British Acts/Taxes Pre-Revolution

Stamp Act

British enforced that legal and commercial documents be printed with special paper, displaying an official stamp. Newspapers, magazines, and playing cards included. The paper and stamp had to be paid for in British currency. Colonist reaction: Patrick Henry confronted the House of Burgesses to attempt getting the tax resolved. Wealthy workers who paid higher taxes wrote against the tax in the city's newspaper. The Sons of Liberty was formed. Colonies had delegates that attended the Stamp Act Congress, where they demanded a repeal of the tax. Britain response: British repealed the stamp act, but showed their power. They passed the Declaratory Act, which allowed them to pass any tax they wanted.

Townshend Acts

Four different acts that were the 1. suspending act, restricting the NY gov from doing anything until they complied with the quartering act 2. revenue act 3. unnamed Act established strict commision of forces, increasing the number of officers, spies, and other such things 4.The Indemnity Act was made to compete with tea stolen by the Dutch. Colonist reaction: Slightly negative. The acts posed a threat to self-government in the colonies, and they led to many revolts and verbal agitation among the colonists and british officers. Britain response: Increased strictness and more officers in the colonies. This led to the Boston Massacre and eventually the Declaration of Independence. The Townshend Acts, and many other acts, ultimately led to the American revolutionary war.

Proclamation Line of 1763

King George III issued a proclamation on the British Settlements. This act set a boundary line on the Appalachian mountains. Anything west of the Appalachian mountains Indians had the rights to. Colonist were not allowed past and any colonist who was already there needed to remove themselves from there. Colonist reaction: The colonists were infuriated by the Proclamation. It only slowed their spread westword. The colonies were hungry for land and they were going to get it. Britain's counter reaction: British had military outposts on the line. But they did not make much of an effort to enforce the line. Colonists continued to move westward.

Navigation Laws

Laws to limit the commerce of the colonies and the explorative capabilities of the colonists. Britain wanted to make maximum profit, so they made it so that the only nautical travels were back and forth between the colony in question, and England. They took all of the colonies' resources and used it for themselves. Colonists Reaction: The colonists did not like it. They wanted to be able to trade with other colonies, countries, etc., and make more money for themselves instead of most or all of the money going to Britain. They smuggled goods and other things that were completely illegal by British law. Britain's Counter-reaction: Britain saw the colonists as ungrateful and childish. They made further navigation laws and other laws that took the freedoms of the people and further punished them for illegal activity.

Sugar Act

Modified version of Molasses act. Tax imposed by British on American colonists that included goods like rum and molasses. Helped British West Indies' market in molasses instead of hurt it. Sugar act reduced the tax on molasses from six pence to three pence per gallon. Tax also placed on certain wines and coffee. Increased collection of customs on these items, which negatively impacted the merchants and importers. Colonist Reaction: Rum industry in the colonies saw a decline. Struggling merchants and artisans joined the non importation movement, refusing to buy or use goods manufactured in Britain. Sons of Liberty was formed to unite the colonies under the resistance to taxes. This group met in NYC to issue a Declaration of Rights and Grievances- stated that Parliament had no right to tax the colonies and petitioned a repeal to the Sugar Act. Britain's counter reaction: New prime minister Marquess of Rockingham made decision to repeal taxes, but also completely restricted the trade of sugar with the revenue act, further negatively impacting the merchants.

Quebec Act

Originally- an act to help out the French that were still in North America, specifically Canada. After the Treaty of Paris, Canada was under British rule. This act allowed the people of Quebec one governor and a council to settle their affairs, but the British still had the final say in everything. Also, the Catholics were allowed in public office then if they gave an oath of allegiance to Britain. Colonist reaction: Americans saw act as another intolerable act. Protests arose. Lack of representation given to the French scared the colonists because they began to realize they were not given any representation either. The people also began to fear a rise of the Catholic Church again in North America, which was scary for lots of people because that was part of the reason they left. Britain response: Although not specifically said, this reaction scared the British. Basically, once the people you kept in the dark begin to see the light, problems may arise. The British wanted to keep the colonies stupid so they would blindly listen to what they said but this began to fade.

