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On June 9 1772, the British schooner HMS Gaspee ran aground near Warwick, Rhode Island, while engaging in anti-smuggling operations. What happened next?

Answer: The presence of Gaspee had angered local colonists and while the ship was aground, members of the anti-taxation Sons of Liberty secret society attacked, looted and torched the ship. The attack, known as the Gaspee Affair, is considered an important event in the lead-up to the American War of Independence (1775-1883).

Source: Sons of Providence by Charles Rappleye

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