Final answer:
The British viewed the Committees of Correspondence as a threat to their control in the colonies and responded with the Intolerable Acts. However, these punitive measures only strengthened colonial resistance, with the Committees playing a central role in organizing boycotts and spreading information, particularly against the Tea Act of 1773, leading up to the American Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Committees of Correspondence were a pivotal aspect of pre-revolutionary America that played a significant role in rallying opposition against British rule. Established initially in Massachusetts by figures such as Samuel Adams, the Committees functioned as a shadow government, disseminating information and coordinating responses to British policies. These Committees became a bone of contention for the British, seen as a subversive network that undermined royal authority and agitated colonial sentiments towards independence.
British authorities viewed the Committees and their activities as a threat to their control over the colonies. To quell the growing dissent, the British government enacted punitive measures, including the Intolerable Acts, which were designed to punish and isolate Massachusetts, the hub of revolutionary activity. Far from deterring the movement, these acts fueled the flames of resistance and united the colonies.
The Committees of Correspondence utilized this unrest to organize a widespread boycott of British goods, cementing their role as leaders in the American struggle for liberty. The British, unable to counteract the swift exchange of information and the unity it brought about, faced an increasingly defiant network of colonies.
The most notable instance of colonial defiance aided by the Committees was the response to the Tea Act of 1773. This led to boycotts and direct actions such as the Boston Tea Party, where cargo of British tea were destroyed. The Committees were instrumental in communicating and legitimizing these acts of resistance across the colonies, signaling the start of a coordinated revolt against British policies and ultimately towards the American Revolution.