Mr. Laubach - APUSH - The "Acts" leading up to the American Revolution (see Guiding Questions)

1. Molasses Act:
Why did the British government pass the Molasses Act, and how did colonial merchants respond to it?
How did the lack of strict enforcement of the Molasses Act affect colonial attitudes toward British laws?
2. Proclamation of 1763:
What were Britain’s reasons for banning settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, and why did many colonists view the Proclamation of 1763 as unfair?
3. Sugar Act:
In what ways did the Sugar Act represent a shift from the Molasses Act, and why did it create more tension between Britain and the colonies?
4. Stamp Act:
Why was the Stamp Act seen as a major turning point in the relationship between Britain and the colonies?
How did the colonists organize to resist the Stamp Act, and what role did the slogan "no taxation without representation" play in their protests?
5. Quartering Act:
How did the requirement to house and supply British troops increase colonial resentment toward Britain?
6. Declaratory Act:
Why do you think Parliament passed the Declaratory Act immediately after repealing the Stamp Act?
How might this have affected colonial trust in British intentions?
7. Townshend Acts:
How did the Townshend Acts limit colonial self-government, and why did this spark widespread protests and boycotts?
8. Tea Act and Boston Tea Party:
If the Tea Act made tea cheaper, why did the colonists still oppose it so strongly?
What message were they trying to send with the Boston Tea Party?
9. Quebec Act:
Even though the Quebec Act didn’t directly target the 13 colonies, why did it alarm colonial leaders? How did it add to their growing fears?
10. Intolerable Acts and Continental Congress:
How did the harsh punishments in the Intolerable Acts push the colonies closer to uniting?
Why was the First Continental Congress such an important step toward revolution?