for them to tell the British what they desire. Additionally, Adams diary states the “...protests showing wit, humor, learning, spirit, patriotism, and heroism.” The Patriots were seen as heroes by the colonists by being smart and defending what they deserved. The Stamp Act protests were seen as widespread by Adams because most everyone in the colonies were loyal to their rights and stepping up to defend what they thought was right. Therefore, the British thought the Stamp Act protests were an unmatched act of political, chaotic violence, however, the colonists thought of it as an act of Patriotism that defended their rights in a peaceful way.