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End of the French and Indian War
After the war, the British were in debt. They wanted to make money again, so they decided to impose new taxes and regulations on the colonies. The colonists were angered by this because they wanted to preserve the empire that had produced many benefits at so little cost to them. -
The Sugar Act
George Grenville passed the Sugar act in 1764. This act lowered taxes on molasses, but the courts could collect the duties and prosecute smugglers. The prime minister hoped that this act would encourage colonists to pay taxes. In the long run, colonists ended up paying more taxes. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was the first tax on the colonists, by Parliament. Which required them to pay taxes to printed materials such as documents, newspapers, books contracts and land deeds. The colonists furiously protested this, they thought that it imtimitated their prosperity and liberty. They argued that the colonists had no image in Parliment, so they had no right to tax them. -
The Quartering Act
Parliment passed this law that required the colonies to provide housing and supplies for the British troops stationed there after the war. Most of the colonists went along with these changes because they accepted Parliment's right to regulate trade and provide for defense, but some colonists still complained. -
The Declaratory Act
The Declaratory Act is what took away the Stamp Act. This was passed by Parliament. This act approved any law they approved of for the colonists. Some of these laws included taxing colonists. It stated that the taxing was the same in America as it was in Britain. -
The Townshend Act
Parliment passed this law which imposed new import duties on everyday items such as glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. The colonists demanded that they would pay no new taxes of any sort to Parliment. They also disliked their plan to use the money to pay the salaries of the colonial governors and judges; which made them more indpendent of the colonial assemblies. The colonists were disturbed by this because they valued their financial control of the governors. -
Boston Massacre
Due to the Townshend Acts, there were many riots in Boston because the British customs officials abused there power. The Boston Massacre was an incident in which British soldiers killed five colonists in Boston. This happened when a group of colonists hurled snowballs and rocks at British soldiers gaurding the customs house so the nervous soldiers fired into the crowd. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act was passed by Parliament to save the East India Tea Company. The act lowered the prices on tea, but charged a tax. The act’s main purpose was to raise money for the government, from taxation. The colonist did not except the tax, and refused to pay. Their resistance is what led to the Boston Tea Party. -
The Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts was when the Port of Boston closed until the colonists paid for the destroyed tea.The colonists refused the idea that the British could shut down the trade and change colonial government. In some colonies, they reacted to this act with violence, which forced the court to shut down. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The battles started at Lexington and Concord by sending troops to arrest Hancock and Adams. The brttish soldiers were known as the "redcoats." The Patriots fired shots first, and before the Brittish knew it, 200 of their soldiers were dead. Brittish finally reached saftey in Boston. Then the Patriots rushed to imprison the Brittish in their city. Which led the Patriots to gain control over the New England Colonies.
