Prelude to the American Revolutionary War

The French and Indian war was very costly for the British. The British refused help from the colonies because they didn't trust them among other reasons. However, the British felt that the colonies should pay the cost of the war. This resulted in hostilities between the Colonies and the Great Britain.

The Proclamation of 1763 prohibited Colonial expansion. It placed the Indians under the protection of the King. The colonies had to abandon all territory occupied by the Indians. It added four new colonies: Quebec, East & West Florida and Granada. It declared that the defense of the colonies should be paid for by the colonies.

In 1764, the Currency Act was passed. The value of Colonial notes and bills was very unstable. To resolve this problem, the Currency Act was passed by Parliament. The British also took over jurisdiction for smuggling cases.

Also in 1764, the Sugar and Molasses Act was passed. It hurt the Rum industry in the colonies. It reduced and hindered the colonies trade with the French West Indies and other destinations for our exports.

In 1765, the Stamp Act was passed. The colonies were required to use British paper with an embossed stamp on it. Colonial delegates went to Great Britain to protest taxation without representation. Protests and demonstrations were started by the Sons of Liberty. In Boston. Effigies were hung from a tree known as the Liberty tree. Pennsylvania declared the act unconstitutional. Public meetings protesting the act were staged throughout the colonies. The act was repealed in 1766.

In 1766, the Boston Massacre took place. The clash between soldiers and civilians led to the death of five civilians.

The Townshend Act of 1767 placed more taxes on the Colonies and imposed new trade regulations. This act raised tensions and led to the British occupation of Boston in 1768.

In 1768, the Liberty song was written by John Dickenson.

In 1770, The Battle of Bunker Hill involved the revolt of the townsfolk after a liberty tree was cut down.

The purpose of the Tea Act was to save the East India Company.The tea would be sold at very low prices hurting the Colonial merchants. The colonies would not accept the tea. The Governor refused to send the tea back. This culminated in the Boston Tea Party wherein the tea was tossed overboard.

Great Britain responded with the Intolerable Act of 1774. The Intolerable Act of 1774 closed the Boston harbor, annulled the Charter of Massachusetts, and lowered the amount of compensation for quartering soldiers. The Intolerable Acts included the Boston Port Act, the Administration of Justice Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, the Quartering Act and the Quebec Act.

The Quebec Act transferred land ownership between the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to Quebec.

The Administration of Justice Act was used to suppress riots in Massachusetts Bay.

The Massachusetts Government Act regulated local Massachusetts Bay government.

The Quartering Act allowed British soldiers to be quartered in Colonial homes, villages, etc.

The Boston Port Act closed the port of Boston. These acts help unite the colonies.

In 1774, Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me liberty or give me death speech."

The First Continental Congress considered stopping all trade with Great Britain. They passed the Declarations and Resolves of the First Continental Congress which declared the colonies citizens of Great Britain and demanded all rights of British citizens. George Washington was named Commander of the Colonial Army. The Massachusetts Government Act regulated the Massachusetts Bay Government. Town meetings were prohibited.

In 1775, Massachusetts created a revolutionary government and mobilized troops that defeated the British attempt to capture Hancock and Adams along with the supplies in Concord. The supplies were destroyed. This battle was the first battle of the Revolutionary War.

The Declaratory Act of 1776 declared the colonies to be subordinate to Great Britain. Many of the Colony Acts were declared void. Thomas Pain published the book "Common Sense." The Declaration of Independence was written and published.