 The French and Indian War was over and the English were victorious.  The war had been very costly.  A permanent army was needed in the colonies.  Parliament passed the Sugar Act.

 This was the first tax to raise $$$$ in the colonies.  The Sugar Act was a tax on molasses and sugar imported by the colonists.  Smuggling was prevented by the British navy.  Those arrested for smuggling were not given a fair trial.

 The colonies had no voice in the British Parliament.  The colonies were not asked about taxation.  James Otis and Samuel Adams became spokesmen for the Bostonians against Parliament.  Adams helped found the Committees of Correspondence.

 A boycott is a refusal to buy a certain product.  The colonists used a boycott to convince Parliament to repeal (end) the tax on sugar.  The boycott was unsuccessful.

 The Stamp Act was a new way to tax the colonists.  Everyone had to pay for a special stamp on all paper products- newspapers, licenses, etc.  Refusal to pay the tax would result in fines or arrest.  The Sons of Liberty was formed.

 Sam Adams was a founder.  Violence was a tool of this protest group.  The Sons of Liberty gave the colonists a voice and another way to protest the actions of Parliament.

 Parliament was upset that the colonists challenged its authority.  Parliament issued the Declaratory Act.  This act stated that Parliament had power to make any laws that it felt necessary in any situation.

 Parliament had finally repealed the Stamp Act in  In 1767, it passed the Townshend Acts.  This act placed a tax on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea.  Tax collectors used “writs of assistance” to search for smuggled goods.  A new form of protest included “tarring and feathering”.

 The Sons of Liberty continued with their protests in Boston.  British soldiers arrived in  March 5, 1770, a soldier standing guard had an argument with a colonist. Snowballs were thrown at the soldier. A crowd grew, soldiers came to his rescue, and a shot was fired into the mob. Five colonists were killed.  The story was spread over all the colonies.

 Parliament repealed the Townshend Acts.  The tax on tea remained.  Tea smuggling increased.  The Tea Act of 1773 was passed.  Only the British East India Co. could sell tea, which angered local merchants. ec. 16, 1773  340 crates of BEI tea were dumped into Boston Harbor by colonists on Dec. 16, 1773

 The Intolerable Acts, 1774, were called the Coercive Acts by Parliament and the Intolerable Acts by the Colonists.  They were passed to punish Boston.

 Boston harbor was closed until the tea was paid for.  The legislature could not meet without permission from the governor.  British officials charged with crimes were tried in England.  The Quartering Act was passed.  The Quebec Act was passed.