Part 1 (Early Conflicts with Britain)

Britain just spent a lot of money on winning the French and Indian War.

They are also keeping soldiers in the colonies to protect the land they won in the war.

This is also costing money, so they think the colonists should chip in on the cost.

British parliament decides to start collecting taxes from the colonists.

A tax is money people pay to the government in exchange for services

Britain put taxes on items purchased from outside the colonies- cloth, tea, glass etc.

1764- Britain creates a new tax law called the Sugar Act

This taxed imported sugar, coffee, cloth, etc. Items that were used every day.

To avoid the taxes people smuggled the items into the colonies. These items were snuck in illegally.

1765- Parliament creates the Stamp Act

This taxed anything printed on paper

These new laws upset and angered the colonists.

They wanted a vote/voice/representative of their own making these decisions

The colonists wanted the colonists to make these decisions, not Britain(3000 miles away)

They wanted representatives in Parliament

Patrick Henry from Virginia gave a very angry speech about the taxes

Many people heard about the speech and agreed with Patrick Henry

Sons of Liberty formed groups all over the colonies

Samuel Adams was the Leader

They organized protests and would often use violence against British officials and tax collectors