In May 1775, in response to the battles at Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, PA. Their final attempt to seek relief from the British Crown and Parliament was answered by King George hiring the Hessian mercenaries and deploying them to the Colonies
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee, delegate of Virginia, proposed the Continental Congress compose a document declaring that the Colonies were united, free and independent from Britain. After several rewrites, on July 4, 1776, the delegates approved and signed their final document and...
forever altered the course of history.
"When in the Course of human events..."
the opening words of the Declaration of Independence. But what were these "events"? What transpired to compel a group of prosperous, well educated men to upend their lives and challenge the strongest empire in the world? And how did these grievances translate into the other Founding documents; the Constitution of the United States and its Bill of Rights?
Molasses Act 1733
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Imposed a tax on molasses, sugar, and rum imported from non-British colonies. (French and Dutch West Indies) Preserved the monopoly of the British West Indies sugar cane growers.
Proclamation of 1763
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At the end of the French and Indian Wars, forbid Colonists from settling in any areas west of the Appalachian Mountains and ordered all British settlers already in the Indian Territories to evacuate the areas.
Sugar Act - 1764
(Plantation Act or Revenue Act)
Meant to stop molasses and sugar smuggling from French and Dutch West Indies, reduced the tax on molasses, but increased British military presence to insure the tax was collected.
Currency Act - 1764
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Restricted the Colonies from issuing paper money ("bills of credit"). Attempted to impose total control of the Colonial monetary system. Forbid designating future currency issues as legal tender for public and private debts.
Quartering Act - 1765
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Required local governments to provide any needed housing or accommodations to British soldiers. Required colonists to provide food for any British soldier in the area.
Stamp Act - 1765
(Duties in American Colonies Act)
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Required that many printed materials in the colonies be done on stamped paper produced in London, carrying an embossed revenue stamp. The purpose was to pay for British troops stationed in the Colonies.
Declaratory Act - 1766
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Repealed the Stamp Act when Colonial boycotts of British goods threatened the British economy. Declared Parliament had the same authority to pass binding laws for America as it did in Britain. Threatened to disolve New York's Assembly if they protested the Quartering of British troops
Townsend Revenue Acts-1767-68
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New York Restraining Act - 1767
Revenue Act - 1767
Indemnity Act - 1767
Commissioners of Customs Act - 1767
Vice Admiralty Court Act - 1768
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Designed to raise revenue lost to the Stamp Tax repeal by taxing imports into the Colonies. Required all imports come from England.
Boston Massacre - 1770
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British soldiers killed several colonists who were protesting taxes imposed by the Townsend Acts. The soldier were in Boston to help British appointed officials impose and collect the taxes.
"No taxation without representation"
Tea Act - 1773
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Attempting to bail out the British East India Company, the Tea Act required all British colonies to buy tea only from England. Townsend Act import taxes were imposed on the colonies, but the company did not have to pay export taxes in England. Reduced prices on excess tea were meant to curtail smuggling of Dutch West Indies tea.
Boston Tea Party - 1773
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Protesting the tea taxes of the Townsend Acts, a group of colonists and merchants dumped a shipment of tea into the Boston harbor.
Coercive Acts - 1774
(Intolerable Acts)
Four punitive acts passed to punish the Colonies for the Boston Tea Party and other acts of defiance against the British Crown. Meant to force the Colonies into submunition, it instead united them.
The result was the 1st Continental Congress and the formation of the Continental Army.
Boston Port Bill - 1774
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To punish Boston for the Tea Party, the British closed the port for "landing and discharging, loading or shipping, of goods, wares, and merchandise" by setting up a blockade and sending troops into the city. The restrictions would be lifted when Boston paid the Crown all lost terrifs and reimbursed the East India Company for damages.
Massachusetts Government Act - 1774
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Abolished the Massachusetts Charter of 1691 of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, replacing the elected legislature with an appointed council chosen by the British Parliament. Restricted town meetings. Reduced the Colony to an outpost of the Crown with no autonomy.
Act for the Impartial Administration of Justice (The Murder Act) 1774
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In the name of "fairness", allowed Royal Governors to move the trial of any British official to another Colony or even to England. Colonist felt it was a way for officials of the Crown to escape Colonial justice, even for murder.
Quartering Act - 1774
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Expanded the 1765 Quartering Act, authorizing Royal officials to seize uninhabited buildings for the purpose of quartering British troops without the approval of local officials. "Uninhabited" included barns and other out buildings. Royal governors determined where it was "necessary" to station troops.
New England Restraining Act - 1774
Restricted imports and exports to only Britain, Ireland, and the British West Indies. Forbid fishing off Newfoundland and most of the Atlantic coast. Prohibited direct trade between the Colonies. Goods were to be exported to Britain, then imported back to America. Import and export taxes applied.
Petition to the King
October 25, 1774
The 1st Continental Congress attempted one last time to resolve the issues with Britain with its "Petition to the King". Many Colonists still felt they were loyal subjects of the Crown and simply wanted their grievance addressed.
The deployment of Hessian mercenaries to America was Britain's response.
Lexington & Concord
April 19 1775
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Under the New England Restraining Act mandates, Massachusetts was declared in open rebellion. British troops marched to to Concord take a cache of weapons and possibly capture rebels Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Lexington was an easy victory for the British, but at Concord "the shot heard around the world" was fired and they were forced to retreat.
Bill of Rights
Addressing the grievances of the British Acts.
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1st Amendment: The right to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
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2nd Amendment: The Right to Bear Arms.
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3rd Amendment: The Housing of Soldiers
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4th Amendment: Protection from Unreasonable Searches and Seizures
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Bill of Rights
Addressing the grievances of the British Acts.
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5th Amendment: Rights to Life, Liberty, and Property. Due Process.
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6th Amendment: Rights of Accused Persons in Criminal Cases. Speedy Trial. Impartial Jury.
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7th Amendment: Rights in Civil Cases
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8th Amendment: Excessive Bail, Fines, and Punishments Forbidden
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In Studying the numerous British acts meant to force the American Colonies into submission, one should look at the specific grievances laid out in the Declaration of Independence. These grievances were reflected in the first eight Amendments that in part make up the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.
“Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne…we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!”
Patrick Henry March 23, 1775