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Royal Proclamation
The Royal Proclamation was a law that the British set in place which entailed a decided line between the colonists and the natives in order to reduce fighting between the two. Colonists could not move west of the line without royal permission. The colonists resented the proclamation and still continued to use the territory. -
Sugar Act
After the French Indian War, the British Government went into debt. In order to increase revenue, they placed a law that enforced tax on foreign sugar, molasses, and of the items entering British North America. The colonist protested and business for the colonist decreased. -
Stamp Act
Shorty after the Sugar Act, the British also informed a Stamp Act which placed tax on printed matter, advertisements, diplomas, legal documents, newspaper and playing cards. In May 1765, the Virginia House of Burgesses passed a series of resolutions that condemned the Stamp Act. -
Declaratory Act
Throughout both the Sugar Act and Stamp Act, the British Government also passes the Declaratory Act which allowed the British to have full power and authority of parliament to make laws and bind colonies. Unfortunately the colonists hadn't noticed this act. -
Townshend Act
The colonists didn't approve of the Sugar and Stamp Act because it taxed people inside the colonies, so the Government decided to tax the colonial ports. This act taxed tea, glass, and dyes for paint. This act also revised search warrants, called Wits of Assistants, which let officials to search anything when one is deemed suspicious. The colonial courts resisted by not issuing the Wits of Assistance. -
Boston Massacre
The colonists were never happy about the acts put in place by the British, so many protested in Boston. The British sent troops to Boston in order to silence the protest. By the end of the night 5 people had died and nobody knew who had started the shooting. Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty labeled the incident the Boston Massacre. -
Tea Act
The British East India Company went bankrupt and so placed an act that excused the Company from paying duties and sell tea directly to American agents while charging the lowest prices. The colonists refused to buy tea which lead to December 16, where the colonist dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston harbour. -
Intolerable Acts
The Boston Tea Party cost the British $1 million dollars. To punish the colonists, the Government designed 4 laws. The first law closed the Boston Port until the tea was paid for. The second law revoked the Massachusetts Charter and forbade town meetings. The third law allowed British officials who were accused of criminal acts to be tried in other colonies. The fourth act ordered British officials to provide food and housing for soldiers in the colonies. -
Quebec Act
This act extended Quebec's boundaries south to the Ohio river which overrode Connecticut, Massachusetts and Virginia. This act also granted full religious freedom to French Roman Catholics. This act angered the Protestant colonies and they found a pattern of oppression coming from the British Government.
