British laws that sparked a revolution
Sons of Liberty
Protest, Patriotism, and Secret Societies
King George & The Crown
Reviewing the British Perspective
Boston Unrest
Reviewing the events that turned Boston into a powder keg of revolution.
The Breaking Point
Transitioning from Protest to Armed Conflict
100

Great Britain was in deep debt after winning this 1754-1763 conflict, leading them to tax the American colonies.

What was the French and Indian War?

100

This influential leader from Boston is often called the 'Father of the American Revolution' and was a primary founder of the Sons of Liberty.

Who was Samuel Adams?

100

Following the French and Indian War, Great Britain was left with a massive amount of this and voted to impose taxes on the colonists.

What is National Debt (or War Debt)?

100

The conflict ignited on March 5, 1770, a deadly confrontation occurred between British soldiers and a crowd of colonists.

What is the Boston Massacre?

100

In 1774, delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss how to respond to the Intolerable Acts.

What was the First Continental Congress?

200

This 1765 act was the first direct tax on the colonists, requiring them to pay for an official mark on all paper documents.

What was the Stamp Act?

200

This wealthy merchant and Sons of Liberty member was known for his massive signature on the Declaration of Independence and for using his fortune to fund the patriot cause.

Who was John Hancock?

200

This law issued by King George III forbade colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains to avoid costly conflicts with Native Americans.

What is the The Proclamation of 1763?

200

This sailor is remembered as the first person to die for the cause of American liberty during the Boston Massacre.

Who is Crispus Attucks?

200

British General Gage sent troops to Concord for two specific reasons: to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock, and to seize this colonial supply.

What was the colonial arsenal? (Gunpowder and weapons)

300

Colonists used this famous five-word phrase to argue that the British Parliament had no right to tax them.

What is "No Taxation Without Representation"?

300

This silversmith and Sons of Liberty member created a famous (though biased) engraving of the Boston Massacre to stir up anti-British feeling.

Who was Paul Revere?

300

Because the British military provided protection for the colonies during the war and continued to defend the frontier. 

Why did Parliament believe it was fair to tax the American colonists?

300

In December 1773, the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians and boarded three ships and destroyed the ships' cargo.

What is the Boston Tea Party?

300

This event is known as the 'Shot Heard 'Round the World.' It was the first time British 'Redcoats' and colonial 'Minutemen' faced off in actual battle.

What is the Battle of Lexington and Concord?

400

This act forced colonists to provide housing, food, and supplies to British soldiers stationed in the colonies.

What was the Quartering Act?

400

The Sons of Liberty organized these 'refusal to buy' campaigns against British goods to hurt the British economy and force the repeal of taxes.

What are boycotts?

400

This is the name of the law-making body in Great Britain that passed the various Acts (Stamp, Tea, etc.) without colonial representatives present.

What is Parliament?

400

This was a direct action of the British government after the event of the Tea Party.

What is the closing of Boston Harbor?

400

Even after the fighting started, many colonists wanted peace. The First Continental Congress sent this final petition to King George III in July 1775, asking him to help resolve the conflict without more war.

What is the Olive Branch Petition?

500

Known in Britain as the Coercive Acts, these laws were passed to punish Boston for the Tea Party.

What were the Intolerable Acts?

500

To keep their plans secret from British spies, the Sons of Liberty often met under these specific outdoor landmarks found in many colonial towns.

What are Liberty Trees (or Liberty Poles)?

500

This meant that members of Parliament represented the interests of the entire British Empire, including the colonies, even if the colonists didn't vote for them.

What is 'virtual representation'?

500

Following the Boston Tea Party, King George III and Parliament passed these acts that the colonists did not like.

What are the Intolerable Acts?

500

The Second Continental Congress accomplished these two goals and set the stage for the American Revolution.

What is create a Continental Army and appoint George Washington commanding general?