British Colonies

Essay By 1763, American colonies were becoming more and more separated from Britain. In 1763-1776 these British imperial policies led to more colonial anger and hatred of British rule. In these 13 years the British enforced new taxes and set up many disliked restrictions on colonial life. All of these changes led the colonies to establishing new principles and later declaring to be separated from England. The British started enforcing taxes in 1763 that did not please the colonies too well. The British thought the colonies should pay an increased tax since they needed money to pay off debts from the French and Indian War. In 1764 the Sugar Act was passed, it taxed sugar and molasses. In 1765 the Stamp Act was passed, it put a tax on all papered goods. The colonists were angry by the taxes and they formed the Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty and British tax collectors were tarred and feathered. The colonists refused to trade or buy British goods until the Stamp Act was repealed. In 1765-1766 the Sons of Liberty led over 40 protests up and down the colonial coastline. They were successful in forcing the British to repeal the Stamp Act. In 1767, a new act was passed called the Townshend Acts which put a tax on paper, paint, lead, glass and tea. In 1766, the Declaratory Act was passed and it declared that Parliament had the power to tax the colonies both internally and externally and had absolute power over the colonial legislatures. In 1773, there was a huge rebellion when the Tea Act came to be, even though this act made tea cheaper than before. The Sons of Liberty protested against the Tea Act by dumping 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. All in all, the enforcement of new taxes on the colonies by the British led to more anger towards England. In addition, the British began establishing disliked restrictions on colonial life. Pontiac’s Rebellion led the British to pass the Proclamation of 1763, which made it illegal for colonists to go in the Northwest Territory. The British also established the Quartering Act in 1763, which sent British soldiers to colonies and colonists were to house and feed British soldiers. This was considered as an invasion of privacy to many of the colonists. The Writs of Assistance unrestricted British search warrants to stop colonial smuggling. Later on the Coercive Acts closed the port of Boston from colonial trade and placed Massachusetts under martial law until colonists paid for the tea. The colonists referred to these as the “Intolerable Acts.” The Quebec Act established Roman Catholicism and Quebec in the Ohio River Valley. In general, the British made restrictions on colonial life that were hated by lots. Dissatisfaction with British powers in Boston began the Boston Massacre in 1770. 5 colonists were killed, including Crispus Attucks. The Tea Act encouraged the Boston Tea Party. The Bostonians dressed as Indians and dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. The British dismissed the colonist’s order of “no taxation without representation” because they claimed that the colonists had virtual representation. Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense which was a 50 page pamphlet that convinced many Americans that King George was a tyrant and declaring independence from Great Britain was the only choice. The Second Continental Congress wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Basically, taxes and restraints on freedom led to American’s wish for “no taxation without representation” and protection of freedom. In conclusion, British imperial policies from 1763 to 1776 led to an increase in colonial anger and need for a better government. Clearly, British policies played a huge part in the colonial resistance to British power and growth of republican values in support of liberty and freedom.