Political
Enforcement
Colonial
Reaction and
British Political
Enforcement in
the 1770’s
 Prior to 1750, the American Economy had been built into a
prosperous economy. The British mercantile economic practice
had the colonies well under control. The American colonies saw
tremendous growth in terms of population as well as the
economy. There was no issues or thought given towards a split
between England and their colonial offspring.
INTRODUCTION
 However, by the 1760’s the American nationalistic perception
was well underway in establishing the split with England
 With the tremendous population growth and economic stability
came questions with regards to the financial obligations of the
colonies and the desire by England to maintain control.
 The population grew from 250k in the early 1770’s to over 3
million by 1775. Many European countries began to worry about
depopulation. The English Proclamation of 1763 was an attempt
to control the depopulation.
 It was during this time that the motivation towards selfdetermination began to become apparent.
 Kevin Phillips in his book, “1775 A Good Year for
Revolution”, identifies 12 issues of economic situation
that motivated the colonial people to a self-determined
future through the path of revolution.
 Money Supply
 Debt
 Mercantilism, mandate to sell only to England
 Taxation without representation
 Overpriced goods which led to more debt
 Customs racketeering Illegal search and seizures
 Increase in British assertiveness
 The limitation put on colonial manufacturing
 A call for boycott on British goods
 Establishment of provincial committees
 Proclamation of 1763
 The Quebec Act of 1777
 The main cities of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, were the
center of communications, political transformation, and
nation building.
 City economies reflected the radicalism of angry
longshoremen, the rise of labor, and the increasing
polarization within America.
 By 1765, the French and Indian War had brought tens of
thousands of British soldiers, large payrolls, and new
building.
 Immigration from Europe also increased in the cities. British
trade was booming in North America.
 Between 1700 and 1774, exports from the colonies to Britain
increased while exports from Britain to North America also
soared. This economic growth reflected Britain’s Atlantic
empire.
 It was then the emergence of these American cities as the
focal point of political, economic, and legal contention
URBAN LIFE
 As the overall wealth increased for the rich, the
farmers, laborers, longshoremen, and middle class
wealth declined, which resulted in waterfront mobs
that had its impact on everyday life.
SEAPORT MOBS
 Also, several thousand longshoremen were discharged
after the French and Indian War, as a result joblessness
remained high.
 Tavern owners were also influential, because their
waterfront businesses were the center of communication
and colonial frustration.
 The Sons of Liberty and the Sons of Neptune were
two such groups of angry longshoremen.
 In 1765, a letter signed by “The Sons of Neptune”
threatened an attack on lower Manhattan’s Fort
George if the Stamp Act was enforced locally.
IMPRESSMENT
 During the years between 1760 and 1774, the
practice of impressment increased to the concern
of American longshoremen.

 Impressment into the Royal Navy was considered
like a death sentence or forced into slavery
 Three out of four men who were pressed died
within two years, and one in five was killed in
battle.
 American longshoremen were not to supposed be
impressed. However, British warships frequently
ignored that constraint, especially around Boston.
RADICAL MIDDLE CLASS
 The rise of city artisans and mechanics coincided
with the emergence of a radical middle class
contributed the transformation of urban politics.
 This urban radicalism therefore played a significant
role in influencing the general population towards
seeking independence.
 It was this common ground and centralized
organization that made it possible for the colonies to
communicate.
 It also led to the formation of the Continental
Congress which was established as a means to
establishing a declaration of independence from
England.
MILITIA WERE FORMED
 It was the Militia’s importance that helped take control of
local government across the thirteen colonies in 1774–
1775.
 These insurgents established the framework that eventually
brought success in the War for Independence.
 The American rebels of 1775, enjoyed the rare benefit of
beginning their war in control of the local armed forces
and the colonial militias.
 The colonial militia did not simply slide into the
Revolution, military officers, even where they were
elected, held royal commissions, and a significant number
of them were not enthusiastic about rebellion.
 Restructuring the militia was an important step toward
revolution, one that deserves more attention than it has
received.
CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
 The First Continental Congress specified that local
committees were to be set up to enforce its
provisions.
 This new Association of colonies was a vital link in
transforming the colonial militia into a
revolutionary organization. It effectively dissolved
the old military structure and created a new one
based on cooperation, by force if necessary.
 The new Revolutionary militia was similar to a
draft board and a reserve training rather than a
police force.
 This First Continental Congress endorsed the local
Militias which forced Americans to commit
themselves politically.
