Overview
Taxation Without Representation in Colonial America was the primary cause of the American Revolution. It led to the American Revolutionary War and, ultimately, the establishment of the United States of America.
Thematic Focus
The thematic focus for Topic 3.3 is “America in the World.” During the French and Indian War, the American Colonies took center stage in the final battle between Great Britain and France for control of North America. After the British victory, Parliament decided to raise money from the Colonies through taxes. Americans protested these measures because they did not have elected officials representing them in Parliament, calling it “Taxation Without Representation.” The ideology that developed from 1764 to 1775 was the platform for the American Revolution and laid the foundation for the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.
Learning Objective
The Learning Objective for this topic is to be able to explain how British colonial policies regarding North America led to the Revolutionary War. The key points are:
The End of Salutary Neglect — British officials decided to end the unwritten policy of Salutary Neglect, enforce the Navigation Acts, and reduce smuggling. However, Prime Minister George Grenville took an extra step, authorizing the British Navy to help enforce the acts and providing officers with incentives to seize and inspect American merchant ships and warehouses without search warrants.
Taxation to Raise Revenue — Parliament passed new laws that taxed goods and products Americans used, including molasses, paper, and tea. The money collected was first used to help cover the cost of the British Army in North America, and the rest was sent to the British Treasury. Before this, the Navigation Acts controlled American trade and manufacturing as part of the British Mercantile System.
Internal Taxes vs. External Taxes — Americans had no say in these “External Taxes,” levied on them by Parliament, which the Coonies considered to be an external legislative body. Americans would have been more open to “Internal Taxes” levied on them by Colonial Legislatures because they elected those officials.
Violations of Rights — Americans believed Taxation Without Representation violated their rights as Englishmen. This included the use of Vice Admiralty Courts for trials and the extradition of Americans to England for trial, which denied Americans their right to trial by a jury of their peers.
Historical Developments
During the 18th Century, Great Britain sought to re-assert its authority over the American Colonies. British officials believed Americans would accept its political and economic measures as loyal subjects of King George III and did not need direct representation in Parliament. However, Americans united against both real and perceived threats to their rights and liberties.
Colonial leaders like James Otis, Stephen Hopkins, and Samuel Adams led the way in calling for resistance to Taxation Without Representation. These men were joined by key Founding Fathers like John Adams, Joseph Warren, and Thomas Jefferson — and many others. Together, they argued for their rights as British subjects based on the rights of individuals, local traditions of self-rule, and the ideas of the Enlightenment.
Benjamin Franklin, likely the most famous American in the world at the time, supported American resistance. Unlike the leaders in the colonies, Franklin was in Europe and often met with British officials to discuss matters regarding the Colonies. Despite his warnings, British officials persisted in governing the Colonies without their consent.
Most of the American leaders were merchants, lawyers, and politicians — members of the upper class. However, the movement for representation found support in the lower classes, especially artisans like Paul Revere.
The rallying cry of “No Taxation Without Representation” was not restricted to the upper class — British policies affected nearly every American in some way (including enslaved Africans). Working-class artisans and farmers, including men like Paul Revere and Israel Putnam, rallied and joined with the leaders of the Patriot Cause.
Review Video
This video from Heimler’s History provides an excellent overview of APUSH 3.3. You can also check out our APUSH Guide, which provides a look at all Units and Topics in the APUSH Curriculum.
Terms and Definitions
The following terms and definitions cover essential topics related to Topic 3.3 and link to content on American History Central that provides a deeper understanding of each topic. Terms and definitions are organized according to the APUSH Themes:
- American and National Identity
- Work, Exchange, and Technology
- Migration and Settlement
- Politics and Power
- America in the World
- Geography and the Environment
- Culture and Society
American and National Identity
Sugar Act Crisis (1764)
The Sugar Act Crisis was caused by the passage of the Currency Act and Sugar Act in 1764, along with rumors of the pending Stamp Act. American political leaders, including Samuel Adams, Stephen Hopkins, and James Otis, responded with pamphlets outlining their opposition to the Sugar Act and Taxation Without Representation. At least one incident of violence took place when Rhode Islanders at Fort George fired on the British ship, St. John.
