May 20, 1774

Posted on May 20, 2019 by Joel Byers

On May 20, 1774, Britain passed the Coercive Acts to punish the American colonists for their increasingly anti-British behavior. All American colonists were immediately prohibited from drinking coffee. Tea was to be the caffeinated beverage of choice. Also, rum was to be only allowed for the lower classes. The higher caste colonials were told to drink gin, as that was properly posh. And to start immediately upon the reading of the Act in all of the major American cities, the telling of  Thou King Jokes was to cease at once. Examples included “Thou King is so fat, when God said let there be light, he had to ask King George to move out of the way,” and “Thou King’s so old, when he lifted his womanly boob to wash under it, a pilgrim fell out” and last but not least, “When Thou King steps on the scales, it reads ‘All you guys in the same regiment?’”. The Americans were not pleased and continued to tell Thou King jokes.

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About Joel Byers

Born in North Georgia and educated at some very fine public institutions. Real education started after graduating from college and then getting married and raising two boys. Has the ability to see the funny and absurd in most things and will always remark on it, even if it means getting the stink-eye from his victims.
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