1. The Stamp Act (1765):
- The Stamp Act imposed a tax on printed materials, including newspapers, legal documents, and playing cards.
- It required these materials to be stamped with a physical stamp, which had to be purchased from British officials.
- The act caused widespread outrage and resistance among colonists, who viewed it as a form of taxation without representation since they had no representation in the British Parliament that passed the law.
2. The Townshend Acts (1767):
- The Townshend Acts introduced new taxes on various imported goods, including glass, paper, lead, paint, and tea.
- These acts also allowed British officials to use writs of assistance to search homes and businesses for smuggled goods without a proper warrant.
- The Townshend Acts further escalated tensions between the British government and the colonies.
3. The Boston Massacre (1770):
- The Boston Massacre occurred when British soldiers fired upon a crowd of protesting colonists, killing five.
- The event heightened anger and resentment among the colonists and was used as propaganda against the British government.
4. The Tea Act (1773):
- The Tea Act granted a monopoly on the sale of tea to the British East India Company, giving them an unfair advantage over colonial merchants.
- This act led to the famous Boston Tea Party in December 1773, where colonists disguised as Native Americans dumped a shipment of tea into the harbor in protest.
5. The Intolerable Acts (1774):
- The Intolerable Acts were a series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party.
- These acts included closing the port of Boston until compensation for the tea was paid, altering the charter of the Massachusetts colony to reduce self-governance, and providing immunity to British officials involved in enforcing these acts.
- The Intolerable Acts further radicalized the colonists and contributed to the growing movement for independence.