Stamp Act Crisis (1765–1766)
The Stamp Act Crisis was caused by the passage of the Stamp Act in 1765. The Crisis led to violence against British officials, including tax collectors, stamp agents, and governors. Riots took place in larger cities like Boston and New York. The groups that became known as the Sons of Liberty helped organize the civil unrest but quickly moved away from violence and turned their attention to political protest. This led to the organization of the Stamp Act Congress and Committees of Correspondence.
Townshend Crisis (1766–1770)
Following the repeal of the Stamp Act, Parliament looked at new ways to raise revenue from the American Colonies and tighten control over them. Parliament passed the Townshend Acts, which led to the Liberty Affair, the Massachusetts Circular Letter, and the Occupation of Boston.
Liberty Affair (1768)
The Liberty Affair was an incident that took place in Boston after British customs officials seized a ship owned by John Hancock, the wealthy merchant and prominent member of the Sons of Liberty. A violent riot followed, and British officials responded by sending troops to occupy Boston, setting the stage for the Boston Massacre.
Occupation of Boston (1768)
Following the Liberty Affair, British officials in Boston expressed concerns that an uprising was imminent. They accused the local assemblies of coordinating efforts to resist British policies and suggested if there were an uprising in Boston it would spread to other colonies. The only way to stop that from happening was to send troops to Boston to occupy the city. Officials in London responded by sending British troops to Boston to help maintain order. The ships carrying the troops arrived in Boston Harbor on September 28, 1768. On October 1, they disembarked, establishing the “Boston Garrison.” Troops secured quarters at various locations in Boston, including Castle Island, Faneuil Hall, and warehouses at Wheelwright’s Wharf.
Battle of Golden Hill (1770)
The Battle of Golden Hill, also known as the “Golden Hill Riot,” took place in New York City in January 1770. Citizens and workers of New York and members of the Sons of Liberty, led by Isaac Sears, John Lamb, and Alexander McDougall, fought with British Redcoats in the streets of the city — almost two months before the Boston Massacre.
Death of Christopher Seider (1770)
On February 22, 1770, a mob gathered outside the home of a Customs Official, Ebeneezer Richardson. The people were upset that Richardson had broken up a protest in front of the shop owned by Theophilus Lillie, a Loyalist merchant. The crowd turned violent and threw rocks through the windows of Richardson’s house. One of them hit Richardson’s wife. When that happened, Richardson grabbed his gun and fired into the crowd. 11-year-old Christopher Seider was shot twice and killed. Samuel Adams arranged for Seider’s funeral, and a public display was made of what Richardson had done. An estimated 2,000 people attended the funeral at the Granary Burial Ground, which fueled the outrage of the people of Boston.
Boston Massacre (1770)
The Boston Massacre was an incident in which British regulars fired into a group of Bostonians who were harassing them. It is generally considered one of the first acts of violence of the American Revolution.
Gaspee Affair (1772)
The Gaspee Affair was a dispute between British officials and colonial officials over how to handle the Gaspee Incident. The incident took place from June 9–10, 1772, and included Rhode Islanders attacking the British schooner HMS Gaspee, shooting a British naval officer, and destroying the ship by setting it on fire. In the aftermath, British officials investigating the incident wanted to arrest the men responsible and take them to Britain to stand trial. Americans were outraged and believed the right to a fair trial would be violated. Virginia responded by calling for each of the colonies to establish permanent Committees of Correspondence.
Tea Crisis (1773)
In 1770, as a result of colonial protests, Parliament repealed the Townshend duties, except for the tax on tea. In 1773, the Tea Act was passed to help the East India Company and gave it a monopoly on the sale and distribution of tea in the colonies. Colonists resented the act because it maintained the British position that Britain could tax the colonies without granting them representation in Parliament. The crisis over the Tea Act led to the Boston Tea Party.
