Table of Contents
How did colonists resist British restrictions on their trade?
The colonists started to resist by boycotting, or not buying, British goods. In 1773 some colonists in Boston, Massachusetts demonstrated their frustration by dressing up like Indians, sneaking onto ships in the harbor, and dumping imported tea into the water. This was called the Boston Tea Party.
When the colonists resisted British authority in the colonies Great Britain responded by?
Britain responded to colonial protest by enforcing punitive measures, and tensions rose until fighting broke out in the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April of 1775, marking the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
How did the British attempt to impact the economy of the colonies?
The British had an empire to run. The way that they kept their economy healthy was through a system called mercantilism. The British even put taxes called duties on imported goods to discourage this practice. This pushed the colonists to buy only British goods, instead of goods from other European countries.
Why did the British try to control the colonists?
The British tried again to exercise strict control over their colonists after the end of the Seven Years War, with a series of acts eventually deemed the Intolerable Acts, outrage at which led to American independence. One could argue that these measures, both past and present, represent populist feeling.
When did England stop trading with the colonies?
What the English did not foresee, however, was that the American colonists would be the ones rebelling against their own nation. England passed what became known as the Navigation Acts in 1651, forbidding the American colonies from trading with anyone but England.
How did trade restrictions affect the American Revolution?
A large proportion of the American population are in favour of restrictive laws. However, despite the amount of Loyalists in the colonies both before and during the American Revolution, the Patriots’ narrow majority won out and their actions contributed to the repeal of trade restrictions and ultimately British rule.
Why was it difficult for the colonists to pay their taxes?
This made it even more difficult for colonists to pay their debts and taxes. Soon after Parliament passed the Currency Act, Prime Minister Grenville proposed a Stamp Tax. This law would require colonists to purchase a government-issued stamp for legal documents and other paper goods.