Events leading to independence

Navigation Acts (1660)

British Action: Forbade colonists from trading items like sugar and cotton with anyone but England, requiring English ships.

Colonial Reaction: Colonists started smuggling and traded illegally

Proclamation of 1763

British Action: Banned British settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains and ordered settlers to leave the upper Ohio River valley.

Colonial Reaction: Colonists ignored the law and moved west.

Sugar Act (1764)

British Action: Set duties on molasses, coffee, sugar, indigo, and pimento imported by colonists.

Colonial Reaction: Colonists protested and smuggled the items.

Stamp Act (1765)

British Action: Required colonists to pay for an official stamp/seal on paper items, with refusal leading to fines or jail.

Colonial Reaction: Stamp Act Congress set up a boycott of British goods and started the Sons of Liberty.

Townshend Acts (1767)

British Action: Placed duties on glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea. Allowed tax collectors to search for smuggled goods.

Colonial Reaction: Sons of Liberty used violence against tax collectors. The acts were later repealed except for the tea tax.

Declaratory Act

British Action: Stated that Parliament had full powers to make laws for the colonies.

Colonial Reaction: Colonists ignored it but were worried.

Boston Massacre

British Action: British troops fired at colonists who were taunting them, killing 5 and wounding 6.

Colonial Reaction: Dislike of the British increased.

Tea Act

British Action: Refunded 4/5 of the tax to one British company, making that tea cheaper.

Colonial Reaction: Colonists dressed as Native Americans and dumped tea into the harbor (Boston Tea Party).

Intolerable (Coercive) Acts

British Action: Closed Boston Port, canceled the MA charter, quartered troops in homes, moved trials to England, and put MA under martial law.

Colonial Reaction: Called the First Continental Congress to discuss what to do and increased boycotts.