What was the Gaspee Affair?

The Gaspee Affair was an event preceding the American Revolutionary War, in which a group of American colonists from Rhode Island seized and burned the HMS Gaspee, a schooner belonging to the Royal Navy.

Why was the Gaspee Affair significant?

The Gaspee Affair was significant because it raised tensions between Britain and the Thirteen Colonies in the wake of the Boston Massacre and also because it proved to Americans that violent acts of defiance against Britain could be successful.

Where was HMS Gaspee burned?

HMS Gaspee was burned near what is now Gaspee Point, near Warwick, Rhode Island.

Gaspee Affair

Definition

The Gaspee Affair was an incident that occurred on 10 June 1772, when a group of American colonists from Rhode Island seized and burned the Royal Navy schooner HMS Gaspee after it had run aground. The affair contributed to the worsening of relations between Great Britain and the Thirteen Colonies in the early stage of the American Revolution (c. 1765-1789).

More about: Gaspee Affair

Timeline

10 Jun 1772
A group of American colonists burn a Royal Navy schooner, HMS Gaspee, off the coast of Rhode Island.