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The Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was when Parliment taxed colonists on sugar and molasses. This act was made to pay for the French and Indian War. Prime Minister George Grenville was the one to suggest to pass the act. This was also the first act to raise money in the colonies. -
Committees of Correspondence
The Committees of Correspondence the American colonies' first institution where they came together. Samuel Adams help found the committee. It was in New York and other colonies. The committee was formed to get in touch with other colonies. They also were founded to discuss British Laws and how to challenge them. -
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Pre-revelutionary Events
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Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was taxes on official stamps, legal documents, licences, newspapers, pamphlets, and playing cards. Parliment was looking for new ways to tax the colonists. The act was suggested by Prime Minister Grenville. This act was the British's first attempt to assert government authority over the colonies. -
The Sons of Liberty
The Sons of Liberty were a group of shopkeepers and artisans in the colonies. The colonists were organized by Samuel Adams and the group founded the Sons of Liberty. They formed to protest the Stamp Act and other taxes the British forced on them. They also used violence to frighten tax collectors. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Act taxed colonists on imports of glass, paint, oil, lead, paper, and tea. The act was originated by Charles Townshend. Also it was passed by the English Parliment. The act was designed to collect revenue from colonies in America. To enforce the act, British officials used writs of assistance. These allowed tax collectors to search for smuggled goods. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occured in Boston, Massachussetts. That day the tension between the colonists and the British soldiers exploded. A British soldier had an argument with a colonist and struck him. A crowd gathered and threw snowballs and insults at the soldier. Then troops came and colonists grew angrier. Then soldiers fired and they killed three men, including sailor Crispus Attucks. "Half Indian, half negro, and altogether rowdy" as he was called, Attucks is the best-remembered casualty. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act was passed by Parliment. It allowed the British East India Company to sell tea directly to colonists. They thought this would stop smuggling and the less smuggling there was results in more tax money. Many colonial merchants and smugglers thought this would put them out of business. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was when three ships with tea on them came to the Boston Harbor and the Sons of Liberty demanded they leave. But the govenor of Massachussetts wouldn't let the ships leave. So about 200 men disguised as Indians sneaked on the ships and dumped over 340 tea chests into Boston Harbor. Soon people shouted in the streets, "Boston harbour is a teapot tonight!" -
The Intolerable Acts (also called the Coercive Acts)
The Intolerable Acts was passed by Parliment to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party. These were the effects: 1.Boston Harbor was closed until Boston paid for the tea. 2.Massachussetts's charter was canceled. The govenor decided if and when the legisature could meet. 3.Royal officals accused of crimes were sent to Britain for trial. 4.A new Quartering Act required colonists to house British soldiers. 5.England gave land to the colony of Quebec. 6.General Thomas Gage became new govenor. -
The First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a gathering of colonial leaders who were troubled about the relationship between Great Britian and its colonies in America. All the colonies except Georgia sent representatives to the meeting. The meeting was held at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia. The leaders remained locked in weeks of intense debate.
