2.1 British Colonial Policies and American Resistance

British colonial policies in America sparked resistance and rebellion. The Navigation Acts, Sugar Act, and Townshend Acts aimed to control trade and raise revenue, but colonists resented these measures. Boycotts, protests, and events like the Boston Tea Party showed growing colonial defiance.

The Proclamation of 1763 and Intolerable Acts further strained relations. Colonists organized resistance through Committees of Correspondence and the First Continental Congress. These efforts united the colonies and laid the groundwork for the American Revolution.

British Colonial Trade Policies

Navigation Acts and Sugar Act

Top images from around the web for Navigation Acts and Sugar Act

• 

  Sugar plantations in the Caribbean - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  wikihistoria - Sugar Act View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Consumption and Trade in the British Atlantic | US History I (AY Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Sugar plantations in the Caribbean - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  wikihistoria - Sugar Act View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Navigation Acts and Sugar Act

• 

  Sugar plantations in the Caribbean - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  wikihistoria - Sugar Act View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Consumption and Trade in the British Atlantic | US History I (AY Collection) View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Sugar plantations in the Caribbean - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  wikihistoria - Sugar Act View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Navigation Acts regulated colonial trade funneling economic benefits to Britain
  • Required colonial goods to be shipped on British vessels
  • Mandated certain colonial products be sold exclusively to Britain
  • Imposed duties on goods not transported through Britain
• Sugar Act of 1764 imposed new taxes on sugar and other imports
  • Reduced tax on molasses but increased enforcement
  • Expanded list of taxable items (textiles, coffee, wine)
  • Created new admiralty courts to prosecute smugglers
• Both acts aimed to tighten British control over colonial commerce
  • Restricted colonial trade with other nations
  • Generated revenue for the British treasury
  • Led to increased smuggling and colonial resentment

Townshend Acts and Boston Tea Party

• Townshend Acts of 1767 placed new taxes on British goods imported to colonies
  • Taxed items included glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea
  • Established Board of Customs Commissioners to enforce trade laws
  • Allowed writs of assistance for searching colonial properties
• Colonial resistance to Townshend Acts grew rapidly
  • Boycotts of British goods organized by colonial merchants
  • Protests and riots erupted in major colonial cities (Boston, New York)
• Boston Tea Party occurred in 1773 as a response to Tea Act
  • Colonists dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor
  • Protested British East India Company's monopoly on tea trade
  • Demonstrated colonial willingness to take direct action against British policies

British Territorial Policies

Proclamation of 1763 and Its Impact

• Proclamation of 1763 issued by King George III after French and Indian War
  • Prohibited colonial settlement west of Appalachian Mountains
  • Aimed to prevent conflicts between colonists and Native Americans
  • Required colonists to abandon settlements beyond the proclamation line
• Colonists viewed proclamation as infringement on their rights
  • Restricted westward expansion and land speculation opportunities
  • Ignored colonial claims to western territories
  • Fueled resentment towards British control over colonial affairs

Intolerable Acts and Colonial Response

• Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts) passed by British Parliament in 1774
  • Punitive measures against Massachusetts following Boston Tea Party
  • Closed Boston Harbor until tea was paid for and order restored
  • Restricted Massachusetts' self-governance and judicial system
  • Expanded Quartering Act to force colonists to house British soldiers
• Colonial reaction to Intolerable Acts was swift and widespread
  • Other colonies provided supplies and support to Boston
  • Accelerated formation of Committees of Correspondence
  • Prompted calling of the First Continental Congress
• Acts united colonies in opposition to British rule
  • Increased calls for colonial rights and representation
  • Strengthened arguments for independence among some colonists

Colonial Resistance Efforts

Stamp Act and Colonial Opposition

• Stamp Act of 1765 required colonists to pay tax on printed materials
  • Applied to legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards
  • First direct tax on colonists imposed by British Parliament
  • Sparked widespread protests and boycotts throughout colonies
• Colonial resistance to Stamp Act took various forms
  • Formation of Sons of Liberty to organize protests (Samuel Adams)
  • Stamp Act Congress convened to coordinate colonial response
  • Violence against stamp distributors and British officials
• Stamp Act repealed in 1766 due to colonial pressure
  • Demonstrated effectiveness of unified colonial resistance
  • Encouraged future opposition to British taxation without representation

Committees of Correspondence and Political Organization

• Committees of Correspondence formed to share information between colonies
  • Established communication networks for colonial grievances
  • Coordinated resistance efforts across different regions
  • First organized by Samuel Adams in Massachusetts (1772)
• Committees played crucial role in building colonial unity
  • Disseminated news and propaganda against British policies
  • Organized boycotts of British goods
  • Mobilized public opinion in favor of colonial rights
• Laid groundwork for future revolutionary organizations
  • Evolved into more formal provincial congresses
  • Provided structure for coordinating military preparations

First Continental Congress and Colonial Unity

• First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia (September 1774)
  • Delegates from 12 colonies attended (Georgia abstained)
  • Sought to address British policies and colonial grievances
  • Lasted from September 5 to October 26, 1774
• Congress produced several important documents and decisions
  • Declaration and Resolves outlined colonial rights and grievances
  • Continental Association created colony-wide boycott of British goods
  • Petition to King George III requested redress of colonial complaints
• Significance of First Continental Congress
  • Demonstrated growing unity among colonies
  • Established precedent for future continental governance
  • Set stage for more radical actions leading to American Revolution