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Navigation Laws Begin to be Enforced
It was a law that was passed in 1650 to regulate the mercantilist system. It stated that commerce flowing to and from the colonies had to be transported in British vessels. Later on more laws were added that made the ships land in Britain to pay tariffs and trade certain products only with Britain. It began to be enforced in 1763 by Prime Minister George Grenville. We chose this event because it caused currency shortages in the colonies and made trade more of a hassle. The colonies hatred began. -
The Employment of the Sugar Act
This act was ordered by Prime Minister George Grenville in 1764. It was the first law ever passed by Parliament for raising tax revenue in the colonies for the crown. It increased the duty on foreign sugar imported fom the West Indies We chose this because it was one of the first incidents causing the colonists to unite and riot against the British. It increased the colonists' resentment toward Britain. -
Employment of the Quartering Act
This act required colonists to house and feed British soldiers. We chose this because it forced the colonists to house and feed people that they did not even like. This caused tensions between the colonists and British troops to flare. -
The Employment of the Stamp Act
A stamp act imposed by Grenville in 1765 that raised revenue to support the new military force. It forced colonists to put stamps on documents and other paper goods showing that they paid the taxes. We picked this event because the colonists felt this struck their "local liberties" and it made them assemble defiantly to refuse to comply with it. -
The Employment of the Townshend Acts
Charlie Townshend persuaded Parliament to pass this in 1767. These acts put a light import duty on glass, white lead, paper, paint, and tea. Townshend made this tax an indirect customs duty payable at American ports. We chose this because it infuriated the colonists and caused them to despise the British. It did this because the taxes earned were used to pay the salaries of the royal governors and judges in America. -
Boston Massacre
A crowd began to harass British soldiers and started to throw snowballs. One of the soldiers was struck by a club and as a result the soldiers retaliated in self-defense. It killed twelve colonists. This event was important because it showed that clashes between the colonists and the British were inevitable. -
The Boston Tea Party
The colonists disguised as Native Americans and boarded a ship to dump 342 chests of tea into the ocean. It was organized by the Sons of Liberty. This event was in reaction to the Tea Act of 1773. This event was important because it was the first major rebellion against the British and foreshadowed the events to come. -
The Intolerable Acts
A series of acts designed to chastise Boston for the Boston Tea Party. It closed the port of Boston until reparations were paid. It took away many of the chartered rights of Massachusetts and also limited town meetings. The colonists felt that this took away many of their American liberties. The colonists even formed the Continental Congress to respond to the Intolerable Acts. We chose this event because it made the colonists unite to fight against their common enemy, the British. -
Powder Alarm
General Thomas Gates ordered the removal of the gunpowder stored in Boston. The British removal of the gun powder sparked rumors that blood has been shed and that war is among them. Many colonists from around the Boston area took up arms and marched to Boston. This event was significant because the colonists became alert of British activities. -
Lexington and Concord
The British leaders marched to Concord in order to take away gun powder and arrest the rebel leaders. On their way they met a force of minutemen at Lexington and quickly crushed them, leaving eight Americans dead. The British entered Concord only to be met by fully prepared, battle-ready Americans. The Americans quickly beat back the British, forcing them to retreat back to Boston. This event was important because it was one of the colonists' first battles against the British.
