BOSTON MASSACRE, TEA PARTY AND COERCIVE ACTS

WARM UP – February 15 ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ON A CLEAN SHEET OF PAPER? 1. What did the Sugar Act tax? What did the Stamp Act tax? What was the colonist reaction to the Stamp Act? Did it work? 2. What did the Townshend Act tax? What was the colonist reaction to this tax? 3. What was the main colonist argument against the British taxes?

BOSTON MASSACRE Threat of violence increases against custom officers British send 1,000 troops into Boston

BOSTON MASSACRE March 5, 1770 – crowd of colonists harass the troops by throwing snow balls and taunting the officer Officers began shooting into the crowd A man of Native American and African descent – Crispus Atticus – first to be killed Four others would also be killed

BOSTON MASSACRE Colonial Newspapers portrayed the British as tyrants who were willing to kill people who stood up for their rights Townshend Acts repealed Only tax that is not repealed is the tax on TEA.

BOSTON TEA PARTY Colonist Reaction to the tax on tea was to smuggle Dutch Tea into the colonies Tea Act of 1773 - made British tea cheaper than the Dutch Tea – British also started selling the tea directly to businesses Colonists felt they were being prevented from making money by the British

BOSTON TEA PARTY Colonists refused to allow a large shipment of tea to be unloaded Tea was stored on ships in the Boston Harbor On December 17, 1773 – colonists seized the tea and dumped it in the Boston Harbor

BOSTON TEA PARTY



COERCIVE ACTS British response - passed the Coercive Acts 1. Boston Port Act – shut down the Boston port until destroyed tea was paid for 2. Massachusetts Government Act – all government officials need to be appointed by the British Also banned all town meetings

COERCIVE ACTS 3. Administer of Justice Act – trials of British soldiers could be moved to Britain for protection from colonial juries 4. Quartering Act – colonial officials must provide housing for British soldiers COLONISTS REFERRED TO THE COERCIVE ACTS AS THE INTOLERABLE ACTS

FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS Committees of correspondence set up a meeting to discuss the Intolerable Acts and how to react

FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS September 1774 56 colonial delegates met in Philadelphia Defended colonies’ right to run their own governments Supported protests in Boston Decided if British used force against the colonies, the colonies should fight back Agreed to meet again in May 1775 if British relations did not improve