British legislation- No Taxation Without Representation

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.