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Molasses Act
The Molasses Act was a tax on the production and export of molasses in British colonies. This was one of the first taxes to affect colonial America. Colonists had no say in how this tax was implemented or enforced. -
Stamp Act
This act required all goods, regardless of what they were, to bear a paid stamp of the British government. This angered the colonists, as it made their goods less competitive, compared to British goods. -
Sugar Act
As the earlier Molasses Act was unsuccessful in generating revenue, Britian introduced a new tax on sugar, as well as increased enforcement of taxes. This enraged colonists and put them at odds with British port authorities. -
Quartering Act
With this act, the housing of British troops in American colonists' houses was now required. This governmental action went on to be prohibited in the Third Amendment to the Consitution, showing how injust it was. -
Townshend Acts
This act, named after exchequer Charles Townshend, was intended to increase enforcement of other taxes and acts, such as the Sugar and Quartering Acts. -
Boston Massacre
A mob of angry colonists had formed around a group of British soldiers, and verbal and physical abuse followed. In the resulting chaos, the soldier fired their weapons, killing five colonists. -
Tea Act
This act gave Britain a virtual monopoly over the tea trade in the colonies, and led to the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists, disguised as Native Americans, dumped an entire shipment of British tea into the Boston harbor, to protest the recent Tea Act. -
Coercive Acts
These harsh acts were passed in response to the Boston Tea Party, and removed the right of Massachusetts to govern itself. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
A British army was sent to Lexington and Concord in order to put down the rebel Massachusetts Provincial Congress. A battle ensued, with colonial militia driving off the British attack.
