The Tea Act
What was it: American colonists could not buy tea unless it came from the East India Company. The Tea Act lowered the price on this East India tea so much that it was way below the price of tea sold by other people.
Cause:The East Indian Company wasn't making enough money so the British decided to give it some more business.
Effect: The colonists saw this law "taxation without representation" because it meant that they did not have a choice to buy tea from anyone else without spending a lot more money. when this decision was made in the British Parliament the colonists had no vote in what happened. Their response was to refuse to unload the tea from the ships.
Definitions:
Parliament- Group of people who
make the laws in Britain’s government
East Indian Company- the British company that the colonists were trading with
The Intolerable Acts
What they were: new group of laws for the colonists. The Boston Harbor was closed to trade until the owners of the tea were paid back for the tea the colonists threw into the ocean. Only food and firewood were permitted into the port.
Cause: The British Parliament made these new laws after the colonists threw tea in the harbor (known as the Boston Tea Party). These laws were the colonists punishment and were designed so that King George III could have better control over the colonies.
Effect: The colonists felt that the laws were a violation of their rights. They called a conference for all the leaders of the colonies to meet at and discuss how they were going to react to the new laws. They also boycotted British goods.
Definitions:
Harbor- the place on the coast where the boats stay
Trade- the action of buying and selling goods and services
Parliament- Group of people who
make the laws in Britain’s government
Boycott- stop using
The Quartering Act
What it was: In March 1765, Parliament passed the Quartering Act. This said that the colonists had to provide for the basic needs of British soldiers living in the colonies. They had to provide them with housing, bedding, cooking utensils, firewood, cider, and candles.
Cause: Designed to lower the amount of money Britain was spending on their troops they had sent to the colonies.
Effect: The colonists did not like this new law. They were scared of the British troops and they could not afford to let them stay in their houses. The colonists resisted to take care of the British troops.
Definitions:
Parliament- Group of people who make the laws in Britain's government
Resisted- to not do / refuse to do
Quartering- to provide supplies/housing
The Proclamation of 1763
What it was: The Proclamation of 1763 was issued by the British Government in the name of King George III. A Law that prohibited the colonists from establishing or maintaining settlements west of an imaginary line running down the crest of the Appalachian Mountains.
Cause: The British promised
this land to the American Indians. The purpose of this proclamation was to
avoid expenses of further wars with the American Indians.
Effect: The proclamation was mostly ignored but it created a large amount of resentment among the British colonists.
Definitions:
Establishing- to set up
Proclamation- a public announcement
Resentment- bad feeling you feel when someone does something wrong to you
The Stamp Act
What it was: On March 22, 1765, the British Parliament passed the “Stamp Act”. The act required the colonists to pay a tax on forms of papers, documents, and playing cards. The colonists knew what papers they needed to pay taxes on because they had a stamp in the corner.
Cause: The British Parliament created this new law to help pay for British troops stationed in the colonies during the French and Indian War. The tax was created without the approval of the colonialists.
Effect: Colonists felt these taxes were unfair. Resistance to the act was demonstrated through debates in the colonial legislatures, written documents (including legislative resolves, prints, and songs), and mob/crowd actions such as tarring and feathering tax collectors.
Definitions:
Parliament- Group of people who
make the laws in Britain's government
Tax- extra amount of money to be paid when buying a good
