Events Leading to the Revolution

  • Molasses Act

    Molasses Act
    Imposed a tax on molasses and rum that was imported into the colonies. The colonists protested the act, saying that the Indies couldn't produce enough molasses to meet their needs.
  • Proclamation of 1763

    Proclamation of 1763
    This act was meant to keep the colonists from settling land west of the Appalachian Mountains, which was set aside for the Indians. By doing this, the king hoped to not have to pay for troops to protect the colonist. Many colonists disregarded this act and pushed farther west.
  • Sugar Act

    Sugar Act
    This act replaced the Molasses Act. Reduced the tax on molasses by half, but it stated that lumber could only be exported to Britain. It also levied taxes on wines, silks, coffees, and other luxury items, Custom officials could also go on ships and seize their cargo. The colonists were angry about the Sugar Act since they were stopping smugglers, and boycotted English goods.
  • Currency Act

    Currency Act
    This act was done to control the printing and use of colonial paper and reduce Britain's debt. The colonists had a shortage of hard money and an imbalance of trade.
  • Stamp Act

    Stamp Act
    Was a direct tax. This act required all newspapers, broadsides, pamphlets, licenses, leases, and other legal documents to have revenue stamps. Businessmen, lawyers, clergy men, journalists, an other people affected by the Stamp Act formed non-importation associations. They also start smuggling. Stamp Act Congress creates boycotts, organizations.
  • Quartering Act

    Quartering Act
    This act forced the colonists to give British soldiers provisions and build barracks. Colonists didn't like it and disputed the legality of it. Led to many fights between colonists and troops.
  • Declaratory Act

    Declaratory Act
    This act stated that Great Britain had as much authority to tax the colonies as it did those in Europe. It also repealed the Stamp Act and lessened the Sugar Act. The colonists focused their attention on the growing tension between them and Parliament.
  • Townshend Acts

    Townshend Acts
    Charles Townshend tightened customs administration and enacted duties on colonial imports such as paint, paper, glass, lead, and tea. Merchants resorted to non-importation associations and people made do with local products. Mobs, violence, protests, boycotts.
  • Boston Massacre

    Boston Massacre
    This happened when the colonists snowballed British soldier, and someone gave the order to fire. 3 Bostonians were killed. Colonists used this as an example of British heartlessness.
  • Townshend Act

    Townshend Acts repealed except for the tax on tea. Colonists stop buying British Tea.
  • Tea Act

    Tea Act
    The East India Company was having financial trouble, so Britain gave it a monopoly on all the tea exported to America. By selling tea at an extremely low cost and bypassing colonial merchnats, the tea trade was reduced drastically. Colonists forced ships to turn around and take the tea back or agents of the East India Company were forced to resign. This also caused the Boston Tea Party.
  • Boston Tea Party

    Boston Tea Party
    Men disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded 3 British ships anchored in Boston Harbor and dumped all the tea. Parliament had to punish the colonists, or else it would be known that they had no control over the colonies.
  • Coercive Acts

    Coercive Acts
    The Boston Port Bill closed Boston Harbor until they could pay for the tea, town meetings were banned unless sanctioned by the governor, and the second Quartering Act was put in place. This was meant to subdue the colonists, but it only succeeded in riling them up more.
  • 2nd Quartering Act

    Forced the colonists to let British soldiers stay in their home and give them food.
  • First Continental Congress Meeting

    First Continental Congress Meeting
    At the suggestion of the House of Burgesses, delegates met in Philadelphia. Only Georgia didn't send a delegate, but there was 55 people present. They became the Continental Association, which became the leaders of the colonies.
  • Quebec Act

    Gave French-Canadians rule over themselves. They can keep the same government that the French were used to, and let them be Catholic, which makes colonists mad since they were Protestant.