c) The Gaspee Affair

The Gaspee Affair in 1772 involved the burning of the British customs schooner, HMS Gaspee, by American patriots in Rhode Island. This act of defiance was a protest against the enforcement of the Navigation Acts, which regulated colonial trade in favor of Britain. The Gaspee, tasked with enforcing these trade regulations, had been aggressively pursuing smugglers, leading to its targeting by local colonists. The burning of the Gaspee was a significant act of colonial resistance, illustrating the growing frustration with British policies and the increasing willingness of colonists to take dramatic actions in protest.