Colonial Timeline; Raine Gurner

Proclamation of 1763

Oct 7, 1763

The Proclamation of 1763 was a proclamation issued by the British which created a boundary line in North America which separated the colonists from the Native Americans. This prevented the colonists from being able to make any agreements with the Native Americans, as the British were the only ones to be able to do anything official which them. In response, many of the colonists simply defied the proclamation and carried on with relations with the Natives.

Sugar Act

Apr 5, 1764

The Sugar Act was a law put into place by the British to increase the amount of money that they received from the colonists and to stop the smuggling of molasses and other goods into the colonies. This was very harmful to the merchants in the colonies as it not only decreased their profits, but as well as the resources that they received. The colonists reacted to this by protesting the act and continuing to smuggle in the goods that they needed to.

Currency Act

Sep 1, 1764

The Currency Act was a law put into place to restrict the colonies being able to use their currency notes. This act basically abolished the use of these bills, as they stopped the production and recirculation of them. The colonists aggressively protested this act as it was greatly affecting their ability to conduct trade.

Stamp Act

Mar 22, 1765

The Stamp Act was an act set in place that required the colonists to pay for stamps from the British so they could increase their revenue due to the debt they fell in after the French and Indian Wars. A large amount of materials and resources the colonists used/needed had to have these stamps on them, which cost them a large majority of the money they had. They protested this act and rebelled against it simply by not paying for the stamps in the first place.

Quartering Act 1765

Mar 24, 1765

The Quartering Act of 1765 was a law put in place that made it where colonists had to provide a place for British soldiers to stay, including barracks, stables, and buildings that stored alcohol. The colonists had to pay to house and feed the soldiers. The colonists highly opposed this act and protested it as it drained them of money they needed and space within their homes.

Declaratory Act

Mar 18, 1766

The Declaratory Act was the repeal of the Stamp Act and lessening restrictions on the Sugar Act. This act also stated the the British Parliament could make any laws they wanted that restricted what the colonists could do whenever they wanted to. Many colonists saw this as a positive thing since some things were being relaxed on, while others saw this as negative because to them it meant that more acts and laws were on there way to be put into action.

Townshend Acts

Jun 29, 1767

The Townshend Act were a series of acts enacted to tax goods being imported from Britain to the colonists. This included goods like paper, paint, tea, and glass. The colonists saw this as an abuse of power, and protested these acts.

Boston Massacre

Mar 5, 1770

The Boston Massacre was a riot that resulted from British troops staying in Boston and the colonists started an altercation. While the colonists verbally berated the troops and threw objects at them, the troops opened fire on the crowd and killed five colonists. This enraged the colonists, and further encouraged them to fight for their independence from the crown.

Boston Tea Party

Dec 16, 1773

Since the colonists were furious at the British government for repeatedly violating their rights and taxing them without them having proper representation in British government, the Boston Tea Party was a giant political protest against the British. 342 chests of tea imported from Britain were dumped into the Boston Harbor in Massachusetts.

Intolerable Acts

Mar 31, 1774

The Intolerable Acts were a series of laws put into place by the British after the Boston Tea Party took place. These acts were put into place to punish the colonists, specifically those in Boston, Massachusetts.Other acts included in the Intolerable Acts include the Quartering Act of 1774 and the Quebec Act, The colonists reacted to these acts by coming together in the First Continental Congress to come up with a way to approach the British.

Quartering Act 1774

Jun 2, 1774

The Quartering Act of 1774 applied to all of the colonists, and also allowed governors to house soldiers as well. Once again, the colonists found this to be an abuse of power, and protested against it.

Quebec Act

Jun 22, 1774

The Quebec Act was an act set in place by British Parliament that gave French-Canadians religious freedom and reinstated French civil law. This was seen as negative among the colonists as they saw it as the British once again disallowing them their own rights and freedoms.