1. New Taxes and Tensions
6.4

2. The Townshend Acts
Was a series of taxes on glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea.
This money paid for military costs and the salaries of colonial governors
The Writs of Assistance was used to enforce the Townshend Acts
They gave British officials the power to search homes and businesses for smuggled goods.

3. Colonial Reaction
Colonists hated the new laws because they violated colonists’ rights
The first response was to boycott these British goods.
Secondly, groups such as the Sons of Liberty held protests in the street to gain support for “Taxation without representation”
The Sons of Liberty also began attacking customs officials
Daughters of Liberty was a group of women who supported the boycott

4. Protest of the Townshend Acts
Colonial legislatures also protested the Townshend Acts
Samuel Adams wrote a letter stating that the acts violated the legal rights of colonists
The Massachusetts legislature sent this letter to other colonies asking for their help
In a few short months several legislatures voted to join the protest against the Townshend Acts
In response, British soldiers arrive in Boston to restore order

5. The Boston Massacre
In 1770, a group of protesters gathered near a British dock across the street from a tax collection house
British troops were on guard at the office and were being insulted by the crowd.
A fight broke out and the British troops opened fire. Five unarmed men lay in the street after the smoke cleared.
The Townshend acts were repealed within a month

7. The Tea Act
After the Boston Massacre England repealed the Townshend Acts but kept the tax on tea
This forced colonists to buy tea only from a certain English tea company as well as placed a tax on the tea.
Once again, the colonists feel they are being punished and become angry. They feel England will back down once again.

8. The Boston Tea Party
On December 16, 1773, many members of the Sons of Liberty gathered in Boston Harbor dressed as Natives.
They boarded a British Tea ship, and dumped all of the tea overboard.
When they finished, they cleaned up the ship and made sure nothing else was damaged.

9. England Responds
England had enough of the colonies at this point and chooses to punish them more severely than ever before.
The Intolerable Acts are passed.
They included:
Shutting down Boston Harbor
Getting rid of the Mass. Colonial government
Allowed British troops to stay and do as they pleased without standing trial.
Quartering Act
British General became the new governor of Mass.