Wow, he may have a point with the wealth redistribution argument but he is way off in his historical perspective.
The Revolutionary War was still a ways off. Pennsylvania was still a loyal British colony even if there were tensions.
The invasion spoken of were the French and their Indian allies in the lead up to the French and Indians War.
Wow.
Yeah, I was thinking 1775 and not 1755 for that particular part. Thank you for pointing that out.
Awhile ago I was reading about the “Powder Alarm”. It was about 6 months before the first shots at Lexington/Concord. The Redcoats had marched on a town and confiscated it’s powder. (Near Concord - or maybe it WAS Concord).
Anyway, after that is when the militia voted to go from being British to being American. They started training, the Minutemen were created, etc.
The Constitutional Congress was meeting down in Philly and heard about it, and suggested that the various colonies support the militia with guns and powder for those men in the militia that could not afford them.
I’m not sure this is as much of a “redistribution of wealth”, as it is supporting those that help defend your “country” (or neighborhood or colony) against Indians, French or the Redcoats.
I know if my neighbor Bob is willing to stand at a barricade for our cul-de-sac, I’ll be out there and he can borrow one of my guns.