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An economic system where the British government forced the 13 colonies to trade exclusively with Great Britain at unfair prices. It caused the colonists to go into debt and become resentful of the King.

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From the late-1600s to early 1700s, the British government left the American colonists on their own and the King failed to strictly enforce his own rules. The colonists were basically left alone to govern themselves and became used to the idea of self-control leading to them no longer seeing the need for the British government.

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The French & British fought over ownership of the Ohio River Valley and opposing Native American tribes supported each country, each side hoping to gain back land if they helped. Wars cost money, so the British went into debt from the war and wanted the 13 colonies to pay for it in the form of taxes.

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The colonists’ were forbidden from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains in order to appease the Native Americans living there. The colonists’ felt this was unfair so they ignored the line and moved west anyway, causing tension with the British.

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The colonists were forced to pay taxes on everyday goods, but weren’t allowed to have a voice in their government or their policies. Many colonists believed that this was a violation of their rights and argued they didn’t have to pay the taxes.

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British Parliament’s 1st direct tax on the colonists, it taxed newspapers, books, dice, playing cards and other popular items. Colonists’ organized protests in major cities and a political rebel organization called the “Sons of Liberty” formed and they plotted against the King.

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Another British tax on glass, lead, paper and tea for the King to use this money to increase the pay for colonial governors and judges to ensure their loyalty. The Sons of Liberty convinced the colonists to boycott (refuse to buy) these goods.

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Forced the colonists to allow British troops to stay in their private homes and pay for their food and water. The colonists argued that this was one of the worst things the King could ever do, making this a major breaking point for

many colonists.

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A street fight in Boston between a “patriot” mob and a group of British soldiers, several colonists’ were killed. A trial was held and 2 British troops were found guilty of manslaughter and The Sons of Liberty used this as a reason to go to war with the British.

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The Sons of Liberty snuck onto a British ship and dumped all the tea into the Boston harbor and was in response to the “Tea Act” which forced the colonists’ to buy all their tea directly from Britain’s “East India Company”. The British government responded to the protest by passing the Intolerable Acts to punish the colonists.

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British Parliament punished the colonists’ for the Boston Tea Party, they had to pay for the tea they destroyed and town meetings were banned and the Boston harbor closed down. It made the colonists’ more motivated than ever to rebel against the British and the colonies came together and had their first meeting together: the 1st Continental Congress.

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In Philadelphia, PA, delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met to discuss America’s future and they created a list of grievances and pledged loyalty to the King if he agreed to make changes. King George III rejected the grievances made by the men, so they decided to unify and establish an army with George Washington as their “commander in chief”.