British customs schooner Gaspee burned by American Colonists

Historical Context Note

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 3.2.1: American (US) Writing and Culture: The Colonial Period, 1604-1783.
Vol. editors: Emory Elliott (University of California, Riverside), Stephen E. Meats (Pittsburg State University), Scott Slawinski (Western Michigan University)

Domains

Attempts, Assassinations, Executions
Colonialism and colonisation

Dates

Date of occurrence 1772-06-10

Places

United States (Location)

Resources

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On the 10th of June, 1772 the British customs schooner HMS

Gaspee

ran aground while giving chase to a boat in the water near Rhode Island. The

Gaspee

was used to enforce the unpopular trade regulations imposed by the British on the colonists. American patriots, including Abraham Whipple, John Brown and Joseph Bucklin, boarded the grounded ship and shot the captain and burned the ship. The attack greatly increased tension between the colonists and the British.

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