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French and Indian War
The war began between the French and English over colonial territory and wealth. After the first three years of war (declared in 1756) the French were dominating. The most notorious battle of the war was the French victory at Fort William Henry, with a massacre of British soldiers by the indians. The war ended in 1759 when British Major General James Wolfe captured Quebec. As a result, taxation of the colonists began. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was passed in 1764 by the new prime minister George Greenville in attempt to end smuggling and illegal trade in the colonies, denying a jury trial to accused smugglers. The British also wanted to stop colonial trade with countries other than Britain and to help pay for their debt from the war. Colonists responded with boycotts of goods imported from Britain. Fifty letters were also delivered to Parliament in response and led to the rise of individuals like leader Samuel Adams. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was passed in 1765 by the British to raise money for military defenses in the colonies. The tax pertained to almost all printed goods. The colonists had to purchase stamps for paper documents such as contracts, newspapers, posters, and even playing cards and books.
This was the first time Parliament imposed a direct tax in the colonies. The colonists were angered by the tax and argued that it threatened their prosperity and liberty. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Acts forced colonists to provide food and shelter to British soldiers. The colonists also paid for other products for the British like bedding, cooking utensils, firewood, salt, vinegar, beer or cider and candles.The colonists believed the Quartering Act s were unfair because they interfered with the English Bill Of Rights. They also did not like the presence of an army in the colonies. This resulted in violent protests. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts imposed duties on glass, lead, paints, paper and tea imported into the colonies. Minister Charles Townshend believed that the tax on these goods could raise considerable revenue
In addition to refusing to buy these products, the colonists viewed this act as an abuse of power. Eventually the act was repealed but the tax on tea remained. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were a series of laws put into effect by British Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party. Parliament wanted to punish the colonists for the dumping of the tea and limited their political and geographical freedom. Four laws in total were passed and the port of Boston was closed until the East India Company could pay for the damages of the Boston Tea Party. The outcome of these laws was the first Continental Congress. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre refers to the death of five colonists by British soldiers. It began one night at the Customs House when a group of colonists began throwing rocks and snowballs at British soldiers in which they responded by firing and killing five colonists.
In response, leader Samuel Adams organized a network of local committees of corespondence that provided leadership and promoted cooperation throughout Massachusetts that helped build colonial unity. -
Tea Act
Created by the British government, the Tea Act of 1773 was an attempt to bail out the East India Company. The British granted the company a monopoly on the importation and sale of tea in the colonies.
The resistance of the colonists led to the Boston Tea Party later that year. -
Boston Tea Party
Parliament passed a law allowing the British East India Company to sell directly to the colonists in attempt to compensate for the financial problems they were experiencing. Despite that this was cheaper than smuggling, the colonists thought the British were trying to trick them so on the night of December 16th Boston Patriots dressed as Indians dumped the tea from three British ships into the harbor. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The Battle of Lexington and Concord marks the first battle of the Revolutionary war. British troops sent to confiscate colonial weapons ran into a group of untrained Massachusetts colonists. The colonists were warned by Paul Revere that the British were coming and were able to hide most of their weapons. Upon the British arrival in Lexington, some colonists were killed but many had fled. In Concord the British were defeated with 700 soldiers killed.
