Seeds of the American Revolution - Part 3 Taxation Vexation & Sons of Liberty

by Elva Cobb Martin

More Taxation without Representation

Britain continued to pass more taxes on the colonies: The Currency Act to restrain the use of paper money, the Sugar Act imposing duties on a number of articles, including lumber, and then the Stamp Act which imposed direct taxes on the colonies for the first time. All official documents, newspapers, almanacs, and pamphlets were required to have "stamps"--even a deck of playing cards.


But then a special group of patriots arose! The Sons of Liberty. In this picture from the History Channel/Netflix series on this patriotic group you see Sam Adams center, Paul Revere to his right and, John Hancock and John Adams to his left. George Washington does appear and blesses this group's efforts.

The Sons of Liberty was a secret organization that was created in the Thirteen American Colonies, particularly Boston, to advance the rights of the European colonists and to fight taxation by the British government. It played a major role in most colonies in battling the Stamp Act in 1765. The group officially disbanded after the Stamp Act was repealed. However, the name was applied to other local separatist groups during the years preceding the American Revolution.

The Sons of Liberty used public demonstrations, boycotts, violence and threats of violence to ensure that British tax laws were unenforceable. They included most of the famous names we remember in our early history.

In Boston, where this group got its start, led primarily by Sam Adams, the Sons of Liberty burned the records of the vice admiralty court (which oversaw the collecting of taxes) and looted the home of chief justice Thomas Hutchinson.

Several legislatures called for united action.  In October 1765 delegates to the Stamp Act Congress held in NYC drew up a "Declaration of Rights and Grievances" stating that taxes passed without representation violated their rights as Englishmen. Colonists boycotted British imports.

You can clearly see where all this was heading!

Here's a link to the Sons of Liberty promo from the History Channel series:
https://binged.it/2ZjaEF4  I just watched its entirety on Netflix. Bloody, as any birthing is, it's also very inspiring and further convinced me of how God had to be in on this thing helping the patriots against the great British war machine or we'd never have become a free nation.

Another great series about the birth of our nation is Turn, also on Netflix. It deals more with Washington's spies and we see a lot of George Washington.

I love to view these type series again near July 4th, just so I don't forget the great battle the patriots fought for our nation to be born. Invite your older children to see these series and leave the right legacy when so much of our history is being ignored or rewritten.

Thank you for stopping by! Please share by clicking on the social media icons below.

Blessings,
Elva

Elva Cobb Martin is Vice President of the SC Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin  
 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI 

Seeds of the American Revolution - Part 2

by Elva Cobb Martin


The Royal Proclamation of 1763

After the French and Indian War, Britain decreed the lands west of the Allegheny Mountains as Indian territory and barred settlement for two years. 

The colonists protested as they wanted to continue migrating west. They felt Britain was trying to hold them back from the very lands they fought and died for and spent enormous sums of money supplying the army.

But Britain wanted to keep the colonists confined to coastal areas and easy access to govern and tax them and keep all their trade for Britain.

Many colonist ignored the Proclamation Line. They moved across the mountains anyway. 

One famous settler was Daniel Boone. He moved his family into Kentucky and spent many years leading settlers across the mountains into the Indian territory.

Britain did not see or did not care that their American colonies were beginning to seethe with indignation and Parliament decreed more and more taxes and quartered soldiers in the colonists' homes to feed and house.

In 1765 The Sons of Liberty were formed. More about them in my next blog!

Thanks for stopping by. Have you a piece of our history to share? Hope you are enjoying digging back for the seeds of the American Revolution as we approach our nation's 243rd birthday, July 4. Please share by clicking on the social media icons below.

Blessings,
Elva

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin  
 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI 

Seeds of the America's Revolution - Part 1 Molasses Act 1733

by Elva Cobb Martin

In research for my current historical series, I've run across some interesting facts about the events that led up to our American Revolution.

The passage of the Molasses Act of 1733 by the British Parliament is one of these.

Can you believe some historians believe it was not anger about tea that started the seeds of revolution growing in the American colonies but anger about rum--made from molasses. Personally, I would like to stick with tea.  But some facts do suggest rum.

Molasses was the main raw ingredient for the manufacture of rum. It was cheaper than refined sugar, and it was used as a general sweetener in colonial days.

