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Proclamation of 1763
This act forbade citizens of the colonies as well as colonial government from buying land from the Indians, preventing the colonies from expanding westward. Also, only licensed fur traders were able to explore past the original colonial line. This angered the colonists, for this limited the expansion and income of the colonies. -
Sugar Act of 1764
"No parts of [England's Colonies] can be taxed without their consent..every part has a right to be represented."-James Otis This act lowered the taxes on molasses going into the colonies, hoping it would prompt the colonies not to hide goods.It let officers to take smuggled goods from smugglers without going to court.This angered the colonists, for they believed their right to privacy was being violated, since the writs of assistance gave officers the right to invade homes at random. -
Currency Act of 1764
This act banned the colonies from creating their own bills for legal tender, leaving only England's currency (pounds) to be used for monetary purposes. This angered the colonists, since the currency from England was hard to come by in the colonies. -
Stamp Act of 1765
"If this be treason, make the most of it!"-Patrick Henry
This law put a tax on anything printed, such as newspapers or wills. A stamp was required to be applied to the material by a British official, hence the name of the act. The colonists were angry because the act had been passed without the colonies consent, which meant that Parliament was completely ignoring the ideas of self-government. -
Quartering Act of 1765
The Quartering Act, passed around the same time as the Stamp Act, forced colonial citizens to pay for having British troops stay in taverns, vacant barns, empty buildings, et cetera. The colonies were also required to arrange food and drink for the troops. The colonists disliked this law because they had never needed British troops in their colonies before, and then they were expected to pay for having the troops there. -
Stamp Act Congress
This congress was formed consisting of representatives from nine of the 13 colonies, in order to create a petition asserting that the colonies would not be taxed unless it was by their own governments. This was yet another step towards the revolution, because the colonies were again joining together in order to stand up to England for what they wanted, which at that time was for the Stamp Act to be repealed. The colonies began a boycott towards any British and European goods. -
Declaratory Act
On this day, the Stamp Act was repealed, causing the colonies to celebrate. However, on the same day, the Declaratory Act was passed; declaring that Parliament was able to make decisions on everything for the colonies without their consent.This angered the colonists, because at that point they had fewer rights than English citizens living in England. England's citizens were being taxed as well, but the difference was that Englishmen had representatives in Parliament, while the colonists did not. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Act was a series of acts passed in response to the Stamp Act boycott.Unlike the Stamp Act, these acts taxed the colonies on the goods on entry to the colonies, instead of taxing the colonists for buying them.These taxes covered essentials such as glass, paper, and tea.By now, the colonists loathed all taxes imposed by Parliament, for they believed only delegates from their own colonies should have the right to tax them.In response to the act, the colonists began another boycott.
