Events Leading to The American Revolution By Kaleb Smith 3rd

The Navigation Acts A series of laws passed between 1751 and 1773 These acts directed the flow of goods from England and the Colonists Colonists could not use foreign ships, even if those ships offered cheaper rates Colonists couldn’t send certain products, like sugar and tobacco, outside of England’s empire.

Navigation Acts Reaction Some colonists ignored the acts and smuggled goods to other countries

The Proclamation of 1763 Set the Appalachian Mt. as the temporary western border of the colonies due to disagreements with Native Americans It was illegal to settle beyond this border This angered many speculators who had already purchased land beyond the mountain

The Stamp Act (1765) Put a tax on almost all printed material in the colonies Everything from newspapers and pamphlets to wills and playing cards was taxed All printed material had to have a stamp, which was applied by British officials

Sons of Liberty (AKA Stamp Act reaction) Samuel Adams helped start an organization called the Sons Of Liberty Members took to the streets protesting the Act. Throughout the summer of 1765, protesters burned effigies, or rag figures, representing unpopular tax collectors

Declaratory Act (1766) Stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions for the British colonies “in all cases”

Quartering Act (March of 1765) Required colonists to house and feed soldiers. Shortly after, 1,500 British soldiers were sent over, but the colonists refused to house them. They had to stay on the boat.

Townshend Acts (1767) In response to the colonists reaction to the Stamp Act, Parliament passed a Act that taxed all imported goods in the colonies The colonists didn’t like this because the things taxed included things like glass, tea, paper, and lead that could not be produced in the colonies, so they had to be imported.

Boston Massacre (March 5, 1770) A fight broke out between colonists and British soldiers in Boston The soldiers were ordered not to fire, but when one of them got hit in the head with a rock, he fired, and everyone followed his lead. 5 died including Crispus Attucks, a African American/ Native American who died instantly.

Boston Massacre Reaction The massacre angered many colonists. Paul Revere made a silver engraving of the depicting the massacre A lot of propaganda was made to make colonists hate the British

Tea Act/ Boston Tea Party Tea Act- East India Company didn’t have to pay taxes and could sell tea directly to shopkeepers for a low price Tea Party- Some members of the Sons Of Liberty dressed as Mohawk Indians and threw 342 chests of tea overboard

Coercive/ Intolerable Acts These acts were known in Britain as the Coercive Acts and in the colonies the Intolerable acts These acts punished colonists for the Tea Party and closed the Boston Harbor until the tea was paid for Certain rights were taken from Massachusetts Colonists. Town meetings were banned