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Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763, signed by King George III of England, prohibited any English Settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. It even required everyone that was already settled there to return in an attempt to ease tensions with the Native Americans. This was a boundary marked in the Appalachian Mountains at the Eastern-Continental divide and was produced by the British. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act increased the duties on imported sugar and other items such as textiles, coffee, wines, and indigo (dye). The Sugar Act increased the enforcement of the law but reduced the amount of tax that the colonists had to pay on sugar and molasses by half. This upset the colonists because it let New England colonists boycott British imports and led to the colonists needing to rely less on British goods. -
Stamp Act
In the Stamp Act, all printed materials were taxed. Things such as newspapers, pamphlets, bills, legal documents, licenses, almanacs, and darts and playing cards. For the first time in 150 years, the colonists had to pay taxes to England instead of their own government in America. -
Quartering Act
This act let soldiers stay in people's homes or empty buildings when needed. The families were required to provide the soldiers stationed in their towns or villages with food, water, fuel, and transportation. These families most likely got nothing out of doing this for the soldiers. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred when a mob harassed British soldiers who then fired guns into the crowd. Three people were killed instantly. Six people were severely injured. -
Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty dressed as Mohawk Indians participated in the act. During the act, 45 tons of tea was dumped into the Boston Harbor. This happened because the American colonists were against taxed tea. -
Boston Port Act
This act closed the port of Boston in 1774 until the price of the dumped tea was payed off. They also wanted to move the capital of Massachusetts to Salem, and made Marblehead the official port of entry for the Massachusetts colony. The Boston Port Act officially ended and opened the port again in 1783. -
Impartial Administration of Justice Act
This act allowed the governor of a colony to move trials to other colonies. He could even move the trials to England if he was afraid that juries in those colonies wouldn't fairly judge a case.The colonists referred to this act as the "Murder Act" because it meant that the British soldiers could get away with murder. -
Quebec Act
The Quebec Act granted civil government and religious freedom to Catholics living in Quebec. This act created a French, Roman Catholic colony within the British Empire. This act helped provoke an invasion of Quebec. -
Massachusetts Regulating Act
This made all law officers subject to appointment by the royal governor. This act also banned all town meetings unless they had approval by the royal governor. This act was designed to punish the participants in the Boston Tea Party.