01x02 - Boiling Point

[bunniefuu]

Get back. I'm warning
you, I will sh**t.

We are warning you, sir.

Return fire.

Have you lost your faculties, sir?

Take a look around,
Clarke. You're outgunned.

Enough of this. On me, men.

Molineux, he's been hit.

We won't settle this tonight.

We need to get him to Doc
Warren. Take him away.

You'll regret this, Clarke.

Mark my words.

After the Sons of Liberty
exchange g*nf*re

With the tea agents,
there's no turning back.

It's early November, 1773
and the clock's ticking.

Samuel Adams and the patriots
have just a few weeks

Before the ships bearing
the tea arrive in Boston.

Now you might think that
cooler heads would prevail

And the crisis could be averted,

But not when the governor
of Massachusetts,

Thomas Hutchinson, a colonist
appointed by King George III

Is so hopelessly compromised.

Hutchinson has named
his own family members

And friends as tea agents.

So he stands to benefit
personally from the tea act

And everyone in Boston knows it.

The Sons of Liberty's strategy,

Pressuring the tea
agents to resign,

Has proved more difficult
than expected.

Richard Clarke and sons
become prominent figures

In the fight leading up
to the Boston tea party.

Molineux challenges
the Clarkes and says,

"we want you to agree
not to receive the tea"

And there's intimidation
at the Clarke's house.

Though Clarke fired first,

William Molineux knows
an all-out attack

Would be an act of w*r.

They've made their point.

Remember Samuel Adams said,

"putting your enemy in the wrong,

Making them be the provocateurs."

If one of the Clarkes
is sh**ting at us,

That makes us in the right.

We want to keep
ourselves in the right

As much as we want to keep
our enemies in the wrong.

Governor Hutchinson
realises that as long

As Samuel Adams can
intimidate the tea agents,

He's vulnerable.

So he moves the agents
into castle William.

Under the British
army's protection.

The tea agents from that
point on take shelter

In the barracks on castle
island in Boston harbour.

With the tea agents out of reach

Behind the walls
of castle William,

Pushing them to resign
is no longer an option.

Samuel Adams calls
the Sons of Liberty,

William Molineux, John Hancock,

Joseph Warren and Paul Revere
to figure out a new plan.

No one asked me,

But I say the moment those ships
drop anchor, we board them,

Light them on a fire,
push them out to sea,

Let them watch their tea
burn in the harbour.

And lay a torch to the entire
city while we're at it?

That's exactly what the
British army will do.

It is what this is coming
to, mark my words.

There has to be another way.

What we need to do is
improve our focus.

We need to put more
pressure on Hutchinson.

And the tea agents.

They already have their
feet to the fire.

If we can get just one
of them to resign,

It's going to send a
message to the others.

The time for messages is over now.

Yes, you've made that quite clear.

Well, I'm certainly
not gonna be throwing

Any stones at castle William.

Are you gonna say anything?

Patience.

Patience.

Samuel Adams knows that

As the ships close in
on their destinations,

Boston won't be the only
place to push back.

There are tea shipments being sent

To Charleston, South
Carolina, to Philadelphia,

To New York City and to Boston.

The new yorkers in the
Philadelphian say,

"hey, we're gonna
pressure the governors.

We're gonna force these
tea ships to turn around

With their tea still aboard
and go back to London."

Adams is waiting to
see how the governors

Of the other colonies respond
and finally receives word

From the Sons of Liberty
operating outside of Boston.

After weeks of intense protests,

The governors of Pennsylvania
and New York have given in

To public pressure

And have secured their tea
agent's resignations.

The Bostonians knew
that in Philadelphia,

The ship had been turned back

Before it got into
the custom zone.

In New York, there
were similar threats.

In Charleston, the situation
wasn't quite clear.

But in Boston, the royal governor

And the royal customs officers
were not willing to bend.

The governors in New
York and Pennsylvania

Are not playing hardball the
way that Hutchinson is.

So Boston is the place

Where the most vehement
resistors come into contact

With the hardest line governor.

Now, knowing the other
colonies were able

To pressure their governors,

Samuel Adams plans to turn
the public's frustration

With the crown entirely
on governor Hutchinson.

