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The Writs of Assistance
The Writs of Assistance enforced the Navigation Acts. They allowed for customs officers to search public buildings, ships and private homes for contraband. They could be used at any time with no substantial evidence or details concerning the location of smuggled goods. Upon renewal, lawyer James Otis spoke out against them saying he would always oppose, “all such instruments of slavery...and villainy…” Colonists began to acknowledge the infringement of their rights.
(exact date unknown) -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was issued at the end of the French and Indian War. It was made to appease the Indians and prevent conflicts. It also tightened British control over the colonists’ affairs by closing off all land west of the Appalachian Mountains. The restrictive behavior caused colonists to despise it. They believed it was just another way to keep them controlled and watched by England, causing much opposition. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act, marked the beginning of a long thread of direct taxation designed to control colonial trade and raise revenue for England in the aftermath of the war. It placed a new tax on sugar, and decreased the tax on molasses. England hoped this new tax would be enforced, help ease the debt they were in, and stop sugar importation from non-British colonies. The colonists found the tax unjust, saying only colonial assemblies had the power to tax them, and not other nations. -
Stamp Act
This internal tax was on all printed matter in the colonies to help repay the debt. The colonists viewed these new taxes as the reason for their economic struggles. They led to the growth of widespread opposition to British control since the colonies had no say in the taxation matters. “No taxation without representation” became a popular phrase, and violent riots began to break out. As resentment towards British rule grew, England knew something had to be done concerning this unrest. -
Mutiny/Quartering Act
These acts required colonists to provide quarters, food, drink, and other supplies to British troops stationed in North America. The British thought they were fair since they were in America to protect colonists from Indians, yet the colonists felt attacked by them, among all the other policies imposed by Parliament. There was also a disbandment of the New York assembly through the Suspending Act until the Mutiny Act was followed.
Mutiny-March 24
Quartering-May 3 -
Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress was created as a result of the economic turmoil brought about by the Stamp Act and was the first official congress in America. Colonial delegates met in New York to discuss action they should take. There was a divide between moderates and extremists, making it difficult to pass their piece of legislation, the Stamp Act Resolves. However, in the end they were passed. Even though not much was accomplished, the Congress was a big step towards colonial unity. -
Declaratory Act
As British-colonial relationships were falling apart and colonies had stopped importing as much from England, the Stamp Act was completely repealed on March 18, 1766. However, many said this would cause the colonists to stop following all British policies, so the Declaratory Act was made, asserting the authority of Parliament over the colonies in “all cases whatsoever.” It caused resentment from both colonists and British landlords. -
Townshend Acts
Acts created to raise British revenues and establish English dominance. The Suspending Act disbanded the New York Assembly until they accepted the Quartering Act. The Townshend Duties taxed imported goods from England (lead, paper, tea). The third act created a new board of customs commissioners. The fourth act eased duties on tea. The colonial boycotts and other forms of resistance caused a repeal of all the duties. On 5/5/1770, all of the duties were lifted except the one on tea. -
Boston Massacre
The Townshend Duties were hated by the colonists, but before they knew about the repealment, some began to harass new customs commissioners. “Liberty Boys” started throwing rocks and snowballs at them, causing more British troops to arrive. As tensions rose, the British began to fire, killing a total of 5 Bostonians. The colonists skewed the story to gain advocates for the Patriot cause, portraying the troops and brutal murderers. -
Tea Act
Britain’s East India Company (which had the monopoly of the tea trade) was going bankrupt. Parliament passed this act so that the company could sell tea without the restrictions of the Navigation Acts, which meant that the company could now undersell American merchants and monopolize the tea trade once more. Many merchants lost their businesses, and colonists were furious because this was another example of “taxation without representation”. This led to a mass boycott of tea in the colonies. -
Boston Tea Party
Due to outrage from the tea act, many people boycotted tea, as well as hid it in storehouses so it wouldn’t be sold. However, the most eye-opening protest was the Boston Tea Party. In the middle of the night, many members of the Sons of Liberty, dressed as Mohawk indians, boarded ships of the East India Company and dumped an entire shipment’s worth of tea into the Boston Harbor. This action led to the Coercive Acts, as Britain got angry with the Americans’ actions. -
Coercive Acts
Also known as the Intolerable Acts, these acts were the reaction following England’s outrage with the Boston Tea Party. Britain closed the Boston Harbor, limited the powers of self government that the colonial assemblies had, permitted the trials of royal officers in other colonies and in England, and enforced the quartering act even more. Town meetings were also banned. This obviously led to outrage from the colonies, and united them in solidarity with Boston. -
First Continental Congress
Following the Coercive Acts, delegates from all of the colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss their situation and dissatisfaction. They agreed that first, they wouldn’t form a colonial union under British rule. Second, they endorsed a statement of grievances. Third, they approved military preparation in case of a British attack on Boston. Fourth, to stop trade with Britain and to form the Continental Association. And finally, to meet again the next year. -
Quebec Act
This created a permanent government in Canada and gave the French Canadians religious freedom and restored French law in the colony. The Americans saw this act as a threat to their religion and their territory.
(unknown specific date) -
Lexington and Concord
Gen. Thomas Gage was told to arrest Sam Adams and John Hancock in Lexington and Gage found out that minutemen were hiding ammunition in Concord. He sent 1,000 soldiers to seize both but William Dawes and Paul Revere rode out at night and warned everyone before they got there. There was a lot of skirmishes with the British as they rode and some fighting at both sites, and the “shot heard round the world” was shot, spurning a lot of propaganda for the American cause. -
Second Continental Congress
After Lexington and Concord, the Continental Congress met again and had more serious matters to discuss. First, they decided on creating a Continental Army, with George Washington as its supreme commander, who chose to serve without pay. Then, they authorized the printing of money. Furthermore, they established a committee to conduct relations with foreign governments in case they would ever need help. The Congress became a legitimate governing body. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Congress sent this to the king as a plead to create a peaceful resolution and to declare their loyalty to the crown. The king refused the petition and said the colonies were in a state of rebellion. He also sent in hessian mercenaries to control the colonists, which deeply offended them, and made them feel less and less like British citizens. -
Declaration of Independence
The colonies were getting more and more angry with British rule, so Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, which stated how the colonies felt the necessity of their independence from British rule. It was signed by delegates from the colonies and then sent to King George III, saying that they had the right to choose their own government and as a formal “screw you” to England.