Boston Tea Party (1773)
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest that took place on the night of December 16, 1773, at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. A mob organized by the Sons of Liberty raided three ships and threw all of the tea they were carrying into Boston Harbor. Parliament responded to the incident by passing the Intolerable Acts, which led to the colonies holding the First Continental Congress.
Edenton Tea Party (1774)
The Edenton Tea Party took place on October 25, 1774, in Edenton, North Carolina, where 51 women, led by Penelope Barker, signed a resolution to boycott British tea and other imported goods. It was one of the earliest organized political actions by women in the American colonies.
American and National Identity — People
Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, the second President of the United States, and the mother of the sixth President, John Quincy Adams. Her letters and memoirs of the Revolutionary era are considered to be major historical documents. She strongly supported her husband while he was serving in the Continental Congress and in Europe and famously told him to “Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors..”
John Adams
John Adams was a Founding Father, America’s First Ambassador to the Court of St. James, and the Second President of the United States. He was also the first Vice President, serving two terms under George Washington.
Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams was a Founding Father, a member of the Continental Congress, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a leading proponent of colonial independence from Great Britain. After the Revolution, Adams served four terms as Governor of Massachusetts.
Crispus Attucks
Crispus Attucks was born into slavery. He escaped and went on to be a seaman and rope maker in colonial Boston. He was involved in a mob that accosted British regulars on March 5, 1770. When the regulars retaliated, he was the first person killed in what was quickly known as the Boston Massacre. After his death, he would be remembered as a martyr and seen as a symbol of freedom during the American Revolution and later on during the Abolition movement.
John Dickinson
John Dickinson was a Founding Father, known as the “Penman of the Revolution,” for his Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania. Although he refused to sign the Declaration of Independence, his name was signed to the United States Constitution.
Daniel Dulany
Daniel Dulany was a prominent Maryland lawyer known for his opposition to the Stamp Act. In his influential pamphlet, Considerations on the Propriety of Imposing Taxes in the British Colonies, Dulany argued that Parliament had no right to tax the colonies without their consent, as they lacked representation.
King George III
George III succeeded his father on the throne. Under his reign, British colonial policy dramatically shifted, leading to the American Revolution and American Revolutionary War. George III was the last British monarch to rule over the American Colonies.
George Grenville
George Grenville was the Prime Minister of Great Britain and was responsible for implementing policies that caused the American Revolution. His policies are known as the Grenville Acts and included the end of Salutary Neglect, the Sugar Act, and the Stamp Act.
Thomas Hutchinson
Thomas Hutchinson was a prominent figure in Massachusetts during the lead-up to the American Revolution. He is most well-known for serving as the Governor of Massachusetts during a significant portion of the American Revolution and the Boston Tea Party.
John Lamb
John Lamb was a prominent leader of the Sons of Liberty in New York and a vocal opponent of British policies during the American Revolution. He was a close associate of Alexander McDougall, Isaac Sears, and Caspar Wistar. He was involved in the Battle of Golden Hill. Lamb served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
Ebenezer Mackintosh
Ebenezer Mackintosh was a Boston shoemaker and gang leader of the working-class faction of the Sons of Liberty in Boston during the 1760s. He is well-known for leading violent protests, including the attack on the homes of Andrew Oliver and Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson.
Alexander McDougall
Alexander McDougall was a prominent leader of the New York Sons of Liberty and served as a General in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. McDougall is most famous for his role as a leader of the Patriot Cause in New York City.
James Otis
James Otis was a Founding Father and a successful lawyer from Boston, Massachusetts, who significantly influenced the ideology of the American Revolution. He is most famous for his opposition to Writs of Assistance, the Sugar Act, and the Townshend Acts.
Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine was a Founding Father, a philosopher of the American Revolution, and a true revolutionary. His essays and pamphlets, especially Common Sense, noted for their plain language, resonated with the common people of America and roused them to rally behind the movement for independence. Following the American Revolutionary War, Paine immigrated to Europe, where the British government declared him an outlaw for his anti-monarchist views and where he actively participated in the French Revolution.
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Rush was a Founding Father, Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Member of the Continental Army, and advocate for the ratification of the United States Constitution. Rush was also a prominent physician, educator, and proponent of women’s rights and the abolition of slavery.
