English Influenece - Acts and Bills

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in the area besides Indians which they had always protected themselves against in the past.

The stamp act was significant because it united all colonists with the common resentment of the British government. It lead to the creation of the group “Sons of Liberty” which was an important part in the revolutionary war. It also made colonists think of themselves as American and not British for the first time.

Quartering Act

This was an act that forced local colonist governments to give housing and food accommodations to any british soldiers in that area. It was originally meant to accommodate the French and Indian war.

The effect this had was that it made the colonists very angry. It was probably a major part in the third amendment of the bill of rights about not having to quarter soldiers in your own home.

Declaratory Act

This was an act of the british parliament which accompanied the repeal of the Stamp Act and the lessening of the Sugar Act. They repealed these acted because boycotts were hurting their trade. They used the declaration to make them look better so they wouldn’t look like they were giving into the colonists wants. It stated that the British government was as powerful in America as it was in Britain and they were allowed to pass acts whenever they wanted to.

This of course made the colonists even more angry than they already were. The Declaratory act would lead the British to pass the Tea Tax which lead to the Boston Tea Party which was a major event leading up to the Revolutionary War.

Townshend Acts

The Townshend Acts were six acts which purpose were to raise money to pay local governors and judges so they would remain loyal to Britain, to make sure everyone was following the trading laws and regulations, to punish New York for disobeying the Quartering Act, and to say again that the British had the right to tax America.

This lead to great resistance by the colonists which then lead to the occupying of Boston of British troops. The occupation lead to the Boston Massacre. This lead the Parliament to reconsider some of their taxes and they repealed all but the tea tax.

Tea Act

This was an act saying that the British East India Company was free to import and export tea to America without tax. This would make the Tea the cheapest in America making the financially challenged company gain lots of profit because all of the colonists would want to buy the cheapest tea.

This lead to the colonists being so angry they wouldn’t let the ships containing the untaxed tea land, and in Boston Lead to the Boston Tea Party. They later passed the Taxation of the Colonies Act which repealed the Tea Tax.

Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was a political protest against the Tea Act. It consisted of colonists throwing a whole shipment of East India Company’s tea over the ship and into the Boston Harbor.

This was one of the key events that lead to the revolutionary war. They objected the Tea Act because it was unfair in their eyes “Taxation without representation”. In other words they didn’t feel it was fair that the British Parliament was taxing them when they didn’t even represent them.

Coercive Acts/ Intolerable Acts

The Intolerable Acts were acts put in place by the british parliament to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. The acts took away many of the rights of Massachusetts. This scared a lot of the colonists.

Colonists were so outraged by these Acts that they organized the First Continental Congress to organize protest. This lead to the start of the Revolutionary War.

Timeline #4 The making of a Country

1st Continental Congress

It was a meeting of Delegates from 12 of the 13 Colonies. It was made in order to decide what to do about the Intolerable Acts. The ultimate goal was to develop a solution and make peace with Great Britain.

The significance of this event was that it was the first step in the Revolutionary War and to becoming their own country, with a new system of government.

Lexington and Concord

These were the first battles of the Revolutionary War. On one side there was the British and on the other there were the American Colonists. The british went to the town to take away the colonists weapons and arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams. In Lexington it was 700 British v. 70 American. 8 minutemen died and 10 were injured. only 1 british soldier was shot. On the British way to Concord they were ambushed by 400 minutemen and lost 250 soldiers. only 90 Americans died.

It was significant because it was the first step of warfare between the two. The battle of concord gave the colonists hope because it was the first time that the british had backed away from a fight.

Revolutionary War

The revolutionary war was fought between Britain and America. It took place from 1775 to 1783. America Defeated Britain.

This is important because it meant that Britain was no longer in charge of America and they had there own free government.

2nd Continental Congress

This was a meeting that originally had 12 out of 13 of the colonies delegates but in the end Georgia decided to commit and sent their delegate making it 13/13. It managed the war effort and moved towards independence making the declaration of independence.

Thomas Paine Common Sense

It was a pamphlet written in words that common people would understand. It talked about why we should go to war to gain our independence and was the most widely circulated book in all of American history.

It persuaded the common people to join the cause of independence. That was important because if you can get the common people on your side you have enough people for an army.

Declaration of Independence

It was an important document in American history because it stated that the Colonies were no longer under British rule and were now their own nation.

It was very important because it meant that the colonies were separate from Britain and Britain had no power over them whatsoever now.

Massachusetts Constitution

It is a document of