First he works with Dr Warren

To launch a relentless
political campaign,

Writing letters,
articles, and pamphlets.

Did not our ancestors when
they accepted this charter,

Understand that they had
contracted for a free government.

Samuel Adams and Joseph Warren

Were both very talented writers.

They write a number
of political pieces

Protesting the various
acts of parliament

And advocating for
Liberty-minded ideals in Boston.

Together they write

Under dozens of
different pseudonyms,

Ensuring that they are making
every argument they can

While preventing the British

From finding the
source of provocation.

He's always very careful
to use a pseudonym.

He uses dozens of different
pseudonyms to cover his tracks

And burning his papers
because this is treasonous.

While Samuel Adams and
Dr Warren write,

Paul Revere and other express
writers carry their message

Across the colonies.

Samuel Adams was always interested

In building stronger ties
with supporters elsewhere.

He was very much trying
to recruit support

From other parts of North America.

And it doesn't take long

Before patriots
start writing back.

Communities gather and
send a flurry of responses

To the Sons of Liberty in Boston.

These exchanges form what is known

As the committees
of correspondence.

So Sam Adams understood

That Massachusetts
couldn't rebel alone.

When he starts publishing these
op-eds in newspapers all

Up and down the eastern seaboard,

Now colonials far away as
the south are thinking,

If we don't stand up
for Massachusetts,

The British empire is
gonna come for us next.

This is a genius thing,

You wonder why no
one did it before.

Creating this framework
which will allow

For this resistance movement
to become a revolution.

As November unfolds,

The tea ships get closer
and closer to Boston.

The entire colony of
Massachusetts knows

About the tea act and its tax.

Now Samuel Adams needs to
direct the public's outrage

And he plans to take action

On a night famous for
its demonstrations,

November 5th, also
known as Pope's night.

One of the annual events,
every November 5th,

Was Pope's day, where a mob would
make an effigy of the Pope

And parade it through the streets

And they would have a bonfire.

But in 1773, Pope's night
isn't about the Pope.

It's about governor Hutchinson.

Samuel Adams summons
everyone's sympathetic

To the patriot cause
to come to Boston

And make their voices heard.

Down with the crown.
Down with the governor.

Down with the crown.
Down with the governor.

Down with the crown.
Down with the governor.

Breaking with tradition,

They burn an effigy of
governor Thomas Hutchinson.

Hard to believe such a cold
hearted man could burn so hot.

You do have a way with
words, my friend.

And god knows your words
sure inspired them.

For his sake, I hope the
governor is listening.

Samuel Adams not only made
Thomas Hutchinson into a guy

Who's made bad political choices

Or has different political views.

He is the embodiment
of evil for us,

Which is something that
completely baffles Hutchinson.

Although Hutchinson closely
follows the protests

And knows how unpopular
he's become,

For weeks, he continues to
ignore the will of the people

And officially
denies all petitions

To withdraw the tea agents.

Thomas Hutchinson says, "I've
got 6,000 soldiers in town.

I've got a number of
warships in the harbour.

I'm not gonna be intimidated
by the radical leaders.

We observe law and order
here in this colony."

with the full might

Of the British army
and navy behind him,

Hutchinson is willing to defy
the people of Massachusetts

Knowing that the first of the
ships will arrive any day.

After two months at sea,

The day Samuel Adams and
the Sons of Liberty

Have been dreading has come.

The first of the ships,
the Dartmouth,

Bearing 114 chests of tea
docks in Boston harbour.

Now it is only a matter of time

Before Hutchinson can
take control of the tea

And make sure it's sold and taxed

And he doesn't waste a moment.

Please take a seat.

To expedite the process,

Governor Hutchinson summons the
ship's owner Francis Rotch.

Francis Rotch was a ship
owner from new Bedford

And it happens he
owns the Dartmouth.

As a man not from
Boston, as a merchant,

Francis Rotch was not involved
in the previous years

Of politics in Boston.

I've been meaning to
make your acquaintance

As I'm an admirer of the
important work that you do

To supply our fair colony
with important goods.

Well, I thank you, sir.

I've certainly put my
best effort forward.

As you are probably aware,

We have been eagerly anticipating
the Dartmouth's arrival.

As have I, governor.

The ship has lost a fair
amount of time at sea.