Joseph Warren
Dr. Joseph Warren was one of the prominent leaders of the Patriots in Boston. Closely aligned with Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty, Warren was involved in the Committee of Correspondence and Massachusetts Provincial Congress. He was the author of prominent documents, including the Suffolk Resolves.
Mercy Otis Warren
Mercy Otis Warren was the sister of James Otis and the wife of James Warren. She was also close friends with Abigail Adams. The Warrens were intense revolutionaries and hosted groups, including the Sons of Liberty and Committees of Correspondence, in their home. However, it was primarily her writing that made her “perhaps the most important of Revolutionary War women.” She wrote The Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution (1805), her eyewitness account of the revolution, and the first published history of the Revolution.
Work, Exchange, and Technology
Artisans
Artisans in Colonial America were skilled craftspeople who produced goods such as furniture, clothing, metalwork, and tools by hand. They played an important role in the economy of the colonies, working in trades like blacksmithing, carpentry, shoemaking, and weaving. They were often organized into guilds or trade associations to regulate their work and maintain standards. They became involved in the Patriot Cause and joined groups like the Sons of Liberty. One of the most prominent artisans was Paul Revere, a silversmith.
East India Tea Company
The British East India Company, founded in 1600, played a key role in British imperial expansion, primarily in India and the East Indies. However, its financial troubles led Parliament to pass the Tea Act, which led to the Boston Tea Party, triggering a series of events that led to the American Revolutionary War.
Migration and Settlement
Sycamore Shoals
Sycamore Shoals, located along the Watauga River in present-day Tennessee, is the site where Richard Henderson and Daniel Boone negotiated the Transylvania Purchase with Cherokee leaders. In 1780, it served as the rallying point for the Overmountain Men, who assembled and marched against British forces at the Battle of Kings Mountain.
Transylvania Colony
Colonel Richard Henderson, a North Carolina lawyer, envisioned the creation of his own proprietary colony in Kentucky, similar to Maryland and Pennsylvania. Henderson called his venture Transylvania Colony, but it failed to last. His company was dissolved in December 1776, roughly a year and a half after the establishment of Boonesborough. However, Henderson played an important role by providing organized support to the early settlements of 1775.
Watauga
In the 1760s, settlers moved into Southwest Virginia, over the Allegheny Mountains, and established settlements along the Holston River, Watauga River, and Nolichucky River. One of the locations, Watauga Old Fields, was situated near the Watauga River. The site was also used as a traditional gathering place for Indians and as hunting grounds. Despite the Proclamation of 1763, settlers continued to live in the area and started the construction of a fort, originally known as Fort Caswell. It was near Sycamore Shoals, along the Watauga River, near present-day Elizabethton.
Wilderness Road
The Wilderness Road, blazed by Daniel Boone and a group of men under his command, was a vital route for American pioneers who emigrated west in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is believed that as many as 300,000 people took the Wilderness Road into Kentucky.
Politics and Power — American Political Resistance
Stamp Act Congress (1765)
The Stamp Act Congress was a meeting of 27 delegates from nine of the 13 Original Colonies that took place in New York City from October 7 to October 25, 1765. They met to discuss a unified colonial response to the provisions of the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act was passed on March 22, 1765, and was set to go into effect on November 1, 1765. The meeting produced a document called the “Declaration of Rights and Grievances” that was sent to the colonial legislatures, the King, and both houses of Parliament. Although the Declaration and letters were rejected by colonial agents and British officials, the Stamp Act Congress marked the first time a “continental congress” was held by the colonies in order to respond to British policies. The Stamp Act Congress was one of the most significant events that took place during the American Revolution.
Boston Non-Importation Agreement (1768)
The Boston Non-Importation Agreement of 1768 was signed by Boston merchants and traders on August 1, 1768. The agreement established a trade boycott against British goods and products in protest of the Townshend Acts.
