Revolution: The Boston Massacre, The Coercive Acts
Initial Post Instructions
For the initial post, pick two (2) of the leading causes of the American Revolution.
• The Proclamation Act of 1763
• The Navigation Acts
• The Stamp Act
• The Declaratory Act
• The Townsend Act
• The Boston Massacre
• The Coercive Acts
Then, address the following for your selections:
• Analyze the cause and effect of two acts passed by the British Parliament on
British North America. Which of your two selections do you consider the most
significant and why?
• Examine and explain the significance of the Declaration of Independence to the
development of the American Revolution.
In 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act to assist in paying for British
troops that were stationed in the colonies during the Seven Years' War. "As a direct tax
on the colonists, the Stamp Act imposed an internal tax on almost every type of printed
paper colonists used, including newspapers, legal documents, and playing cards"
(Corbett, 2014). When Parliament passed the Stamp act, the colonists became
extremely upset. Nine representatives from different colonies held a meeting in New
York, known as the Stamp Act Congress, to discuss how to respond to the act.
According to Corbett (2014), "colonists had never formed a unified political front, so
Grenville and Parliament did not fear true revolt" (p. 133). The Stamp Act Congress was
a huge step towards intercolonial unity, as it brought together the colonists to fight for
the same cause. As a result of the Stamp Act, some colonists boycotted buying British
goods, along with protesting in the streets. One of the most memorable protests that
occurred was the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre was a confrontation that
turned deadly on March 5, 1770, between a crowd of Bostonians, and British soldiers.
British soldiers were attempting to enforce tax laws such as the Stamp Act, and the
civilians in Boston decided to protest against the taxes. On the night of the
confrontation, a group of Bostonians began throwing things at the British soldiers such
as snow, rocks and sticks. In retaliation to the protestors, some of the soldiers fired into
the crowd, killing five people. "Crispus Attucks, the first man killed-and, though no one
could have known it then, the first official casualty in the war for independence-was of
Wampanoag and African descent" (Corbett, 2014). "The Boston Massacre was a signal
event leading to the Revolutionary War" (Boston Massacre). I believe that the Stamp Act
was the most significant because it united the colonists to fight for the same cause.
"On July 4, 1776, the delegates approved the Declaration of Independence, the event
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