Shots Fired The dozen years following the defeat of the French in America are filled with events which grow increasingly confrontational.  The British are perhaps a bit too eager to show the colonists who is boss. New England colonists, meanwhile, stand their ground. They are being smothered, economically, and have little to lose. Eventually, they stand and fight.

	Heavy British Hand The British still have troops in America after the war with France ends. They decide to reposition these forces to the very heart of colonial resistance, Boston, as an overwhelming show of force. Arriving with a great fleet of warships, they unload 4,000 Redcoats at Boston's main wharf. This is one soldier for every four Bostonians, and will surely convince trouble-makers to cease resisting. The British force Bostonians to find housing for the troops within the city, including inside homes of sympathetic 'loyalists.'
	Boston Heats Up The occupation of Boston erupts into bloodshed when troops open fire on taunting protestors. The 'Boston Massacre' marks the first time British troops have killed British subjects. The following year, a new tax on imported tea causes an uproar. When a shipment of British tea arrives in Boston, patriots throw it into the harbor. The British retaliate by closing the port of Boston completely, and taking control of the government. This is total lockdown, meant as a stern warning to all would-be protesters.