Answer to Question #163536 in History for Feby Abraham

Question

1. What were the underlying factors in the events of the 1770s that led the colonies to declare their independence from Britain?

Answer 1

Townsend Acts - 1767; this tax is on products colonies that required- glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea. The Americans boycotted, and British eventually repealed all taxes except the one on tea. In response to sometimes violent protests, British sent more troops to America.

Boston Massacre - 1770; 5 colonists killed after mob on one lone guard. The guard had called for help, someone shouted "fire" & British men shot down 5 colonists. This event was viewed as an example of British cruelty and used as propaganda, especially by Paul Revere.

Tea Act - 1773; British lowered the price of tea extremely. Led to the Boston Tea Party.

Boston Tea Party - 1773; colonists outfitted as Indians stormed into the Boston harbor and deserted 23 thousand pounds of tea into the harbor. British ships were burned. 

Gaspée Affair - 1774; A British warship, named the Gaspée, burned, and the captain was terribly wounded.

The Intolerable Acts - 1744; King closed Boston harbor to everything but British ships. He conducted lots of British troops to Boston. The colonists had to feed and house the troops. The Quebec act stretched out to Canadian borders to cut off western colonies of Connecticut, Virginia, and Massachusetts.