French and Indian War

French and Indian War

Period: 1754 to 1763

This was pitted the colonies of Great Britain against those of New France. It allowed Great Britain to make huge land acquisitions but the cost of the war and the frontier policy made Colonists very unhappy.

Sugar Act

1764

Continuation of the Molasses Act. Cut taxes from .06 to .03 but outlawed smuggling and imposed tighter sentences. The colonists were very angry because they felt it didn't allow them to have their own trade.

Stamp Act

1765

This act raised revenue by putting a tax on newspapers, legal documents and commercial documents. The Colonists reacted by boycotting British good and attacking the tax collectors.

Townsend Act

1767

The Townsend Act was a series of measures that taxed goods shipping to the American Colonies. The Colonists were very frustrated because they had opposed the Stamp Act a direct tax and now they were trying an indirect tax (duty.)

The Tea Act

1767

The Tea Act, was designed to save the faltering East India Company from bankruptcy by lowering the tea tax it paid to the British government and making it a monopoly. The colonists didn't like this on top of the Townsend Act and the Monopoly status of East India Tea.

Revolutionary War

1775

All of these acts created anger withing the colonies and made them start a war to gain their independence from Britain The Colonists wanted to fight for their freedom.

Declaratory Act

1776

This act stated the Britians taxing authority was the same in the Colonies as Britain. This angered the Colonists because they felt that they should be able to Colonize wherever they wanted.