BRITISH LEGISLATION
AND ITS EFFECTS
British Legislation• In order to pay off
the debt from the French and Indian War, Britain passed a series of laws which imposed taxes on the American Colonies.
British Legislation• These taxes upset the colonists
because they were not represented in the British Parliament.
• Colonist’s belief was:
“No Taxation Without Representation”
Sugar Act- 1764
• Placed duties (taxes) on imported sugar and molasses.
• Colonists began to smuggle these products into the colonies.
Stamp Act- 1765• Required colonists to pay for an official
stamp or seal on paper items.
• This was the first direct tax on the colonies.
• Colonists refused to buy the stamps or just ignored the law.
Declaratory Act- 1766• After repealing the Stamp Act,
Parliament was upset that the colonists challenged its authority.
• This stated that Parliament made the laws, not the colonists.
Townshend Acts- 1767
• Placed duties on imported glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea.
• Money raised paid for soldiers to be stationed in the Colonies.
• This upset the colonists.
• They claimed it violated the guarantee of no standing army in the colonies.
• Led to the Boston Massacre.
Boston Massacre- 1770• British soldiers fired into a crowd of
citizens.
• Used as propaganda against the British.
Tea Act- 1773• Gave the British East India Company
permission to sell tea directly to the colonies.
• It was supposed to make tea cheaper.
Boston Tea Party- 1773• To protest the Tea Act, the Sons of
Liberty dressed as Indians and dumped over 300 crates of tea into Boston Harbor.
Coercive/Intolerable Acts 1774• In response to the Tea Party, Boston
Harbor was closed down until the tea was paid for.
• The Massachusetts charter was cancelled.
• Royal officials accused of crimes were sent back to England for trial.
• Would face friendly judges and juries.• This upset the colonists.
Coercive/Intolerable Acts 1774• Quartering Act- Colonists had to
quarter (house) British soldiers at their own expense.
Effects of British Legislation• Caused problems between the
colonists and the British government.