-
The Proclamation of 1763
This was issued by the British to prevent fighting. They stopped the settlers' from going west. Declared the Appalachian Mountains as a boundary. Not too many people were happy about this. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was passed in 1764 by Parliament. The Sugar Act lowered the tax on molasses. They believed that if the tax was lower, the colonists would pay the tax instead of smuggling the item. -
The Stamp Act Congress
Delgates from 9 colonies met to make a petetion against Parliament. The colonists didn't like being taxed by Parliament and they refused to buy any goods from Britain until the Stamp Act was passed. -
The Stamp Act Repealed
Parliament gave in to the colonists. On the same day that Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, the made another one called the Declaratory Act. This act made it so Parliament could make decisions for the British colonies. -
Townshend Acts
These Acts were made by Parliament. These acts made it so they only taxed imported goods, but all the imported goods were things that the colonists couldn't make themselves. The colonists were very upset with this and boycotted against Britain again. -
The Boston Massacre
Parliament had sent two regiments to Boston to keep an eye on the colonists a couple year before. There was a lot of tension, until March 5, 1770 when the Bostonians fought the British officers. The colonists threw things at the officer until they started firing into the crowd, killing 5 people. -
The Tea Act
Parliament passed this act because the East India Company needed help. This act made it so the East India Company could sell their tea to shopkeepers at low prices. The East India Company had a big advantage over merchants that sold within the colonies because now they merchants didn't have anything to sell. -
The Boston Tea Party
A group of men dressed up as Mohawk Indians armed themselves and jumped onto ships delivering the tea from The East India Company. They dumped 342 chests of tea overboard. The people of Boston wanted to show that they weren't happy with the Tea Act. -
The Coercive Acts
Parliament passed these acts to punish the people in Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. These acts closed the Boston Harbor until the colonists paid them back for the tea. Boston couldn't receive any food or other supplies that was usually imported from Britain. After these acts were passed, the American colonists wanted to get some men to make a political body that could challenge the control Britain had over the colonies. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The British army had marched to Lexington and found 70 men waiting for them that were alerted by Paul Revere and William Dawes. Both sides started to shoot at each other until 8 of the 70 minutemen were dead. The troops then marched to Concord and met even more minutemen. Many people hid, waiting for the redcoats, and they attacted, killing 73 men and injuring 174. This was the beginning of the battle for America's freedom from Britain.