HISTORY 89S Chapter Notes - Chapter All: Boston Port Act, Stamp Act Congress, Massachusetts Government Act
17 May 2018
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History 98S
January 21, 2015 – Reading Notes
Wikipedia: American Revolution
Background Information/Summary
− 1765-1783: American colonies rejected the British monarchy and aristocracy, resulting in the
American Revolution
− Rejected British tax on them
o Protests included the Boston Tea Party (1773)
− Great Britain responded with Coercive Acts aka the Intolerable Acts (1774)(directed towards
Massachusetts) – series of acts that took away Massachusetts self-government and natural rights
o Quartering Act: colonists were forced to house troops
o Administration of Justice Act: British soldiers/officials were to be tried in Britain rather
than in the colonies
▪ Trials in Great Britain were in favor of the soldiers and allowed them to escape
justice
o Boston Port Act: Port of Boston would be closed until the tea dumped during the Boston
Tea Party was repaid
o Massachusetts Government Act: almost all positions in the colonial government were to be
appointed by the governor, parliament, or king
o Acts were seen as a violation of their constitutional rights and natural rights
− 1775-1783: Patriots vs. British & loyalists
− Patriots formed the Provincial Congress which replaced the British local governments
− Second Continental Congress coordinated resistance to the British and King George III
− July 1776: SCC declared colonies to be free and independent states
− 1777: Articles of Confederation
− 1783: peace treaty which officially determined all territory east of the Mississippi River and south
of the Great Lakes to be separated from the British Empire
− Debate whether to implement a strong central government or strong state government
o Decided on a strong central government
o Scrapped the Articles of Confederation and created the US Constitution in 1788
▪ Strong elected president, national courts, and a bicameral legislation
o Congress could tax
− US Bill of Rights (1791): first ten amendments of the Constitution
o Guarantees natural rights
1764-1766: Taxed Imposed and Withdrawn
− Prime minister Grenville proposed the use of direct taxes to raise revenue on the colonies
− Stamp Act: direct taxes on documents, newspapers, etc.
− Colonists argued that they needed representation in Parliament
− 1765: Sons of Liberty: petitions and violence opposing taxation
− October 1765: Stamp Act Congress in New York drafts Declaration of Rights and Grievances
o Taxes passed with representation violated their rights
− Boycotted British merchandise
− British argued for virtual representation
− Benjamin Franklin argued that taxes to pay for the wars (French and Indian Wars) were unjust
because the colonists had already spent manpower and resources to help out
− 1766: Repeal of the Stamp Act but Declaratory Act is implemented
o British parliament can make laws for the colonists
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
1765-1783: american colonies rejected the british monarchy and aristocracy, resulting in the. Rejected british tax on them: protests included the boston tea party (1773) Great britain responded with coercive acts aka the intolerable acts (1774)(directed towards. Tea party was repaid: massachusetts government act: almost all positions in the colonial government were to be appointed by the governor, parliament, or king, acts were seen as a violation of their constitutional rights and natural rights. Patriots formed the provincial congress which replaced the british local governments. Second continental congress coordinated resistance to the british and king george iii. 1783: peace treaty which officially determined all territory east of the mississippi river and south. July 1776: scc declared colonies to be free and independent states of the great lakes to be separated from the british empire. Us bill of rights (1791): first ten amendments of the constitution: congress could tax, guarantees (cid:498)natural rights(cid:499)