Massachusetts Circular Letter (1768)
The Massachusetts Circular Letter was written primarily by Samuel Adams in opposition to the Townshend Acts and “Taxation Without Representation.” The letter helped coordinate colonial opposition to the Townshend Acts. Although it increased tension with Great Britain, it also contributed to the growing sense of unity between the American Colonies, laying the foundation for the establishment of Committees of Correspondence and the First Continental Congress.
Watauga Association (1772)
The Watauga Association was the government organized by the settlers living in the Watauga Region. Watauga was outside of British-controlled territory, and the settlers negotiated an agreement with the Cherokee to lease “all the country on the waters of the Watauga.” In 1772, the settlers formed their government, which may have included John Sevier. This was the first American government in Tennessee.
Solemn League and Covenant (1774)
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement designed by Patriot leaders in Boston in response to the Boston Port Act. It was intended to stop all trade between the towns in Massachusetts and merchants in Great Britain and was a precursor to the Continental Association.
Suffolk Resolves (1774)
The Suffolk Resolves were written by Joseph Warren in protest of the Intolerable Acts and military preparations taken by Governor Thomas Gage after the Powder Alarm. In its first official act, the First Continental Congress endorsed the Resolves and ordered colonial newspapers to print them.
First Continental Congress (1774)
The First Continental Congress met in Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia from September 5, 1774, until October 26, 1774. The meeting was called in response to acts of the British Parliament, collectively known in the Colonies as the Intolerable Acts.
Continental Association (1774)
The Continental Association was an organization created by the First Continental Congress to enforce the Articles of Association — a trade boycott against British merchants — unless Britain repealed the Coercive Acts. Committees of Inspection enforced the rules of the Association. Although Georgia did not send delegates to Congress, it did adopt the Articles of Association.
Politics and Power — Concepts
Non-Importation Agreements
Non-Importation Agreements were contracts signed by American merchants and citizens, promising not to import or buy British goods. They were used to protest British tax policies and contributed to the repeal of the Stamp Act.
Standing Army in North America
Following the French and Indian War, Britain needed to protect its new territory in North America and enforce the Proclamation of 1763. To do this, Parliament decided to keep a Standing Army of 10,000 British regulars in the colonies. To pay for and support this new army, Parliament passed the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Quartering Act. Americans opposed this army, believing it was a threat to their freedom.
Virtual Representation
Virtual Representation was a concept that argued American interests were represented in Parliament because the members represented all British subjects, regardless of whether they had directly voted for them. Americans rejected this concept because they were accustomed to democratic representation in their local and colonial governments.
Politics and Power — Groups
Committees of Correspondence
The Sons of Liberty and Colonial Legislatures used Committees of Correspondence to create an intercolonial communication network, share critical information, and coordinate opposition to British policies.
Committees of Safety
Committees of Safety were established by local and colonial legislatures to help gather goods, provisions, and military supplies for use by American Militia forces.
Daughters of Liberty
The Daughters of Liberty formed during the Stamp Act Crisis. After the Townshend Acts were passed, the Boston members supported the agreement by spinning wool and kitting wool into cloth. These gatherings were known as “Spinning Bees.” The clothing they made was called “Homespun.” They also refused to drink imported English tea and devised different concoctions of herbs to drink instead.
Loyal Nine
After news of the passage of the Stamp Act reached the colonies, a group of men in Boston came together. Their goal was to organize resistance to the Stamp Act, and they referred to themselves as the Loyal Nine. Prominent members were Benjamin Edes, the publisher and printer of the Boston Gazette, and Henry Bass, who was a cousin of Samuel Adams. The Loyal Nine are often viewed as the founders of the Sons of Liberty.
Sons of Liberty
The Sons of Liberty was a radical organization in Colonial America created to carry out public demonstrations against British policies that forced Americans to pay taxes without representation in Parliament. Many men associated with the group are considered Founding Fathers of the United States.
Politics and Power — Documents
Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved (1764)
James Otis of Massachusetts published Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved, objecting to the Sugar Act and Parliament’s encroachment on the rights of the colonies and the personal liberties of the colonists.
