1. Actions and Reactions British Actions Colonial Reactions
French and Indian War
War between French and Native Americans vs. Great Britain. Both countries claimed land in the Ohio River Valley. Great Britain won the war, gaining most of Canada, and French lands east of Mississippi, and Spanish Florida.
Colonists wanted to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. Native Americans lived in this area and continued to attacked English settlers.
Proclamation of 1763
King George III stated that all lands west of the Appalachian Mountains belonged to the Native Americans and colonists could not settle there.
Colonists ignored the Proclamation and believed they fought for these lands. They continued to fight with the Native Americans.
Unfair Taxes
In order to pay for debts from the French and Indian War, Parliament passed taxes to charge the colonists.
Sugar Tax: Taxed sugar and molasses imported from West Indies.
Stamp Act: Placed tax on many paper items in colonies such as newspapers, legal documents, and playing cards.
Colonists were MAD! “No taxation without Representation!” Sons of Liberty formed and gained power.
Colonial Reactions
Actions and Reactions

2. Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)
British Actions
Boston Massacre
Colonists were upset that British troops were still in the colonies. The British soldiers shot and killed colonists in Boston, MA.
Colonists gave the event the name “The Boston Massacre” and spread the news of the event throughout the colonies. They claimed that the colonists were defenseless and the British attacked them first.
Tea Act
This act forced colonists to end the boycott of English goods and to buy tea from the East India Tea company.
Only British tea from this company could be shipped to the colonies.
Boston Tea Party – the colonists dressed up as Native Americans, boarded English ships in Boston and tossed over 90,000 lbs. of tea into the Boston Harbor.
Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)
Parliament passed a new set of laws to punish the colonists. Forced the colonists to follow laws they felt were unfair.
Closing of Boston Harbor: closed the port of Boston until the colonists paid for the destroyed tea.
Quartering Act: forced colonists to house cloth, and feed British soldiers.
These laws united many colonists against Britain.
First Continental Congress: Colonial Leaders met in Philadelphia to create a petition to send to King George III.
Colonial Reactions
Actions and Reactions