My apologies.

No need to apologise, my good man,

At sea we are all at
the Lord's mercy.

I am merely grateful that the
cargo has arrived safely

And I wanted to let
you know personally

That I will do
everything in my power

To expedite the customs process.

I don't know what to say.

This will put us right
back on schedule.

How can I thank you?

Think nothing of it.

Though I am running
dangerously low on tea,

So the sooner the better.

Hutchinson knows

Once he gets the tea
unloaded and distributed,

There is nothing the Sons of
Liberty will be able to do.

How long do you think we have?

Once the owner of the ship
secures his permit for customs,

Probably not long.

Then we bribe him.

Tell him to send it
all back to England.

That'll cost you a pretty penny.

I'm not saying it's not
worth trying, but...

What if we delayed them?

Can we at least buy
ourselves some time?

Yes, but we'll see
20 days at most.

Under British law,

The ships can only remain
in port for 20 days.

After 20 days they
have to be unloaded.

Everything in port
has to be taxed.

The presumption is if you're
keeping your ship for 20 days,

You're probably unloading stuff.

So it all has to be
inspected and taxed.

So the clock starts ticking
once the first ship arrives.

Who owns the Dartmouth?

The Sons of Liberty
are in an awful bind

And running out of options.

They've tried everything

To pressure governor
Hutchinson and his tea agents.

The governor won't budge.

When the Dartmouth pulls
into Boston harbour,

Their mission is
suddenly crystal clear.

Keep the tea on board until
they can figure out what to do.

Could they convince
the ship's owner

To sail the Dartmouth
straight back to England

Without unloading a
single crate of tea?

With that in mind,

Samuel Adams and John
Hancock invite the captain

To have a little chat over a
beer at their usual spot,

The green dragon tavern.

Mr Revere tells me

That you have a business
proposal of some sort.

Indeed we do.

We'd like to propose

That you send the Dartmouth
back to England.

Without unloading its cargo.

And you will of course
be well compensated.

I'll see you to that.

I appreciate the offer, gentlemen,

But I'm afraid I have no
choice in this matter.

I have schedules to
maintain, orders to fill.

The Dartmouth will be sailing

To England in one month's time,

But she's contracted to be
carrying a full load of oil.

There's no room for anything else.

In that case, how do you
feel about filing an appeal

With customs telling
them that certain items

Are no longer permitted to
be imported into the city?

Certain items?

You have 114 chests of tea
in the belly of your ship.

I'm sorry. How do you
know if the ship's cargo?

The manifest is a matter
of public record.

And that tea must
not enter Boston.

Gentlemen, while I empathise
with the patriot caused,

You must understand I have
a contract with the crown

And that contract...

Will aid in the establishment

Of a tyrannical and unlawful
tax upon the people.

Why don't you sleep on it

And tell us your
answer in the morning?

I am sorry, gentlemen. I wish
I could help you, but I...

You seem hesitant.

I understand, but let me make
one thing perfectly clear.

If one ounce of that
tea leaves your ship,

We'll make certain that
no one in this city,

And I mean no one will ever
do business with you again.

Do you understand?

Sleep on it.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Francis Rotch was really between
a rock and a hard place.

If he just left the cargo
on board the ship,

Then that ship could be
confiscated by the custom's office

And he would lose a
great deal of money.

Or there was still the possibility

That the Boston mob would
decide that the way

To destroy the tea would be

To destroy the whole
ship and burn it.

And he didn't want
that to happen either.

Knowing that Rotch
might need convincing,

The Sons of Liberty plan to
send any merchant thinking

Of accepting the British
tea a clear message.

Any business that is friendly

To the British is marked
with a T for Tory,

A word used to describe
supporters of the British.

The American merchants who
agreed to receive the tea,

They don't really understand
what might be at stake here

Or they just think they
can get away with it.

And it's not until the
Massachusetts radicals realise

What an important
opportunity this is

To make a political statement
that merchants start

To realise they might be in
trouble for accepting this tea.

The pressure on the merchants
sends a clear signal

And Rotch has agreed to
hold off unloading the tea

For the 20 days that he can.

While that is bought some time,

It has set all of Boston on edge.

