Javon Thomas Mrs. Hilton History Project American Revolution

Navigation Acts The Navigation Acts were efforts to put the theory of mercantilism into actual practice. Beginning in 1650, Parliament acted to combat the threat of the rapidly growing Dutch carrying trade. Later laws were passed in 1651, 1660, 1662, 1663, 1670 and A companion enforcement law was enacted in Parliament acted to combat the threat of the rapidly growing Dutch carrying trade. Colonial resentment against the mother country.

Proclamation Of The end of the French and Indian War in 1763 was a cause for great celebration in the colonies, for it removed several ominous barriers and opened up a host of new opportunities for the colonists. The French had effectively hemmed in the British settlers and had, from the perspective of the settlers, played the "Indians" against them. The first thing on the minds of colonists was the great western frontier that had opened to them when the French ceded that contested territory to the British. The royal proclamation of 1763 did much to dampen that celebration. The proclamation, in effect, closed off the frontier to colonial expansion. The King and his council presented the proclamation as a measure to calm the fears of the Indians, who felt that the colonists would drive them from their lands as they expanded westward. Many in the colonies felt that the object was to pen them in along the Atlantic seaboard where they would be easier to regulate. No doubt there was a large measure of truth in both of these positions. However the colonists could not help but feel a strong resentment when what they perceived to be their prize was snatched away from them. The proclamation provided that all lands west of the heads of all rivers which flowed into the Atlantic Ocean from the west or northwest were off-limits to the colonists. This excluded the rich Ohio Valley and all territory from the Ohio to the Mississippi rivers from settlement

Stamp Act 1765 Britain passes the Stamp Act to directly tax the colonists. The act requires that revenue stamps be put on all legal documents, deeds, newspapers, pamphlets, dice, and playing cards. Taxed anything printed on paper by requiring colonists to buy a stamp, seal, for paper products. This act caused colonists to resent British rule.

Sons Of Liberty 1765 In Boston in early summer of 1765 a group of shopkeepers and artisans who called themselves The Loyal Nine, began preparing for agitation against the Stamp Act. As that group grew, it came to be known as the Sons of Liberty. And grow it did! These were not the leading men of Boston, but rather workers and tradesmen. It was unseemly that they would be so agitated by a parliamentary act. Though their ranks did not include Samuel and John Adams, the fact may have been a result of a mutually beneficial agreement. The Adams' and other radical members of the legislature were daily in the public eye; they could not afford to be too closely associated with violence, neither could the secretive Sons of Liberty afford much public exposure. However, amongst the members were two men who could generate much public sentiment about the Act. Benjamin Edges, a printer, and John Gill of the Boston Gazette produced a steady stream of news and opinion. Within a very short time a group of some two thousand men had been organized under Ebenezer McIntosh, a South Boston shoemaker.

Declaratory Act 1766 Said that Parliament had full authority over legislation in the colonies. Colonist resentment continued.

Quartering Act 1774 Required colonists to quarter, or house and feed British soldiers. Continued resentment from the colonists.

Townshend Acts 1767 The British passed new taxes on glass, paper, teas, paints and other goods shipped to the colonies from Britain. Prime Minister Charles Townsend wanted to raise money to cover the cost for defending the colonies, and pay the salaries of governors and judges in the colonies. These were known as the Townsend Acts. Made colonists pay taxes to pay for rising military costs due to the Quartering Act. Colonists boycotted British goods. Anger continued to grow against the British government, and in protest.

Boston Massacre 1770 On the evening of March 5, 1770, Private Hugh White was on guard in front of the Customs House on King Street in Boston. A crowd of people had gathered and began harassing the soldier. His calls for help brought nine soldiers led by Captain Thomas Preston. The crowd continued to harass the soldiers with insults, and were throwing snowballs at them. In the commotion, someone yelled, "Fire!" and soldiers began shooting. Three townspeople were killed and eight more were wounded, two of which died later. No one knew who gave the order to fire. Anger and tension continued to grow as Britain sent more soldiers to Boston when colonists resisted taxes.

Tea Act/Tea Party 1773 During the Boston Tea Party, colonists disguised as Native Americans throw tea from British ships into the ocean to protest the Tea Act (December). The act was passed to allow the British East India Company to sell tea to the colonists, but the tea included a British tax. Made the British BEIC the only company allowed to sell tea to the colonies, which made this a monopoly over tea.

Intolerable Acts 1774 Intolerable Acts are passed. They close the port of Boston, curtail the powers of the Massachusetts assembly and town meetings, provide for compulsory quartering of troops by colonists, and exempt imperial officials from trial in Massachusetts. Made the British government furious. These acts were an effort to make the colonists pay for the tea and to keep the colonists from planning other attacks.