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Writs of Assistance
Authorized in 1760 by Governor Bernard, These were documents which were similar to a search warrant, but were completely general and nonspecific. This type of search warrant made it possible for customs officials to search the colonists boats or buildings without any specific search warrant to check for smuggled goods.Boston Merchants wanted to challenge the constitutionality of the Writ so they hired James Otis.The case took two years to deliberate, but the writs were kept in place. -
Proclamation Act of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was issued following the French and Indian war and in response to Pontiac’s Rebellion and other tensions along the frontier which forbade settlers from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains. Fur traders were often allowed to settle west of the Appalachians but many colonists migrated illegally. In the years following the proclamation, the basis of all laws in America concerning Native Americans were regarding the encroachment of others on their land. -
Sugar Act of 1764
The Sugar Act was an attempt by British government to raise revenue and pay for the French and Indian War. This act reduced the tax on molasses but also taxed items such as sugar, wine, and coffee. It also began regulate export of items such as lumber and iron. This law caused dissent to form among the colonies due to the economic impact of the tax as well as the political impact of taxation without representation. -
Stamp Act of 1765
The Stamp Act was another tax put in place by parliament to charge the colonists for the French and Indian War. It placed a tax on all printed paper such as legal documents, publications and ship’s papers. Colonists believed that this act was part of a greater plot to deprive colonists of their freedom. This fear created an ideological basis for a resistance movement in the colonies. These ideas of resistance led to the forming of radical groups such as the sons of liberty. -
Quartering Act of 1765
The Quartering Act required colonists to house British troops and provide them with basic needs including food and clothes. Many troops were stationed in the colonies due to the Stamp Act Protests and colonial unrest. The Quartering Act caused uproar in the colonies. The colonists disliked standing armies and didn’t want to rely on them. Many colonists refused to finance the soldiers. This resistance eventually passed, but the bitterness and resentment remained. -
Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress was a meeting of delegates from nine North American British colonies in New York. They met during colony-wide protests of the Stamp Act, and decided to create the Declaration of Rights and Grievances stating that England could not tax them because they had no approval by a colonial representative. This was an important step towards uniting the colonies against England. The gesture proved that the colonies could work together towards a common goal. -
Declaratory Act of 1766
The Declaratory Act stated the Parliament had the same right to tax civilians in the colonies as they do in England. They did not need any colonial representation and could tax in “all cases whatsoever”. This showed the little care that England had for her colonies. This act only grew the colonial unrest that will eventually lead to the colonists desire the separate themselves completely from England. -
Townshend Acts 1767
The Townshend Acts brought harsher taxes on glass, paper, and tea. The Massachusetts assembly took the lead in opposing the new measures by sending a circulatory letter to all the colonial governments urging protest to every tax. Lord Hillsborough, secretary of state for the colonies, warned that assemblies endorsing the letter would be dissolved. Colonies continued to support the letter. In response, a new board of customs commissioners was created and this ended smuggling in Boston. -
Boston Massacre of 1770
British troops were stationed in Boston protecting the port and collecting custom duties. Eventually, a group of enraged colonists began throwing snowballs and eventually rocks at the redcoats. The British troops fired into the crowd and 5 civilians were killed. This became known as the Boston Massacre through propaganda spread by the Sons of Liberty. This resulted in British troops being removed from Boston. This event was used as a rallying cry for the colonies united against the British. -
Tea Act of 1773
The Tea Act lowered the price of tea but allowed the British East India company to have a monopoly in the colonies.
The colonists were wary of any attempt by Britain to collect revenue and they refused to purchase tea. The issuing of this act lead to further tensions between Britain and colonies and eventually lead to the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by the Sons of Liberty in response to the tea act. As a new shipment of tea was in the Boston Harbor awaiting unloading, a group of colonists, some dressed as Native Americans, boarded the ship, broke open the crates and dumped the tea into the water.The British government responded harshly and this resulted in the passing of the Intolerable or Coercive Acts. This dissent that formed among the colonists eventually escalated and led to the Revolution. -
Coercive Acts of 1774
The Coercive Acts punished citizens of Boston for their actions in the Boston Tea Party. They closed the Boston Harbor until the tea was paid for and revoked the charter of Massachusetts. It included the Quartering Act which enabled soldiers to be boarded in private homes. Parliament hoped the acts would cut Boston from the rest of the colonies and prevent resistance to British rule. Instead other colonies sent Boston defense and supplies.This lead to colonial resistance to the British. -
Quebec Act of 1774
Parliament passed the Quebec Act which allowed the former French Region to be self sufficient and expand its borders, taking away potential lands of the colonists in the Ohio River Valley. It guaranteed people living in Quebec free practice of the Catholic fold.The passing of the Quebec Act enraged colonists. It lead to the dissent in the American colonies and the later passing of the Declaration of Rights and Grievances in 1774. -
1st Continental Congress
This included all the 13 colonies' delegates but Georgia’s and met in Philadelphia in 1774. They had protested and resisted when they believed Britain overstepped its boundaries on the colonies after the passing of legislation such as the Intolerable Acts. Also they introduced the idea of Independence. The 1st Continental Congress developed a system of boycotting British goods which angered Great Britain. The disbanding of the 1st Continental Congress led to a 2nd one to be created. -
Battles of Lexington/Concord
The first battle of the Revolutionary War. Thomas Gage, a British governor, sent some British troops to Concord when he heard of the loading of arms of the colonists. "The shot heard round the world" was fired at this battle. The colonist's ragtag army eventually defeated the British, who retreated back to Boston. 73 British were killed. These battles proved the colonists were going to fight ruthlessly for the independence and were not going to be tolerant of British rule any further. -
2nd Continental Congress
Created by the delegates from the 1st Continental Congress, the delegates in this Continental Congress included all 13 colonies and some delegated from Canada. They dealt with more serious conflicts between the British and the Colonists and declared war independence.They were able to bring together the colonial war effort they adopted the Declaration of Independence which created the idea a United States of America. -
Olive Branch Petition
This letter was sent to England from the members of the 2nd Continental Congress. It was an appeal to the king explaining what rights the colonists should have while remaining loyal to the crown. It served as a sort of treaty of peace between the Colonists and the British. This form of treaty prevented conflict for a short time and only masked the ongoing conflict between the British and the Conflicts temporarily. -
Declaration of Independence
This formal document was created by the Continental Congress, proclaimed that the colonies wished to break all ties with Great Britain and become autonomous states as well as stated their grievances against the King. Firmly united, the colonists and further angered Great Britain. This led to the Revolutionary War as America fought to become independent and Britain fought to keep her colonies. After the war the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 which made America an independent nation.