Everyone is waiting to see

What the Sons of
Liberty will do next,

Including Samuel
Adams' wife Elizabeth.

Well, it sounds as if word
has spread like wildfire.

And still Hutchinson
will do nothing.

He must be furious.

Well then what will you do?

We have every indication

That Elizabeth Adams
is on the same page

As her husband politically.

Sam Adams seems to
trust her implicitly.

And there's every indication

That Elizabeth Adams and
her husband collaborate

And think together, not
just work together.

As the days pass, the
tea is left untouched

Below the decks on the Dartmouth.

But it's not long

Before governor Hutchinson takes
notice and demands answers.

Do you know what this is?

I- your unloading permit.

Oh, well thank you...

I stopped by the customs
house this morning.

They informed me it
was issued days ago.

Yes, sorry for the
delay, governor,

My schedule has become
extraordinarily busy.

Fortunately, I made
room in my schedule

And now I presume you
will make preparations

To begin unloading
your ship at once.

Yes, of course, though
I will need to account

For my full inventory and
recheck my log books.

And there are several protocols...

I understand.

There may be some small delays.

But I do not think I
need to remind you

That if your ship's cargo
is not completely unloaded

By the stroke of midnight
on December 16th,

That I will instruct the royal
navy to seize the Dartmouth

And all its contents.

Governor, there is no
need to worry, this...

And if, for some reason,
you attempt to sail away

Without unloading my tea,

Then the British warships in the
harbour have been instructed

To destroy the Dartmouth
and all its contents.

I think what Francis
Rotch most wants is

To be able to load his ship
and head back to London

And continue to do business.

He ends up inadvertently being

At the centre of this controversy

That he probably didn't
want any part of.

With only two weeks left

Before the British can
legally seize the tea

From the Dartmouth.

Look.

The next ship, the Eleanor,

Arrives in Boston harbour.

There she is, the Eleanor.

The Sons of Liberty learn
what they can and regroup.

But with governor
Hutchinson moving ahead,

Ready and willing to
push aside all dissent,

Things are beginning to look dire.

According to our
friends in customs,

The Eleanor is carrying
114 chests of tea on it.

And it gets worse,

As I'm told in a little
less than two weeks time

Another ship, the beaver,

Will be carrying
another 112 crates.

Oh, we can't possibly
stop them all.

We're running out of time.

I need to talk to John.

As each of these
events took place,

It ratcheted up the pressure

Because now there is
more tea at stake

And more tea tax at stake,

running out of options

And desperate to avoid violence,

Samuel Adams reaches
out to someone

With a deep knowledge of the law,

His cousin John Adams.

John Adams doesn't
become a front person,

But he and Samuel Adams
do become good partners.

He's very much an outsider,
but a very good lawyer.

I must admit I was having no
luck, beginning to lose hope.

Then I remembered this.

Essentially it states
that a ship's cargo

That is lost its sea or damaged
from inclement weather,

Such as a storm, for instance,
is considered lost property.

So what are you saying?

That if that tea were to somehow
end up in that harbour,

It would be written off as a loss.

Is that what you're saying?

Not me. The law.

And no one would be
held responsible.

Can one hold a storm responsible?

It states, "that ship's
owner should be absolved

Of all responsibility

And the insurers must
compensate him for his loss."

Have a look.

Everyone wins except, of
course, the governor.

Now all you need is a storm.

All right then.

With less than a week left

Before the tea is seized by force,

Samuel Adams knows dumping the tea

Into the harbour is the
last best chance they have.

Well, let's get to business

now all he has to do is figure out

How to do it without
getting caught.

Okay, here's the plan.

It is now early December, 1773.

Governor Hutchinson is still
hiding in his mansion

Behind the British army,
refusing to compromise.

He's running out the clock
and Samuel Adams knows it.

Once the deadline of
December 16th passes

In less than two weeks,

The Sons of Liberty will
have lost any chance

Of putting an end to the tea act.

Feeling the squeeze,

Adams and his fellow patriots
will have to run a risk

That could result in their
arrest for treason.

They must get their hands on
the 340 chest of tea belonging

To the British east India company

And dump it all in the harbour.

They call this mixing
the tea with salt water

And they must do it
without violence,

Leave no evidence behind and
swear everyone to silence.