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Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was an english document that ended the French and Indian War and decided who got what land. France lost all possesion of land in North America. Spain got all of the French's lands west of the Mississippi River and New Orleans, with the exception of Florida. England gained all of the French's lands in Canada, the Great Lakes Country, the Ohio River Valley, and Florida. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was proposed by the prime minister at that time, George Greenville. The British were in debt from the war and needed to raise money to pay back the debt. The act would lower the tax on foreign molasses. However, in return they created courts and put costoms officers on duty so they could collect their money and persecute people who tried smuggling. The sugar act was created because British thought if they lowered the tax, colonist would stop smuggling and pay the fine. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was the first direct tax that Parliament passed in the colonies. It was a tax on all printed materials. These included things like books, newspapers, court documents, contracts and land deeds. It angered the colonist because this was taxation without representation since colonist didn't get to vote for anyone in Parliament. This was another act to help get the British out of debt from the French and Indian War. -
Declaratoy Act
The Declaratory Act was an act passed by Parliament. It was made because the colonist were all denying taxes and throwing riots. The act stated that the colonies and plantations of America have, are, and always will be owned and ruled by the parliament of Great Britain. Thus, giving Parliament the right to inforce any laws or taxes they feel needed. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were passed after the Stamp Act was repealed. The act was created by Charles Townshend who thougt that the colonist would pay taxes that were indirect. These act placed taxes on glass, lead, paint, paper and tea. The colonist ended up still not wanting to pay the tax especially after they were informed that the money raised would be used to pay governors and judges. -
Boston Massacre
In March, 1770, angered colonist threw rocks and snowballs at the soldiers guarding Britain's Costoms House. The soldiers used their guns and begun to shoot at the colonist. In the end, five colonist ended up being killed. This was known as the Boston Massacre. -
Tea Act
The British East India Company was loosing money so they lowered the tax on tea, hoping colonist would buy the tea now, The colonist continued to boycott any tax and drank liberty tea instead. In response, the tea acts were passed. It closed Boston's trading port until they wanted to pay for the tea that had been destroyed. It made colonist house British troops. It also had British officials who commited crimes in the colonies, have their trials in Britain. -
Boston Tea Party
In 1773, Parliament allowed tea to be sold directly to the colonist so that it was much cheaper, even though it still included a tax. The colonist thought they were trying to be tricked and didn't want other colonist, who sold smuggled tea, to loose their job. One night they boarded three British ships while dressed as Indians. They took all of the tea and dumped it into the harbor as their way of rebellion. This was the Boston Tea Party. -
Intolerable Acts (Coersive Acts)
The Intolerable Acts were what the colonist reffered to the Tea Act as. They thought it was ridiculous that Britain shut off their trade port and change the government. They didn't want the military in their town either. They protested by using clubs and guns to shut down the court. They also punished and assaulted anyone who agreed with Parliament's laws or took a position under the governor. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
Due to all the turmoil between Britain and the colonies, John Hancock, Samuel Adams and others decided to run Massachusetts without Thomas Gage, the governor. They began stocking up on guns and amo. On April 19, Gage sent soldiers to arrest Hancock and Samuel, and take away all their weapons. The Patriot's militia was ready to push the British back. The battle went on to be name the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
