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Proclamation Act of 1763
The British put a boundary at the Appalachian mountain line. This prohibited colonists from traveling past it, keeping them out of any territory that the British acquired from the French. They wanted to appease the Native Americans and keep their control over the colonists. The colonists were angry at this act, and rebelled, travelling past the boundary anyways, looking for farmland. -
Sugar Act
The British lowered taxes on molasses to encourage the colonists to purchase it from British sources, but raised taxes on foreign goods. They also put more enforcement on smuggling laws. They wanted the colonists to solely rely on the British and their goods. The colonists rejected this act by boycotting the import of luxury goods from Great Britain. -
Currency Act
In the Currency Act, the British government took complete control over the currency of the colonies. They refused to introduce new printed currency, and reintroduced old coins into the economy. There was a shortage of funds, and alternative forms of payment were nullified. The colonists react by protesting and coming together in assemblies to counter the unjust taxation without representation. -
Stamp Act
This act required the colonists to pay taxes and buy stamps for any legal documents used. The majority of their other papers were now taxed or needed to be stamped for use. The response of the colonists varied. Some simply boycotted British goods, and others went as far as to attack and antagonize tax collectors. -
Quartering Act of 1765
This act required the governments of the colonies to feed and house British soldiers. If there was no room to house these troops, the colonists may have to offer up their homes. The colonists were not as angered by the fact that they might have to house soldiers, as there were not many British troops in the colonies at this time. Additionally, they had ways to get around this ruling. However, they were upset that their taxes increased in order to pay for the soldiers room and board. -
Declaratory Act
This act was passed at the same time as the Stamp Act was repealed. It stated that the British government had the same right to tax the colonists as they did the citizens of Great Britain. This was to assert more control over the colonies. The colonists were frustrated at how much control Britain was taking over them, but were relieved that the Stamp Act was no longer in place. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Act put even more taxes on goods that were imported into the colonies. Some of the goods that were taxed were British china, glass, paint, lead, paper and tea. In response, many of the colonists boycotted these goods, and added to tensions between the colonists and their mother country. This boycott only brought more British troops to the colonies. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a riot that started between a soldier guarding the King’s money, and angry colonists. The colonists antagonized the British soldier, causing the soldiers to open fire on the colonists, resulting in the death of five men. This riot angered the colonists, especially those who were not happy with the control of the British. In response, there were protests, and calls for British troops to be removed. Two of the British soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was in response to the Tea Act, which lowered the taxes on tea from the East India Company. This forced the colonists to order and trade with this company, bailing out the British from their financial struggles. During the Boston Tea Party, colonists disguised themselves as Native Americans, and dumped 342 chests of imported British tea into the Boston Harbor. There was a mixed reaction from the colonists. Some approved of the rebellion, while others considered it reckless. -
Intolerable Acts/Coercive Acts
In response to the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament put in place the Intolerable Acts. The Boston Harbor was closed to trade, until the colonists could pay back East Company. Town meetings were banned, and a British commander was sent to be the governor of Massachusetts. This meant that the British troops residing in Massachusetts had more leeway. This led to colonists joining together to boycott Britain and creating the First Continental Congress. -
Quartering Act of 1774
The newest Quartering Act simply made additions to the previous act. The new additions allowed British governors to find board and demand spaces for British troops, rather than the responsibility being left to colonial assemblies. The colonists were angered by this act, as they were forced to allow foreign soldiers to live in their towns, and sometimes even on their properties. At this time, many of the colonists preferred to keep the troops as far away from their settlements as possible. -
Quebec Act
The British wanted to gain the trust of the French inhabitants in Quebec, so they passed the Quebec Act. This act gave Quebec the right to be part of the Roman Catholic Church and other freedoms, in order to gain their loyalty. They also extended the boundaries of Quebec to the Ohio River. The colonists also believed that Britain was trying to drive a wedge between them and the inhabitants of Quebec. This, along with their anger from the Intolerable Acts, drove the colonists to rebel.