Vocabulary
colonists in America who were loyal to Great Britain
Loyalists
a tax imposed on businesses, rather than directly on consumers
indirect tax
artisans, shopkeepers, and small-time merchants who opposed the Stamp Act and considered themselves British patriots
Sons of Liberty
a letter penned by Son of Liberty Samuel Adams that laid out the unconstitutionality of taxation without representation and encouraged the other colonies to boycott British goods
Massachusetts Circular
colonial extralegal shadow governments that convened to coordinate plans of resistance against the British
Committees of Correspondence
a tax that consumers pay directly, rather than through merchants’ higher prices
direct tax
Which of the following was a cause of the British National Debt in 1763?
A. drought in Great Britain
B. the French and Indian War
C. the continued British military presence in the American colonies
D. both B and C
both B and C
Which of the following was not a goal of the Stamp Act?
A. to gain control over the colonists
B. to raise revenue for British troops stationed in the colonies
C. to raise revenue to pay off British debt from the French and Indian War
D. to declare null and void any laws the colonies had passed to govern and tax themselves
D. to declare null and void any laws the colonies had passed to govern and tax themselves
Which of the following was not one of the goals of the Townshend Acts?
A. higher taxes
B. greater colonial unity
C. greater British control over the colonies
D. reduced power of the colonial governments
B. greater colonial unity
Which of the following is true of the Gaspée affair?
A. Colonists believed that the British response represented an overreach of power.
B. It was the first time colonists attacked a revenue ship.
C. It was the occasion of the first official death in the war for independence.
D. The ship’s owner, John Hancock, was a respectable Boston merchant.
A. Colonists believed that the British response represented an overreach of power.
a line along the Appalachian Mountains, imposed by the Proclamation of 1763, west of which British colonists could not settle
Proclamation Line
What was the main purpose of the Sugar Act of 1764?
It strengthened enforcement of molasses smuggling laws.
For which of the following activities were the Sons of Liberty responsible?
The hanging and beheading of a stamp commissioner in effigy
Which event was most responsible for the colonies’ endorsement of Samuel Adams’s Massachusetts Circular?
Lord Hillsborough's treat to dissolve the colonial assemblies that endorsed the letter
What was the purpose of the Tea Act of 1773
To help revive the struggling East India company.
well-born British colonial women who led a non-importation movement against British goods
Daughters of Liberty
What did British colonists find so onerous about the acts that Prime Minister Grenville passed?
The Currency Act made British colonists use gold and silver instead of paper money. Since these resources were short in supply, it put strain on the financial resources of the colonies. The Sugar Act stopped smuggling of items, which led to belief that there was a loss of liberty without representation or jury.
Who introduced the Stamp Act in 1765, and what major shift did it signify in British policy toward the American colonies after the French and Indian War?
The Stamp Act of 1765 was introduced by Prime Minister Grenville. It marked a significant change in British policy, as it shifted the burden of contributing to the upkeep of British soldiers in North America directly onto the colonists, breaking from the tradition of indirect taxation through colonial governments or higher prices.
What factors contributed to the Boston Massacre?
Tensions between colonists and the redcoats had been simmering for some time. British soldiers had been moonlighting as dockworkers, taking needed jobs away from colonists. Many British colonists were also wary of standing armies during peacetime, so skirmishes were common. Finally, the Sons of Liberty promoted tensions with their propaganda.
What was the significance of the Committees of Correspondence?
It was a crucial means of communication. They also set the foundation for a colonial government by breaking away from royal governmental structures while promoting colonial unity.
a Massachusetts plan of resistance to the Intolerable Acts that formed the basis of the eventual plan adopted by the First Continental Congress for resisting the British, including the arming of militias and the adoption of a widespread non-importation, non-exportation, and non-consumption agreement
Suffolk Resolves
Why did American colonists view the Sugar Act as a threat to their rights as British subjects, and how did their perception reflect their understanding of the British Constitution?
American colonists perceived the Sugar Act as a threat to their rights as British subjects because, according to their understanding of the British Constitution, any taxation without representation violated the principles of checks and balances and the promise of representation in the government. This perception also reflected their belief that the colonies were on equal political footing with Great Britain and that the Sugar Act undermined their status within the British Empire.
What were the major concerns of British colonists in America regarding the Stamp Act, and how did they express their opposition to this legislation?
British colonists in America were concerned that the Stamp Act, as a direct tax, violated their constitutional rights and liberty. They believed it deprived them of their inherent right to representation in Parliament, as they had no elected representatives in the House of Commons. The colonists, led by groups like the Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty, expressed their opposition through protests, boycotts of British goods, and the formation of the Stamp Act Congress. The Daughters of Liberty played a unique role by promoting non-importation movements and encouraging the use of locally-made products, showcasing women's involvement in political dissent. The protests marked a significant shift as diverse colonists united against what they perceived as an infringement on their liberties.
The Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty played key roles in opposing the Townshend Acts by organizing protests, enforcing boycotts, and promoting the non-importation of British goods. Boycotts served as a powerful tool for expressing dissent and resisting taxation without representation.
How did the colonists respond to the Tea Act of 1773, and what significant event occurred in Boston Harbor as a result?