HOW DID ENGLAND RESPOND
Navigation Acts 1651-1696
 The Navigation Acts were efforts to put mercantilism into
practice.
 Under the provisions of this legislation, trade with the colonies
was to be conducted only in English or colonial ships. Certain
goods (such as sugar, tobacco and indigo) were to be shipped
only to England.
 The most significant result of the Navigation Acts upon
American history was the stifling of colonial manufacturing
and increased resentment against the mother country
Woolens Act 1699 and the Hat Act 1732
 Through the Hat Act of 1732, the Woolens Act of 1699, and
the Iron Act of 1750 placed limits on what the colonies could
produce.
 With each boycott, Americans devoted more rhetoric to the
need to produce or manufacture locally more of what was
being imported.
THE
NAVIGATION
ACTS
Proclamation of 1763
THE PROCLAMATION OF 1763
 The Proclamation line extended from the
Atlantic coast to West Florida. Establishing and
manning posts along the length of this boundary
was a very expensive. The British argued that
these outposts were for colonial defense, and
should be paid for by the colonies.
 From the American perspective this amounted to
another tax on the colonies to pay for an
Imperial regulation that was opposed to the
interests of the colonies
Sugar Act 1764
 The Sugar Act of 1764 that put a tax on foreign refined sugar and increased
taxes on coffee, indigo, and certain kinds of wine. It banned importation of
rum and French wines.
 These taxes affected only a certain part of the population, but the affected
merchants were very vocal. Besides, the taxes were enacted without the
consent of the colonists.
 This was one of the first instances in which colonists wanted a say in how
much they were taxed.
Stamp Act 1765
OTHER ACTS
First direct British tax on American colonists. Instituted in November, 1765. Every newspaper, pamphlet,
and other public and legal document had to have a Stamp, or British seal, on it. The Stamp, of course,
cost money. The colonists didn't think they should have to pay for something they had been doing for free
for many years, and they responded in force, with demonstrations and even with a diplomatic body called
the Stamp Act Congress. Seeing the hostile reaction in the colonies, the British government repealed the
Stamp Act in March 1766 but at the same time passed the Declaratory Act, which said that Great Britain
was in charge of the American colonies "in all cases whatsoever." The Stamp Act gave the colonists a
target for their rage. Indeed, the Sons of Liberty was formed in response to this Act. The Stamp Act
Congress also gave the colonists a model for the Continental Congress.
Townshend Acts 1767
Series of 1767 laws named for Charles Townshend, British Treasurer. These laws placed new taxes on
glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea. Colonial reaction to these taxes was the same as to the Sugar Act and
Stamp Act, and Britain eventually repealed all the taxes except the one on tea. In response to the
sometimes violent protests by the American colonists, Great Britain sent more troops to the colonies.
Tea Act 1773
1773 Act that gave a monopoly on tea sales to the East India Company. In other words, American
colonists could buy no tea unless it came from that company. The Tea Act lowered the price on this East
India tea so much that it was way below tea from other suppliers. But the American colonists saw this law
as yet another means of "taxation without representation" because it meant that they couldn't buy tea from
anyone else without spending a lot more money. Their response was to refuse to unload the tea from the
ships. This was the situation in Boston that led to the Boston Tea Party.
Intolerable Acts 1774
INTOLERABLE ACTS
 These were a Series of laws sponsored by British Prime Minister Lord
North and enacted in 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party. The laws
were these:
Impartial Administration of Justice Act, which
allowed the royal governor of a colony to move trials to other colonies
or even to England if he feared that juries in those colonies wouldn't
judge a case fairly.
Massachusetts Bay Regulating Act made all law
officers subject to appointment by the royal governor and banned all
town meetings that didn't have approval of the royal governor
Boston Port Act closed the port of Boston until the price of the
dumped tea was recovered, moved the capital of Massachusetts to
Salem, and made Marblehead the official port of entry for the
Massachusetts colony.
Quebec Act, which granted civil government and religious
freedom to Catholics living in Quebec.
 Britain wanted colonies as a source of revenue to
finance its operations back home.
 As a result, the British decided to keep a standing
army in America. This decision would lead to a
variety of problems with the colonists.
 British leaders also felt the need to tighten control
over their empire.
 From the British point of view, it was only right that
American colonists should pay their fair share of the
costs for their own defense.
 If additional revenue could also be realized through
stricter control of navigation and trade, so much the
better.
 Thus the British began their attempts to control the
colonies.
SUMMARY