Currency Act

Prohibited use of paper money for private transactions in the colonies. Passed in order to combat inflation that had occurred after paper money of various uses and forms was accepted as currency in the colonies. Inflation caused money to be lost, mainly because the money merchants had after trades became worth less and less. To fight this, the government decided to ban paper money for private transactions. Colonist reaction: Without this use, colonists depended on using gold and silver coins. However, there was little gold and silver in America. Colonies had hardly enough money for anything. They were angry about this, as the previously useful paper money was then not useful and they became poor. Britain response: Saw the anger as a response to the strict control and decided to continue passing laws in an attempt to eventually have complete control over America.

Quartering Act

Required all colonists to house British soldiers in their own home and provide food. Colonist response: Were not very fond of it, and kicked out British troops. NY colonial assembly stood up and said they would rather have the option to give consent to the soldiers to come into their homes. They refused to comply to the law. Britain response: Because of their refusal, Parliament forbade the NY gov from passing any new legislation, until they complied to the laws. Soon, the soldiers were not necessarily living in private homes, but rather in public places, such as the streets in tents. Of course the British soldiers in the streets of angry colonists was not ideal, and eventually riots broke out. The British fought back, and the act made the relations between the British and colonies not so good.

Intolerable/Coercive Acts

Response to the Boston Tea Party. Boston was main target of these 4 acts. These were 1. The Boston Port Bill- closed the Boston Harbor 2.Massachusetts Government Act- Replaced the elected government with a royally appointed one. 3.Administration of Justice Act- Allowed British officials to be tried in other colonies or Britain for capital offenses. 4.Quartering Act- The second iteration of the first Quartering Act, this one allowing British soldiers to quarter in unoccupied buildings. Colonist reaction: The first gathering of the Continental Congress occurred. This served as the government of the American colonies until the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Britain response: British Parliament passed the Restraining Act, which forbade the colonists from trading with anyone but the British. It also prevented the colonists from fishing in New England waters, cutting off a crucial food source for Americans and only angering them more.

Boston Massacre

Result of a riot. Colonist mob attacked a lone soldier with ie and snowballs, and reinforcements for the British showed up. Eventually a shot was fired, and the other soldiers followed after it. 5 were killed, and soldiers were jailed. John Adams later helped them get a fair trial, and the commander of the British soldiers was found to be NOT guilty due to contrasting witness reports. Colonist reaction: The Americans were mad. Before this, 2,000 soldiers were sent to enforce tax laws in Boston, and conflict often broke out between them and the colonists. They were looking for an excuse to start a fight: this seemed like the perfect beginning to a Revolution. Britain response: British soldiers got nervous at anger and retreated back to Fort William. Soldiers at protest were taken custody. Commander was eventually set free, but still it left the British shaken up a bit. Due to this, they put more troops in and passed the intolerable acts, even though the colonists handled the affair with civility.

The Molasses Act

This act placed a high tariff on molasses, sugar, and rum being imported by colonists from the French West Indies; it was passed in response to complaints by British West Indian planters that they were losing money. British West Indies sugar cane growers wanted a monopoly. Colonist response: American merchants responded to the act by bribing and smuggling their way around the law, actions that foreshadowed the impending imperial crisis. British planters, however, could only supply 1/8 of the sugar needed by the colonists, and the colonists used this fact to justify their actions. Britain's counter reaction: The British replaced the Molasses act with the sugar act in 1764, signaling the end of salutary neglect that coincided with the end of the French and Indian War.

Declaratory Act

accompanied the repeal of the Stamp Act 1765. Claimed that Parliament had a right to tax and control the colonies in "all cases whatsoever." Colonist reaction: They were too busy celebrating the end of the stamp act that they missed the significance of the declaratory act. Britain response: Allowed them to pass more laws that restricted the colonies. Because its words were the law, Britain saw fit to control the colonies with more taxes, like in the Townshend Acts.