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French and Indian War
The French and their Indian allies fought against the British. In the end the British won, but they owed millions of dollars in debt.
Impact/Effects of this:
-Britain blames colonials for the war
-Americans forced to pay taxes to pay back the British debt
-Restricted access to Ohio River Valley
-Enforcement of colonial laws -
Sugar Act
One of the laws imposed against the colonists after the French and Indian War. This lowered the taxes from the Molasses Act, and added an indirect tax to sugar. However, the main goal was to decrease smuggling.
Impact/Effects:
-Property was searched without warrants -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act imposed a direct tax onto all printed goods. This tax ranged from 1 cent to $10.
Impact/Effects:
-Colonists felt their rights were being violated
-Stamp Act Congress
-Sons of Liberty
-Boycotts
-Colonists refused to pay taxes
-Attacks against soldiers and tax collectors -
Townshend Acts
After the negative response of the Stamp Act, the British repealed it. However, they then imposed the Townshend Act. This act was a tax on glass, paint, and tea.
Impact/Effects:
-Colonists saw this as an abuse of power
-Colonists began to boycott British goods
-"taxation without representation"
-Skirmishes between colonists and soldiers -
Quartering Act
Americans were required to house and feed British soldiers that were staying in the colonies.
Impact/Effects:
-Colonists found it was a violation of rights -
Boston Massacre
As a result of the many taxes placed on American colonists, there was unrest and skirmishes were common. One of these skirmishes lead to the deaths of 5 colonists.
Impact/Effect:
-Americans believed the soldiers had intentionally fired into the crowd, which caused colonists to hate the British soldiers.
-British soldiers were seen as vicious killers.
-Paul Revere increased anti-British views by etching an engraving of the massacre. -
Tea Act
The British East India Co. was in danger if bankruptcy, so they imposed the tea act. This made it so that only tea from the East India Co. was available and a tax on tea was added.
Impact/Effects:
-Sons of Liberty assemble to react
-Boston Tea Party -
Boston Tea Party
After the Tea Act was enforced, the Sons of Liberty gathered to plan a revolt. Dressed as Mohawk Indians, the Sons of Liberty dumped ~$1-3 million worth of tea into Boston Harbor.
Impact/Effects:
-Great Britain sees this as "threat to British rule"
-Britain uses force against the colonists
-Martial Law in Boston
-Those directly involved were punished -
Coercive or Intolerable Acts
As a direct result of the Boston Tea Party, the British introduced a new set of acts called the Coercive Acts or Intolerable Acts. These acts introduced the Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, and the Quartering Act was reinforced.
Impact/Effects:
-Colonists saw these laws as a violation of their rights
-Even more colonists turned against the British
-Moderate colonists became more radical
-The First Continental Congress -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
For months, tensions between the colonists and British grew. The British sent more soldiers to the colonies, which made colonists even angrier. In April of 1775, Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride, warning that the British were attacking the colonies. This lead to the battles of Lexington and Concord.
Impact/Effects:
-Attacks on colonists at Lexington and Concord enrage colonists, who see it as an attack on all the colonies
-American Revolution has begun
