-
The Molasses Act
The Molasses Act imposed a six pence per gallon tax on all molasses, rum, and sugar imported from non-English colonies. The colonists protested this act and said that the molasses from the British West Indies wouldn't enough to benefit the rum-distilling industries in New England. This act was the least effective of the Navigation acts, since the goods could be smuggled. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act said that the colonists had to pay a tax, represented by a stamp, on papers and documents, and the tax had to be paid with British currency, rather than the currency of the colonies. The colonists thought that the Act was an attempt the approval of the colonial legislatures. The colonists lead riots and attacks on the tax collectors and boycotted British goods. -
The Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 said that the colonists could not settle past a certain boundary along the west side of the Appalachian Mountains. The colonists ignored this act and moved out west anyway. -
The Sugar Act
This is the first tax enacted by the by the British against the colonists for the purpose of raising revenues. The Sugar Act created a new tax on molasses that was imported from places other than Britain. This was along the lines of the Molasses Act, but the tax was reduced by half. Because of this tax, the colonists boycotted British goods. -
The Currency Act of 1764
This act forbade the creation of new currency from any of the colonies and stated that only the current paper money could be used for public debt. This hurt the colonists financially and as a result, Benjamin Franklin went to speak with Parliament on the matter. -
The Quartering Act
The Quartering Act of 1765 required that there be built barracks for the British soldiers. In New York, the colonial assembly of the colony refused to comply with the act, and wouldn't supply billeting for the British troops. All other colonies besides Pennsylvania refused to comply with the act. -
Declaratory Act
With the repealing of the Stamp Act, came the Declaratory Act. This act stated that the authority that the British Parliament had on taxing in Great Britain would be the same for the colonies. Some of the colonists felt that with this new act, more taxes would be levied soon after. When the Parliament stated that they could pass any laws by way of majority, however, the colonists were angry. This inspired Thomas Paine's book, "The American Crisis."
(Declaration of Authority) -
The Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were a series of acts that put duties or taxes on goods such as paints, lead, glass, paper, and tea. The colonists protested the taxes and Boston merchants boycotted English goods. The Massachusetts Assembly was disbanded after the sending of a circular letter explaining a common issue, and British troops were sent to enforce laws and to keep peace. -
The Boston Massacre
The arrival of British troops in Boston influenced conflict between the colonists and the troops. On March 5, a group of soldiers that were surrounded by angry colonists opened fire. Three Americans were killed and two were fatally wounded. -
Townshend Acts Repealed
Parliament repealed the Townshend Acts but left the tax on tea and gave a monopoly to the merchants. -
Gaspee Attack
The Gaspee was a British schooner that was attacked on the outside of Providence, Rhode Island. There was to be a trial regarding the attack, but the trial never made it to England, angering the colonists. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act gave the East India Company the power to manipulate the tea sales and prices of the American Colonies. This angered the colonists, and they planned to boycott the tea. This led to what is known was the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
A group of Massachusetts individuals, called the Sons of Liberty, disguised themselves as Indians boarded three ships in the Boston Harbor and dumped 342 chests of tea into the Harbor. This action by the colonists created more tension between the colonies and Great Britain and resulted in the Coercive Acts. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts, or the Coercive Acts, were a set of acts passed to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party. The Boston Harbor was closed until the tea that was dumped into the harbor was paid off. Then, the Administration of Justice Act did not allow the British soldiers to be tried for crimes that they might have committed, allowing them to do as they wished, regardless of the law. There were more acts involved and these acts aroused anger and helped the colonies bond. -
Quebec Act
The British government is broke, trying to create government, They pass an act that allowed the French in Canada to carry on as they had, and allowed Catholicism in Canada . -
Quartering Act
Now soldiers get housed in homes, colonists couldn't refuse letting the soldiers in their homes.