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Issues Behind the Revolutionary War. British Policies. Policy of salutary neglect originally allowed colonies some econ. freedom But, Brit. began to prevent colonies from manufacturing goods b/c it wanted profits from selling goods to colonies. Heavy Taxation.
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British Policies • Policy of salutary neglect originally allowed colonies some econ. freedom • But, Brit. began to prevent colonies from manufacturing goods b/c it wanted profits from selling goods to colonies
Heavy Taxation • 1763-colonists most heavily taxed ppl in world • Sugar Act (1764)- cut duty on foreign molasses in half, hoping that this would encourage Amers to buy more and thus pay more Brit taxes • Many rules to ensure compliance: • Ship owners seized if didn’t pay duties • Brit navy patrolled coast to prevent smuggling • Smuggling cases tried in Britain rather than colonial courts
More Acts • Quartering Act (early 1765)- required colonies to provide housing and supplies for Brit. Troops that remained in Amer. after Fr and Ind War • Stamp Act (March 1765)- placed tax on newspapers, pamphlets, legal docs, most other printed materials • 1st time Brit govt taxed colonists for sole purpose of raising money
“No taxation without representation” • Said colonists deserved same rights and liberties as Brit subjects in Brit • Sons of Liberty tarred and feathered tax collectors • Nov. 1765, when Stamp Act to take effect, most distributors had already fled or resigned • Brit. PM Grenville forced from office and Parl repealed Stamp Act
More taxes w/o rep. • 1767- Townsend Acts- import taxes on lead, paper, tea, paint, glass • Colonists boycotted it
Boston Massacre • To put down violent resistance to act, Brit sent troops to Boston • Boston Massacre- March 5, 1770- unruly crowd threatened Brit soldiers • Soldiers opened fire on crowd, 5 people left dead or dying in snow • Soon after Massacre Townsend Acts cancelled
Boston Tea Party • May 1773- Parl passed the Tea Act- gave British East India Company the right to sell its tea in America w/o paying normal taxes • Drove American tea merchants out of business • Boston Tea Party- group of colonists disguised as Inds boarded 3 tea ships in Boston and broke open every crate on board and threw tea into the harbor
First Continental Congress • 1774- to punish colonists, Brit passed Coercive Acts, called Intolerable Acts by colonists • Closed Boston Harbor until Boston paid for tea destroyed by Boston tea party • As a result, colonists formed the First Continental Congress to plan united response • Meeting of 56 delegates from every colony except GA • Renewed boycott • Called on ppl of all colonies to arm themselves and form militias • Made direct appeal to King about grievances