American Revolutionary History

A tax on sugar, coffee, and molasses paid upon entry into the colonies. This was an indirect tax as the tax was included in the price of the goods.

Groups of colonial women who boycotted British goods, particularly tea and clothing, in protest against British policies.

A series of laws passed by the British Parliament to punish Boston for the Boston Tea Party, also known as the Intolerable Acts in the colonies.

The first meeting of colonial delegates from all 13 colonies (except Georgia) in Philadelphia in 1774, to discuss the Intolerable Acts and assert colonial rights.

A method used by angry protesters to publicly punish individuals who supported British taxes, involving coating the victim in tar and feathers.

A tax imposed on imported goods containing sugar, aimed at raising funds for England after the French and Indian War.

The colonists' opposition to the Sugar Act, arguing that they were being taxed without having any representatives in the British Parliament to voice their concerns.

A direct tax levied on various paper materials, including legal documents, playing cards, and newspapers, requiring a stamp to signify payment.

A group formed in response to the Stamp Act, advocating for direct action against British policies and engaging in protests and vandalism.

The colonists' refusal to purchase British goods as a form of protest against the Stamp Act, aiming to economically pressure Britain.

Assemblies established by colonial governments to send formal complaints and resolutions to the British Parliament, expressing their opposition to the Stamp Act.

Actions taken by the colonists to express their disapproval of the Stamp Act, including protests, riots, and the destruction of property.

A meeting of representatives from nine of the thirteen colonies, formed to discuss and oppose the Stamp Act, demonstrating a growing sense of colonial unity.

The Proclamation of 1763 was a law issued by the King that required colonists to stay east of a line along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains. This was intended to prevent further conflict with Native American tribes.

The colonists objected to the Proclamation of 1763 because they believed they had the right to settle in the western territories. They felt it was unfair to be restricted from expanding westward.

The Quartering Act required colonists to provide housing and food for British soldiers stationed in the colonies. Colonists resented this as an imposition on their rights and a symbol of British control.

Patrick Henry was a young politician who delivered a series of resolutions to the Virginia House of Burgesses. These resolutions argued that colonists had the right to tax themselves and that the British Parliament had no right to impose taxes on them without their consent. His passionate speech contributed to the growing opposition to the Stamp Act.

The Townshend Acts were passed in 1767 to impose duties on imports such as tea, glass, paper, lead, and paint. These taxes were designed to raise revenue to pay the salaries of colonial officials and to help reduce Britain's debt.

Writs of assistance were search warrants that allowed British officials to search colonial homes and businesses for smuggled goods. Colonists strongly opposed these writs, seeing them as a violation of their rights to privacy and property.

A series of British laws imposed on the American colonies, aiming to increase British revenue and assert parliamentary authority. It included taxes on goods like glass, paper, lead, paint, and tea.

An act passed by the British Parliament in 1766 that declared Parliament's right to make laws for the colonies in all cases whatsoever. This was meant to reassert parliamentary authority after the repeal of the Stamp Act.

A response to the Boston Tea Party, a series of acts passed by the British Parliament to punish the colonists for their disobedience. These acts included closing the port of Boston until the tea was paid for, suspending the colonial government, and forcing colonists to quarter British soldiers.

A riot that took place on March 5, 1770, where British soldiers fired upon a crowd of colonists in Boston, killing five people. This event further intensified tensions between the colonists and British authorities.

A protest by colonists in Boston where they dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor. This act was a response to the Tea Act, which was seen as a monopoly granted by the British government to the East India Company.

Colonist groups that organized secret meetings and correspondence networks to discuss ways to challenge British laws. They played a pivotal role in uniting colonist resistance.

An act passed by the British Parliament in 1773 that granted the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies. It was an attempt to bail out the East India Company and provide colonists with cheaper tea but backfired.

This was a direct tax imposed by the British Parliament on the American colonies requiring colonists to pay a tax on all printed materials like legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards.

A response to the Townshend Acts, colonists boycotted British goods, especially taxed goods, in protest of British policies. They also boycotted British goods.

The colonists viewed this statement as an attempt by Parliament to control their lives and impose laws without their consent. They were unhappy about being told they were subordinate to the British Parliament.

This act caused significant financial loss for British exporters as colonists refused to buy their goods. It highlighted the power of colonial boycotts in influencing British policy.

The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies, held in Philadelphia in 1774 to plan a response to the Intolerable Acts. They passed resolutions demanding the repeal of the Intolerable Acts, a boycott of British goods, and organized a continental association to enforce the boycott.

An act that required the colonists to provide housing, food, supplies, and transportation for British soldiers stationed in the colonies. This was seen as a burden and further fueled resentment against British rule.

This policy meant imposing taxes on goods that colonists were already buying. It was a means to collect revenue from the colonies without directly taxing them. It was not as directly felt as a stamp tax, but still angered the colonists.