During the early years of settlement,

England ignored its colonies.

Under the Navigation Acts, the colonists

could trade only with England.

Colonists resented England’s control of

the colonies because they were used to

being left alone.

Sketch of Baltimore Harbor, 1752

The first meeting of the Virginia Assembly

Colony founders knew they must

guarantee rights and good government if

they were going to attract colonists.

Virginia colonists created the House of

Burgesses which was the first

representative assembly in the Americas.

By 1750 each of the 13 colonies had an

elected assembly.

North American land claims, 1753

Britain and France were intense rivals in

the struggle for North America.

In the 1750s the center of colonial

conflict was the Ohio River Valley.

British officer George Washington was

sent to build a fort on the river but was

defeated by the French before he could.

Native Americans became French allies

because it appeared the French would win

the war.

Taking of Quebec by English forces during

the French and Indian War

The French and Indian war went badly

for the British colonies until Captain

James Wolfe took Quebec in 1759.

The British finally won three years later.

North American land claims, 1763

Great Britain became the most powerful

nation in the world.

The enlarged empire meant conflicts with

Native Americans in the Ohio River Valley.

To avoid problems, Britain issued the

Proclamation of 1763 which did not allow

colonists to cross the Appalachian

Mountains.

Colonist were infuriated because they

did not like being told where they could

and could not go.

King George III

In order to enforce the Proclamation of

1763 and keep peace with Native

Americans, a permanent British army was

stationed in America.

British officials expected colonists to

help pay for their defense.

The colonists did not like the presence of

the army, nor having to pay for the troops’

support.

The Boston Massacre

Explanation

A rioting mob confronted

British soldiers at the

Boston Customs House

Tensions rose and shots

were fired into the crowd,

killing five colonistsReaction/ Result

Sam Adams used the

opportunity to whip up anti-

British feeling by calling the

event a “massacre”

Two soldiers were found

guilty of manslaughter, six

were found not guilty

Tea Act (1773)

Explanation

Tea merchants in the

colonies were cut out of

the tea trade because

the British East India

Company lowered their

tea prices.

The company

monopolized, or

controlled, tea sales in

the colonies. Reaction/ Result

Boston Tea Party

British East India Company

Boston Tea Party

Explanation

On December 16,

1773, the Sons of

Liberty dumped 90,000

pounds of tea into

Boston Harbor.

Reaction/ Result

Intolerable Acts

and how they correspond to the

“new” school policies

The French and Indian War

Explanation

Britain needed money

to finance war with

France.

Reaction/ Result

Britain imposed taxes

on the colonists to pay

for the war.

school financial concerns

Proclamation of 1763

Explanation

Britain wanted to avoid

conflict with Native

Americans, so Colonists

were forbidden to cross

Appalachian Mountains.

British Army stationed

in the coloniesReaction/ Result

Colonists were

angered because of

British presence and

being told what to do

Student-free zones

Sugar Act (1764)

Explanation

Tax on sugar and

molasses

Reaction/ Result

Did not affect many,

but the idea of taxes a

growing issue

Chips and Candy Tax

Stamp Act (1765)

Explanation

Tax on legal

documents, newspapers,

wills, and basically every

piece of paper used

Reaction/ Result

Stamp Act Congress

formed to organize

boycott

Eventually repealed

official stamped papers for grades

Writs of Assistance

Explanation

Customs officers

could search ships at

will

Reaction/ Result

Few colonists

affected, but merchants

felt this was an invasion

of privacy

search belongings

Townshend Acts (1767)

Explanation

Tax on various

household items such as

paper, glass, lead, silk,

and tea

Reaction/ Result

Colonists boycott

through the non-

importation agreement

Eventually repealed

lunch price increased

Quartering Act (1765)

Explanation

Colonists had to

provide food,

housing, blankets,

candles, etc. for the

British soldiers

Reaction/ Result

This was hated, but

little could be done

teacher home visits

Intolerable Acts

Explanation

Colonists could not

hold town meetings

Port of Boston closed

Customs officials

tried in Britain

Reaction/ Result

First Continental

Congress meets

Individual colonies

began to unify

no discussion of policies

“No taxation without representation!”

Explanation

Colonists had no

representatives to speak

for them in Parliament

Reaction/ Result

Colonists resented

not having a say in their

own affairs

Became a rallying cry

do not call with a complaint

Chronology of Events

French and Indian War- 1754-1763

Proclamation of 1763- 1763

Sugar Act- 1764

Stamp Act- 1765

Writs of Assistance- 1767

Chronology of Events

Townshend Acts- 1767

Quartering Act- 1770

Boston Massacre- 1770

Tea Act/ Boston Tea Party- 1773

Intolerable Acts- 1774