British passed taxes after the French and Indian War to pay debts, upsetting colonists who were not represented in Parliament. A series of acts imposed taxes like the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, leading colonists to protest and acts of resistance like the Boston Tea Party. In response, Britain passed the Intolerable Acts punishing Boston and increasing tensions that pushed the colonies towards revolution.

1. BRITISH LEGISLATION
AND ITS EFFECTS

2. 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.

3. British Legislation
• These taxes upset the colonists
because they were not represented in
the British Parliament.
• Colonist’s belief was:
“No Taxation Without
Representation”

4. Sugar Act- 1764
• Placed duties (taxes) on imported
sugar and molasses.
• Colonists began to smuggle these
products into the colonies.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Boston Massacre- 1770
• British soldiers fired into a crowd of
citizens.
• Used as propaganda against the
British.

9. Tea Act- 1773
• Gave the British East India Company
permission to sell tea directly to the
colonies.
• It was supposed to make tea cheaper.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. Coercive/Intolerable Acts 1774
• Quartering Act- Colonists had to
quarter (house) British soldiers at their
own expense.

13. Effects of British Legislation
• Caused problems between the
colonists and the British government.