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Navigation Act
At the time, the colonies had been BOOMING in their businesses of selling sugar and tobacco to the English as well as other countries, most notably the Netherlands. This, in the eyes of the British, was an objective threat to their livelihood since THEIR colonies were selling to people who weren't them. The Navigation Act of 1651 created a closed economy between the colonies and England. All colony imports/exports went directly to the British, which was detrimental to the colonists. -
End of Statutory Neglect
The French and Indian War ended, and so came the end of statutory neglect. It was pretty great for the colonies when they were managing themselves, but the British needed money to line their desperate, weeping pockets after overspending to the point of going broke. This was the start of enforcing rules and regulations regarding imports/outports and trading for the colonies. -
The Proclamation of 1763
A controversial law due to the gain and loss of completely separate, though not that different populations, the Proclamation (line) of 1763 stated that settlers and colonists were NOT allowed to go west of the Appalachian mountains. This was not only a means of better establishing British territory since the British King decided it, but also marked protection of Indigenous land for the area. -
The Sugar Act
This act was another attempt to bring money back to England by enforcing a tax on all sugar products, including rum, which was a major letdown. This, of course, sparked major outrage among the colonists since a large portion of their products were now being taxed without representation. -
The Intolerables: The Quartering Act
The British, an ever so spiteful people, decided to create an act where, in the event of a lack of barracks for their soldiers, the military would be able to force themselves into the homes of civilians who would then be required, by law, to feed and care for them. -
The Stamp Act
The French and Indian War came to an end, and so came the need for a quick solution to the dwindling British pound. The British needed a quick fix for easy cash and figured that charging for stamps, something required for all official and legal documents would do the trick. Unfortunately for the colonists, the costs stacked up fast, and affording stamps to mail your Mom her monthly life updates would soon be out of the question. -
The Intolerables: The Boston Port Act
As a result of the Boston Tea Party, the port of Boston was completely shut down until the colonies paid for all the tea dumped into the harbor. Understandably, this was deemed "intolerable," hence the name, since it punished the entire colony for a crime only commit by a few people. -
The Intolerables: The Massachusetts Government Act
The British, still angry about the Boston Tea Party, sent one of their own people over to become the new governor of Massachusetts. Normally, you would just ignore this guy and go about your day, but the Massachusetts Government Act made it so he had MUCH more power than was reasonably necessary, infuriating the colonists by stripping them of their power. -
The Intolerables: The Administration of Justice Act
This was the third of the Intolerable Acts to be passed and it stated that any and all trials towards government officials may be moved to England. This made it almost impossible to convict people because all the witnesses would have to travel weeks to months aboard a ship to give their statements. The picture wasn't meant to be, none of them will load for specifically this one. -
The Intolerables: The Quebec Act
Less important to future revolutionary ideas, but still valuable nonetheless, the Quebec Act expanded British-Canadian territory into the Ohio River Valley which INFURIATED many colonists since they were losing land that they believed, wholeheartedly, was theirs.