History of the United States I / Unit 5 USH1 0621 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Hillsborough's Threat Backfires
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The idea
Lord Hillsborough demanded that Massachusetts retract the Circular Letter, and he threatened to dissolve any assembly that endorsed it.
In practice
Previously reluctant colonies uniting behind Massachusetts in response to the threat.
Where people slip
The coercion backfired. A threat aimed at isolating one colony gave every other colony a reason to act together.
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