The making of rum was a huge industry in the colonies in the early 1700's. We are told it was consumed at a rate of four galleons a year for every man, woman and child in the 1730's, and Boston along produced more than a million gallons of rum a year.

Harvesting Sugar Cane

Molasses, which I like on a hot biscuit, is a by product of sugar cane after it is boiled and distilled into sugar crystals. The Molasses Act placed a heavy tax on this product when bought from any foreign power other than the British sugar planters in the Caribbean. But the Spanish and French planters there sold the product cheaper and had more to sell to the colonists. Also these nations were a great export market for the colonists' lumber, fish, cheese, flour, barrels, and horses.

Because of the Molasses Act of 1733 and its heavy tax, smuggling 

prospered. The colonial merchants developed trade routes and rendezvous points with French, Dutch, and Spanish traders. Huge fortunes were made by shipping tradesmen, including, some believe, Boston merchant, John Hancock. Thirty years later, his smuggling ship called the Liberty, was detained by the British and became one of the triggers of the Boston Tea Party.

How did The Molasses Act of 1733 start seeds of revolution growing? Because it encouraged the development of  an attitude of resistance toward unpopular laws passed by the British parliament governing the colonial population. This attitude would soon distill into righteous anger over "taxation without representation."

I give credit for information in this blog to the Revolutionary War and Beyond site you can find at http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com 

Health Benefits of Molasses
Consuming molasses reputedly has a number of great health benefits I doubt the colonials knew anything about. These include a natural way to relieve PMS symptoms, stabilize blood sugar levels, combat stress, reduce free radicals, improve bone and skin health. For more information on benefits and recipes, click here: https://draxe.com/blackstrap-molasses/

Thanks for stopping by. Have you enjoyed hearing about this "seed" of our American Revolution? I'm sure molasses on my biscuit or toast or in recipes will taste even better now with all these facts! Please do share by clicking on the  small icons below.

Blessings,
Elva Martin

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin  
 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI 

Sailing Ship Devotion

by Elva Cobb Martin

Have you ever felt like the kind of storm described below in Psalm 107 was happening in your life? Notice the sailors were simply going about their normal business, and even seeing the "wonders" of the Lord. Then a terrible storm came to shake and toss them.

Scripture Psalm 107:23-30 Amplified

23 Some go down to the sea and travel over it in ships to do business in great waters.

24 These see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.

25 For He commands and raises up the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.

26 [Those aboard]mount up to the heavens they go down again to the deeps: their courage melts away because of their plight.

27 The reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end [all their wisdom has come to nothing.]

28 Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble and He brings them out of their distresses.

29 He hushes the storm to a calm and to a gentle whisper, so that the waves of the sea are still.

30 Then the men are glad because of the calm, and He brings them to their desired haven.

No matter how hard the storm you may be facing, keep praying, crying out to the Lord and believing. Speak "PEACE BE STILL." Find a scripture that promises your need will be met.

If for healing, memorize Psalm 103:1-5. For other needs, check out III John verse 3, and Romans 8:37. Meditate and confess these aloud in faith as you pray. Rebuke the enemy of your soul when he tries to seize you with fear. You will find your way to a safe harbor.

Can't fail to find it. We Christians have quite a Captain at the helm!

Blessings,
Elva

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin  
 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI 

Novel in Progress - Vocabulary List Barbary Pirates Part 2

by Elva Cobb Martin

Here are some more vocabulary words I am listing for my historical series wip set in 1700's Charles Town and the High Seas.

Ballast Bricks or Stones

 During the crossing of the seas in the sailing years, captains used the bricks or stones as a weight and balance method in the hold of the ship. After arriving at their destination, the ballast bricks were unloaded and replaced with fine goods for the return. Charles Town's cobbled streets were laid with ballast bricks or stones. 

Drogue (Book 1 Marisol Chap 16 excerpt --book to be released in November, 2019!)

"Pondering what to do, Ethan eyes widened as he remembered what was called a drogue device. Dona Maria’s ship could be stopped with such an attachment.The weariness lifted from his mind. A well-crafted drogue applied underwater, out of sight, to the rudder, could cripple the Nuestra Senora de Vargas at sea, away from any Spanish port.