Rights of the Colonies Examined (1765)
Stephen Hopkins was the Governor of Rhode Island. After he returned from a trip to London in 1764, Hopkins wrote Rights of the Colonies Examined. It was published in 1765. Hopkins echoed many of the same sentiments as James Otis. Hopkins said, “British subjects are to be governed only agreeable to laws by which themselves have in some way consented.”
Virginia Stamp Act Resolves (1765)
On March 22, 1765, the Stamp Act received Royal Assent from King George III. News of the bill’s passage reached the colonies in April. At the next session of the House of Burgesses, a new member, Patrick Henry, delivered a fiery speech on May 29, 1765. In it, he presented a series of resolutions against the Stamp Act. The next day, the House of Burgesses adopted some of Henry’s resolutions and issued the Virginia Stamp Act Resolves. At least ten colonies followed in Virginia’s footsteps and issued Stamp Act Resolutions.
Declarations of the Stamp Act Congress (1765)
On October 19, 1765, the Stamp Act Congress passed the “Declaration of Rights and Grievances,” which claimed that American colonists were guaranteed the same rights as other British citizens, protested taxation without representation, and argued Parliament did not have the authority to levy taxes on the colonies.
Leedstown Resolves (1766)
The Leedstown Resolves — or Leedstown Resolutions — is a document that organized the Westmoreland Association for the purpose of resisting the Stamp Act and ensuring Virginians in Westmoreland County did not comply with the law. The document was written by Richard Henry Lee and signed at Leedstown, Virginia, on February 27, 1766. The Westmoreland Association is considered to be one of the first groups that were formally organized to resist British policies.
Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania (1767–1768)
Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania was a series of essays written by John Dickinson. They were published in colonial newspapers and became one of the most influential critiques of British taxation policies, particularly the Townshend Acts. Dickinson argued that Parliament could regulate colonial trade but had no right to tax the colonies without their consent.
Politics and Power — Laws and Treaties
Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts were a series of British laws passed in the 17th and 18th centuries to regulate colonial trade and ensure that most of it benefited the British Empire. These acts required that certain colonial goods could only be transported in British ships, that goods bound for the colonies had to pass through British ports, and that certain key exports (like tobacco and sugar) could only be sold to Britain. These measures were intended to maintain British economic dominance over the American colonies but also generated tension and resentment, ultimately contributing to colonial discontent that led to the American Revolution.
Molasses Act (1733)
The Molasses Act of 1733 was a piece of British legislation that imposed high import duties on molasses, rum, and sugar imported into the American colonies from non-British Caribbean sources, primarily the French West Indies. The act aimed to protect the sugar plantations in the British West Indies and generate revenue for the British Crown. However, it was widely evaded through smuggling and was deeply unpopular among colonial merchants, contributing to the rise of illicit trade and colonial opposition to British economic policies. However, the unwritten policy of Salutary Neglect contributed to lax enforcement of the law’s provisions. Also, see Molasses Act Text.
Writs of Assistance
Writs of Assistance were broad search warrants that allowed British customs officials to search property without a court order and force law enforcement officials to help them. In 1761, James Otis challenged the Writs in court, leading James Adams to say, “American Independence was then and there born.”
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War and the Seven Years’ War. France ceded nearly all its territory in North America to Britain and Spain, but it retained several small but valuable sugar islands in the West Indies and fishing stations in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. To compensate Spain for its losses during the war, the French ceded their territory in the Trans-Mississippi Louisiana Region, including New Orleans, to Spain. Great Britain emerged as the dominant power in North America and solidified its position as the leading naval power in the world.
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 reserved the lands west of the crest of the Appalachian Mountains for the native inhabitants and prohibited colonists from settling in the area.
Currency Act (1764)
Following the French and Indian War, the American economy struggled and suffered from a recession. When American merchants fell behind on paying their bills, British merchants started to demand they pay their debts in hard money — gold and silver coins, also known as specie — rather than colonial paper currency. Hard Money was a far more stable currency than paper money, which meant British merchants could use it for other transactions. To address this issue, Parliament passed the Currency Act, which prohibited the colonies from issuing paper currency. This made it even more challenging for colonists to settle their debts and pay taxes because Hard Money was scarce. Under the Mercantile System, most Hard Money was held by British merchants.
