Question: Write about intolerable acts?

 

Question: Write about intolerable acts?

Ans: The Intolerable Acts, also known as the Coercive Acts, were a series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party and growing colonial resistance. These acts were intended to punish the American colonies, particularly Massachusetts, and reassert British authority, but they instead fueled further anger and unity among the colonies, leading to the American Revolution.

Key Points:

1. Purpose:
• The Intolerable Acts were passed to punish the colony of Massachusetts for the destruction of British tea during the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
• They aimed to restore order and reaffirm British control over the colonies.
2. Main Provisions:
• Boston Port Act (1774):
• This act closed Boston Harbor until the colonists paid for the destroyed tea, which devastated the local economy and caused widespread hardship in Boston.
• Massachusetts Government Act (1774):
• It altered the Massachusetts charter, reducing the power of local assemblies and giving the British governor more control over the colony's government. This effectively stripped Massachusetts of its self-governing powers.
• Administration of Justice Act (1774):
• It allowed British officials accused of crimes in the colonies to be tried in Britain or another colony rather than in Massachusetts, where they might face biased or hostile juries.
• Quartering Act (1774):
• This act expanded the Quartering Act from 1765, requiring colonists to house and supply British soldiers in their homes, even in private dwellings, which further angered colonists.
3. Colonial Response:
• The acts were seen as a direct violation of colonial rights and liberties, especially the right to self-governance and trial by jury.
• Colonists across America united in their opposition to the Intolerable Acts, calling them the Intolerable Acts as a sign of their anger.
• In response, the First Continental Congress convened in 1774 in Philadelphia, where delegates from twelve colonies (except Georgia) met to discuss coordinated action, including boycotts of British goods and the drafting of a petition to King George III.
4. Impact and Significance:
• The Intolerable Acts intensified the colonial resistance movement and helped to unify the colonies against British rule.
• They led to the establishment of committees of correspondence and contributed to the formation of a unified front for independence.
• These acts were one of the key catalysts that eventually led to the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

In summary, the Intolerable Acts were punitive measures passed by Britain in 1774 in response to colonial protests, particularly the Boston Tea Party. Rather than quelling resistance, they exacerbated tensions and contributed to the formation of a unified colonial opposition to British rule, leading to the American Revolutionary War.