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End of French Indian War
The French Indian War was ended with The Proclamation Act of 1763 declaring that the British would let a certain amount of land belonging to the Native Americans in the western part of the region. As a result, colonists were angered that they couldn't expand westward to increase farmland and profits since the war had left them in extreme debt. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act expanded upon the Molasses Act by changing the taxes on imports from the Caribbean from 6 cents per gallon to 3 cents per gallon but added more protection from smugglers, which ultimately made the tax more oppressive. Colonists did not like this tax because smugglers could be tried by the British, who were much less lenient than the colonists. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act enforced stamps that cost money to buy, to be put on all printed materials. This act especially targeted newspapers and lawyers. As a result, colonists formed a meeting to attempt to rid themselves of this act where they arranged boycotting and formal acts of disapproval. These organized acts allowed the stamp act to be repealed. -
Declaratory Act
The protesting of the Stamp act inspired the Declaratory Act where they essentially warned the colonists that even though Britian is not taxing at the moment, the could choose to at any time. Although satisfactory for most, many of the colonists who organized the boycotts were not happy with the lingering control over the colonies. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Act simply enforced more taxes and created new policies on smuggling declaring that smugglers would be given a verdict by naval officers instead of colonists. Boycotts would again become relevant with the sons and daughters of liberty that encouraged and organized people to protest. The result of this sometimes got violent, namely, the Boston Massacre. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act enforced tax exemptions and rebates on tea imported from the British East India Company which lowered the price of tea in the colonies. The colonists got insulted by this act because if the British could tax something as universally important as tea, then they were willing to tax anything to get their money. As retaliation, the colonists planned the Boston Tea Party, but Britain fought back with the Intolerable Acts. -
Start of the American Revolutionary War
These Intolerable Acts included colonists having to allow British soldiers to live in their homes and Qubecians to spread their beliefs of catholicism to the colonies. Colonists started fighting back first by Massachusetts stating that they would not follow the acts or pay taxes. Many of the leaders of the colonies also met in Philadelphia to form a pact against Britain, Which essentially began the American Revolution.