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Sugar Act
Tax on sugar and molasses imported into the colonies to force the colonists to buy sugar from Britain. The Sugar Act actually lowered the tax on molasses but added taxes to other goods. -
Stamp Act
Tax on anything printed on paper except books. A stamp was placed on the paper for a proof of payment. This helped pay for British troops stationed in the colonies during the Seven Years' War. Effect was the Stamp Act strained relations with the colonies to the point that, 10 years later, the colonists rose in armed rebellion against the British. -
Townshend Act
Set taxes on British goods including paint, paper, lead, glass and tea. Cause: Britain still needed money, but they needed a way to tax the colonies “without offense.” Effect: The colonists boycotted British goods again and once again angered the colonists. -
Boston Massacre
Five colonists killed British soldiers, after insulting and throwing snowballs at them. Cause: Colonists were still angry about previous events, particularly the Quartering Act. Relations were poor between the soldiers and colonists. Effect: Colonists started throwing snowballs at the soldiers and called them names. Shots were fired and five colonists were killed. -
Boston Tea Party
Sons of Liberty threw 342 cases of tea into harbor to irritate King George due to the stamp act. The cause of the Boston Tea Party was the colonists didn't want taxed tea. The effect was the Sons of Liberty dressed up as Mohawk Indians and dumped all the tea of three ships when they brought a new supply to the colonists. -
Intolerable Acts
Laws passed by the parliament to punish the colonists after the Boston Tea Party. The British were angry about the Boston Tea Party so they passed the Coercive Acts to punish Boston. The colonists called them the Intolerable Acts. The Intolerable Acts closed the port of Boston so that goods could not be shipped in or out, and it took power away from leaders in Massachusetts. -
Declaration of Independence
A document written by Thomas Jefferson to declare the United States free of British control. Cause: This was caused by how Britain was taxing and mistreating the colonies. Effect: The colonists fought Britain in the Revolutionary War to gain independence.