1. The Road to Revolution
Unit 5

2. Words to know… quarter: to be stationed in a specific place
Parliament: England’s chief law- making body
boycott: a refusal to buy goods
repeal: revoke or take away
writs of assistance: a search warrant that allowed British officers to enter colonial homes or businesses to search for smuggled goods

3. Proclamation of 1763
When: 1763
What: forbid colonists from settling west from the Appalachian Mts.
Why: wanted to have tighter control over all the new land gained in the Treaty of Paris
wanted to keep colonists away from Indians after Pontiac’s Rebellion
Reaction: colonists were angry because they wanted the fertile land
many ignored the law

4. Quartering Act
When: 1765
What: colonists were required to quarter British soldiers and provide them with food, clothes, etc.
Why: to save money after the French and Indian War
Reaction: colonists were angry and didn’t believe that they should have to help repay war debt

5. Sugar Act
When: 1764
What: tax on sugar, molasses, and other products shipped to the colonies
also gave permission to harshly punish smugglers
Why: to generate revenue and help repay war debt
Reaction: merchants were angry
colonists were upset that they were being taxed without representation in Parliament

6. Stamp Act
When: 1765
What: required all documents to carry an official stamp showing a tax had been paid
first tax that applied to colonists
Why: to generate revenue and repay war debt
Reaction: colonists boycotted British goods
Sons of Liberty staged protests and burned stamped paper
some tarred and feathered customs officials

7. Declaratory Act
When: 1766
What: said that Parliament had supreme authority to govern the colonies but also repealed the Stamp Act
Why: after all the boycotts, British leaders feared English trade with the colonies would decline sharply
Reaction: colonists ignored the Declaratory Act and celebrated the repeal of the Stamp Act

8. Townshend Acts
When: 1767
What: a series of laws that suspended New York’s assembly until they quartered soldiers
also placed taxes on glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea
Why: to pay the salaries of British governors and other officials in the colonies

9. Townshend Acts
Reaction: colonists boycotted imported goods and focused on buying American made products
believed the writs of assistance took away their natural rights
protests began to get violent

10. Boston Massacre When: March 5, 1770
What: a fight between colonists and British soldiers where 5 colonists were killed
Why: tension between the 2 groups had been growing
colonists were insulting the soldiers
a snowball was thrown and the British fired

11. Boston Massacre Reaction: colonists were outraged
became an anti-British propaganda tool
Repeal: Townshend Acts were repealed except on tea

12. Tea Act
When: 1773
What: tea would be shipped and sold by the British East India Company only
Why: colonies had been smuggling tea from Holland
Reaction: Boston Tea Party

13. Boston Tea Party When: December 16, 1773
What: Sons of Liberty dumped tea into the Boston Harbor
Why: to boycott the Tea Act
Reaction: many colonists were excited while others were scared at what Britain would do
women in Edenton, NC had their own tea party

14. Intolerable acts When: 1774
What: closed Boston ports until tea was paid for
banned communication between colonies
allowed Britain to quarter troops anywhere
let British officials accused of crimes in the colonies stand trial in Britain

15. Intolerable acts Why: punishment for the Boston Tea Party
Reaction: First Continental Congress meets and bans trade with Britain
each colony trained militias
colonists were not ready for independence quite yet but wanted to protect colonial rights
Also Known As: Coercive Acts