From Comfort to Unrest

Promise of cheap land and religious freedom attracts settlers to America

Each colony created an assembly The House of Burgesses was Virginia’s way to govern local affairs

The King appoints the governors to govern over the colonies but most governors were not fit for the job The colonists were irritated with their governors. They believed they could have done a better job.

England created the Navigation Act (1651) to control the profits from the colonial trade This does not affect the Southern and Middle colonies because they already traded with England. This affects the New England colonies because they traded with other countries.

Colonists support the British in the French and Indian War, expecting to win the war

After the war, the Proclamation of 1763 prohibits colonists from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains

The cost of the French and Indian War requires the British to tax the colonists to pay off the debt

Sugar Act (1764) Colonists had to pay taxes on molasses imported from countries outside the British Empire. Molasses was used to make rum.

Quartering Act (1765) British troops were stationed in the colonies to prevent colonist uprising. (The British stated the troops were there to protect the colonists from the Indian uprising.) Quartering Act required colonists to pay for food and shelter for the troops

Stamp Act (1765) A tax that required colonists to pay for stamps placed on printed materials such as wills, deeds, and death certificates.

Townshend Acts (1767) Tariffs were placed on goods such as tea, paper, glass, and paint

Tea Act (1773) Colonists began smuggling tea from the Netherlands (after the Townshend Acts were passed). The Tea Act gave the British East India Company the ability to sell tea at lower prices than those paid for smuggled tea.