This podcast episode of "Empire" discusses the events leading up to the American Revolution, focusing on the Boston Tea Party and its aftermath. The hosts and guest historian Maya Jasanoff trace the escalating tensions between Britain and the American colonies, highlighting the role of the East India Company, the Tea Act, and the subsequent Coercive/Intolerable Acts. The discussion covers the formation of the Committees of Correspondence and the First Continental Congress, emphasizing the diverse viewpoints among colonial leaders regarding independence and reconciliation with Britain. A key point is the Dunmore Proclamation, which offered freedom to enslaved people who joined the British, revealing the complexities of the conflict. The episode concludes by examining Thomas Paine's influential pamphlet "Common Sense" and its impact on the movement towards independence.
