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Timeline of Events leading up to the

American RevolutionBy: Nick Richter

Navigation Acts1650-1700s

The Navigation Acts let British officers seize any goods from smugglers without going to court

These Acts said that you could only import or export goods on British ships.

It set up Vice Admiralty Courts where you were guilty until proven innocent

Part of the Navigation Acts was the Sugar Act where Britain lowered the tax on molasses to reduce smuggling

Navigation ActsContinued

The colonist believed that their rights as Englishmen were being violated because they were being taxed unfairly.

Some colonists still smuggled even, in some cases, when it was cheaper to obey the law.

Proclamation of 1763

The Proclamation of 1763 stopped westward expansion of the English colonies with the Appalachian Mountains as the boundary.

The British did this so they could control the fur trade and to protect colonists from Native American attacks.

The colonist did not like this because some had already bought land on the other side of the line and the British ignored their claims to this land.

Stamp Act1765

This Act placed a tax on all printed matter.

In response, Sam Adams forms the Boston Sons of Liberty to protest.

The Virginia House of Burgesses wrote a resolution against the Stamp Act.

Also, the stamp Act Congress was formed, and they drafted a petition that urged merchants to boycott British goods.

Sons of LibertyFormed in 1765

The Sons of Liberty were formed to protest the Stamp Act.

After the Stamp Act they also protested other Acts.

In 1773 they disguised themselves as Mohawk Native Americans, and dumped 342 crates of British tea into Boston Harbor.

Declaratory Act1765

This Act stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions for the British colonies in North America.

Quartering Act1765

This Act required the colonist to house and feed British troops.

The colonists did not like this because while the soldiers lived in their houses, they ate their food, and looked for illegal activity at the same time.

Townshend Acts1767

The Townshend Acts taxed only imported goods like glass, tea, paper, and lead.

These were things the colonists used on a daily basis but could not make themselves.

The colonists responded by boycotting British goods.

Women organized groups like the Daughters of Liberty to make the goods that were being boycotted.

Boston MassacreMarch 5, 1770

A fight broke out between a number of un-employed Bostonians and British soldiers.

The Redcoats opened fire on the townspeople and killed 5.

The colonists responded by reviving the Committee of Correspondence

Colonial leaders used this event as propaganda.

Tea Act1773

This allowed the East India Company a tax reduction on tea, and allowed them to sell directly to local store owners bypassing local merchants.

This made the colonist very mad.

In most of the colonial cities the citizens refused to let the tea even be unloaded.

Boston Tea PartyDecember 16, 1773

3 tea ships arrived in Boston Harbor.

Colonists refused to unload tea so the ships sat there for weeks.

The Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Mohawks and dumped 342 chests of English tea into Boston Harbor.

The colonists responded by celebrating the bravery of the Sons of Liberty.

Coercive Acts1774

These Acts were intended to punish the citizens of Massachusetts.

They closed Boston Harbor until the people paid for the ruined tea, and it banned town meetings.

In response, other colonies sent food to Massachusetts to show their support.