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The Acts
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Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts directed the trade between Engand and the Colonies. They also prevented colonists from trading outside of the English empire. At first the colonists accepted the act. Later the colonists began to resent the British and the Acts and started smuggling goods. -
Proclamation of 1763
The act was passed in order to prevent more fighting west of the Appalachian Mountains. Also to keep colonists close to eastern ports to ensure revenue for England. Colonists were furious that they could not move to the new land that Britian had just won. Speculators were even more upset because they had already invested money in the land. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was passed in hopes to raise Britian's revenue. The Act lowered the tax on imported sugar and molasses. Really this only raised the taxes because colonists were now required to pay this tax. This Act also allowed officers to seize goods without going to court. This Act angered colonists because they believed that the British actions interfered and violated their rights as English citizens. This sparked their chant "No Taxation, Without Representation". -
Stamp Act
This Act was wriiten to tax almost all printed materials like newspapers, wills, and even playing cards. All printed material would recieve a stamp from a British officer at the time of purchase. The colonist felt that Parliament had again interfered with colonial affairs by taxing the colonists directly annd without their consent. On March 22nd, 1766 the stamp act was repealed due to the many boycotts in the Colonies -
Declatory Act
This Act stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions that applied directly to the British colonies. Colonist believed only their elected representatives had the right to tax the colonies directly because they voted for their representative. Colonists also disliked the fact that Parliament made all the laws and the colonists had no say in it. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were yet another attempt to raise Britian's revenue.The Townshend Acts were taxes on only importeed goods like glass, tea, paper, lead, and paint. The tax had to be paid at the port of entry. Colonists started to organize more boycotts and protests against the acts. Women and Men started to form groups, and called them the Daughters Of Liberty and the Sons Of Liberty. -
Tea Act
This Act was passed by Parliament to save the British West India Tea Company from debt. This act allowed the company to sell directy to shopkeepers and bypass colonial merchants. Colonial merchants called for a new boycott and Colonists vowed to stop the East Indian ships from unloading. December 16th, 1773 a group of merchants desigused as Mowhawks threw 342 chests of tea overboard. This was known as the "Boston Tea Party". -
Coercive Acts
These acts were intended to punish the people of Massachusetts. The acts closed 2the Boston Harbor until all over-thrown tea was paid for and forced Bostonians to quarter troops in their homes. The acts also took away town meetings for the New England colonies. Colonists thought these laws were a violation to their rights as British citizens. Those rights included no quartering of troops in private homes and no standing army in peacetime. -
Quebec Act
This act set up the government for Quebec, disbanded their assemblies and revoked their right to trial by jury. The act also gave area west of the Appalacian Mountains and north of the Ohio River. This law suggested to the colonies that their assemblies and rights could be taken away too. Colonists were also upset by the British ignorance to their land claims west of the Appalachian Mountins.