In his former British navy stint it had worked well to stop a slaver and he’d been in on the plan and creation of one. It need be no more than a large sea anchor and a bolt of Number One canvas sewn into a funnel and reinforced to stand the strain with Dona Maria’s ship going at twelve knots. The contraption would be attached to one of the lower pintles of the rudder under water. Attaching the drogue, without being discovered by the ship’s crew, was the tricky part. But once it was put in place, the drogue would tear the rudder clean away when the ship started sailing full speed at sea. The vessel would be rendered helpless and dead in the sea. 
He stood, smiling. They could, they would, rescue little Samuel from the woman's clutches." 

(Research credit given to Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies.)

Djellabas
A long, loose, hooded garment or robe with full sleeves, worn especially in Muslim countries.

Burgoo 

A shipboard fare for lower echelon crew members. It was a mix of oat gruel and beef grease cooked all night, usually for breakfast.

Hardtack 

Dry, unleavened bread served aboard ship to the lower crew members and sometimes served with salt beef pickled in barrels of brine along with salted peas. The hardtack was a survival biscuit made with three simple ingredients: flour, water and salt. It held up well to rough transport and kept nearly indefinitely.

Hope you've enjoyed my vocabulary list I am generating for my historical romance series. Please do share by clicking on the icons below.

Blessings,
Elva 

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin  
 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI

Novel In Progress - Vocabulary List Barbary Pirates - Part 1

by Elva Cobb Martin

 The Barbary States

In my wip, an historical series set in  Charles Town in the 1700's and during the Barbary pirate era, I've been creating a vocabulary list for my readers. The plan is to add this at the back of the book(s) as an appendix. 

It also helps me remember the unusual spellings. 

Here is part of my list. Does it help open up this time period of sailing ships and pirates, especially Islamic Barbary pirates my Charles Town hero and heroine will confront?

1) Corsair: (from dictionary of Nautical history)

  ➤ a pirate, especially one based on the North African coast between the 16th and 19th centuries. Some were even from an English, French or Italian background who left or had to leave their countries for various reasons or crimes.

 ➤ a privately owned ship commissioned by a government to attack foreign ships, especially one based on the coast of North Africa.

2) tricorn

 A hat with its brim turned up on three sides, making three points, worn by men in the 18th century

3) draught of a ship:

the draft or draught of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull, with the thickness of the hull included. Draft determines the minimum depth of water a ship or boat can safely navigate.

4) scimitar (sym’muh tar)

 A short sword with a curved blade that broadens towards the point, used originally in Eastern countries. A saber having a curved blade with the edge on the convex side and used chiefly by Arabs and Turks, and Barbary pirates.

5) rak’ah

A rakʿah, consists of the prescribed movements and words followed by Muslims while offering prayers to Allah. It also refers to a single unit of Islamic prayers.

6) Tripolitan War, (1801–05),

Conflict between the United States and Tripoli (now in Libya), incited by American refusal (President Thomas Jefferson) to continue payment of tribute to the piratical rulers of the North African Barbary States of Algiers, Tunis, Morocco, and Tripoli.

Hope this has begun to open up the world of Barbary pirates to you that Thomas Jefferson, our newborn Navy and Marines defeated in America's first war on terror!

Happy Mothers' Day to you mothers,
Elva Martin

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin 
 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI

Writers' Devotion: Be still and know...

by Elva Cobb Martin

With this blog I start something new--a brief writers' devotion the first week of each new month. This week is a good time to start. The first Thursday in May each year is America's National Day of Prayer which I participate in on our Court House Steps.

Psalm 46:10 KJV

"Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen."

It may look like the heathen have taken over, but God says: Be still and know...I will be exalted among the heathen.

In the past others have tried to exalt themselves above God: 

Lucifer
Pharaoh
Hitler
Stalin

Today, abortionists and pro-abortion pushers/judges, 
the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning), 
Islam, and ISIS are trying to exalt themselves above God and His Word.

Like every Christian writer, I read the news and am troubled by the inroads evil seems to be making in our nation and world.

But God says: Be still and know that I WILL BE exalted among the heathen.

That's good news to keep remembering and agreeing with daily as we continue to pursue our writing mandates.

Onward! In His Majesty's Service,
Elva Martin

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin    

 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI