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Proclamation of 1763
This act limited the colonists westward expansion in order to not have tensions with the Native Americans. The response to this act was relative mild, the colonists did not have a huge reaction to this act. However, the colonists did not like the fact that the British were now telling them where they could expand. -
Sugar Act
This act was passed in order to pay for the defense of the colonies post French and Indian War. Taxes were placed on molasses, wine and other goods that had to pass through British customs. They lowered the duties but are now enforcing it. The colonists did not take well to this act, and started to protest against the British. -
Currency Act
This act made sure that the colonists could not have a new currency and it would not be used for legal debt. "The colonists did not have enough currency in order to conduct trade." They did not take well to this act either, because it was a reinforcement of British control over their economy. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was the act that places taxes on any form of documentation and paper such as wills, playing cards and marriage licenses (only a few). The colonists believed that this Act was outrageous and it made the tensions between the Crown and colonies rise even higher than before. -
Quartering Act
This act stated that the colonists would have to provide the British troops in the colonies with shelter and food, even in their own private homes. The colonists did not believe that this was fair to themselves and their families, because most of them could barely provide for themselves. The tensions escalated because of both this and the Stamp Act. -
Declaratory Act
This act repealed the Stamp Act however, this act stated that the British Parliament did indeed have the right to place taxes on the colonies on whatever they needed. The colonists were pleased that the Stamp Act was repealed however, they did not appreciate the fact that the British had the right to tax them. -
Townshend Act
This act imposed yet more taxes upon the colonists such as taxes on paper, paint and glass. This was a response to the colonists making their own goods to avoid the taxes of the British. The colonists took this act very heavily, and the response that it had caused a revolt with death involved. ( Boston Massacre) -
Boston Massacre
This was a conflict that led to the death of 5 civilians and 3 civilians got injured. The people of the colonies were harassing the soldiers that were present in their town, and decided to throw a harmless snowball at them, resulting in the troops becoming angry and shots being fired into the crowd. This was an event that led to the American Revolution. -
Burning of the Gaspee
The ship, Gaspee, was burned by the locals that were opposed to the new trading legislation. The Gaspee was a ship that was owned by a commander sent by the British Parliament to enforce the trade laws and prevent smuggling of goods. -
Tea Act
The British Parliament "exempted its tea from import duties and allowed the Company to sell its tea directly to the colonies." The colonists became angry because they believed that it was an indirect tax that made the British company smaller. -
Boston Tea Party
The Tea Acts sparked the events that took place on December 16th, 1773. The patriots decided that they had enough, so they decided to dress up as Mohawk Indians and board a ship full of tea from the India Company, and throw the tea into the water. -
Intolerable Acts (May to June)
The Intolerable Acts was in response to the Boston Tea Party. They took away Massachusetts's right to their own self government and judicial independence. In response to these acts being placed, the colonists did a major boycott of British goods. -
Continental Congress (Met between September 5th and October 26th)
Delegates from the colonies meet in order to talk about opposition to the Intolerable Acts that have been placed.