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British decree restricting colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, sparking resentment among colonists desiring westward expansion.
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Sugar Act: Parliament imposed taxes on imported sugar and molasses, and rigorously enforced the act, leading to colonial protests against taxation without representation
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This direct tax required stamps for printed materials like legal documents and newspapers, sparking widespread colonial resistance and the cry of "no taxation without representation".
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Parliament levied duties on imported goods like glass, paper, and tea, prompting renewed colonial boycotts and further fueling tensions.
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To aid the struggling East India Company, this act lowered tea prices but was seen by colonists as a ploy to accept British taxation, culminating in the Boston Tea Party.
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Delegates met to coordinate a response to the Intolerable Acts, establishing boycotts and advocating for colonial militias.
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Intolerable/Coercive Acts: Parliament's punitive response to the Boston Tea Party, including closing Boston Harbor and restricting Massachusetts self-governance, further ignited colonial unity and resistance.
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The first battles of the American Revolution erupted, marking the transition from political dissent to armed conflict.
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The first battles of the American Revolution erupted, marking the transition from political dissent to armed conflict.
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The Second Continental Congress formally declared the colonies' independence, articulating the principles of liberty and self-governance.
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Thomas Paine's influential pamphlet advocating for complete independence from British rule galvanized colonial support for separation.