Sugar Act (1764)
The Sugar Act, or the American Revenue Act, was passed by Parliament on April 5, 1764. The goal of the act was to raise revenue for Britain to pay part of the cost of a standing army in North America. It is most famous for starting the controversy over Taxation Without Representation.
Stamp Act (1765)
The Stamp Act was passed by Parliament in 1765 to raise money from the 13 Original Colonies. It required printers and publishers to buy stamps and place them on many legal documents and printed materials in the American colonies, increasing the cry of “No Taxation Without Representation.”
Declaratory Act (1765)
The Declaratory Act was passed by Parliament on March 18, 1766, and asserted Parliament’s authority to pass laws governing the colonies, including taxation.
Quartering Act (1765)
The Quartering Act of 1765 required the colonies to provide provisions and lodging to British soldiers. In New York, it led to political opposition and violent protests that culminated in the Battle of Golden Hill in 1770, just a few weeks before the Boston Massacre.
Townshend Acts (1767–1768)
The Townshend Acts were a series of acts passed by the British Parliament in 1767 and 1768. Colonial resistance to the Acts led to Parliament sending troops to Boston in 1768. Less than two years later, Redcoats fired into an angry mob and killed colonists in the event known as the Boston Massacre.
Tea Act (1773)
The Tea Act addressed the rampant smuggling of tea into the colonies, primarily by the Dutch. Previously, tea imported from the East India Company had to pass through England, where duties were imposed, before reaching the colonies, resulting in higher prices. The Tea Act allowed the direct export of tea to the colonies from the East India Company without customs charges in England, making the tea cheaper for colonial consumers. The British government anticipated the reduced price of tea would encourage colonists to purchase legally imported tea — and implicitly acknowledge parliamentary authority by paying the last tax that remained from the Townshend Acts. Instead, Americans protested, leading to the Boston Tea Party.
Intolerable Acts (Coervice Acts)
The Intolerable Acts, also known as the Coercive Acts, were five laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774. These laws led the colonies to hold the First Continental Congress in September and October 1774. The five laws went into effect on the following dates:
- May 20, 1774 — Administration of Justice Act
- June 1, 1774 — Boston Port Act
- June 2, 1774 — Quartering Act of 1774
- July 1, 1774 — Massachusetts Government Act
- May 1, 1775 — Quebec Act
Geography and the Environment
The Fields
The Fields, also known as “The Commons,” was an open public area in colonial New York City where the Sons of Liberty held gatherings. A Liberty Pole was erected there, which led to an ongoing conflict between Patriots and British soldiers known as the “Battle of the Liberty Poles.”
Culture and Society
Liberty Trees and Liberty Poles
Liberty Trees and Liberty Poles were symbols of resistance against British rule in the American colonies during the lead-up to the American Revolution. The Boston Liberty Tree was a gathering place for the Sons of Liberty and other Patriots to organize protests against British policies. The Providence Liberty Tree served the same purpose in Rhode Island as did the New York Liberty Pole.
Unit 3 Topics and Key Concepts
Key Concepts
3.1 — British attempts to assert tighter control over its North American colonies and the colonial resolve to pursue self-government led to a colonial independence movement and the Revolutionary War.
3.2 — The American Revolution’s democratic and republican ideas inspired new experiments with different forms of government.
3.3 — Migration within North America and competition over resources, boundaries, and trade intensified conflicts among peoples and nations.
Topics
- 3.1 — Contextualizing Period 3
- 3.2 — The Seven Years’ War (The French and Indian War)
- 3.3 — Taxation Without Representation
- 3.4 — Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution
- 3.5 — The American Revolution
- 3.6 — The Influence of Revolutionary Ideals
- 3.7 — The Articles of Confederation
- 3.8 — The Constitutional Convention and Debates over Ratification
- 3.9 — The Constitution
- 3.10 — Shaping a New Republic
- 3.11 — Developing an American Identity
- 3.12 — Movement in the Early Republic
- 3.13 — Continuity and Change in Period 3
