Final answer:
The Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party were significant events that highlighted the colonists' resistance to British taxation. The Coercive Acts, or Intolerable Acts, were punitive laws that led to the First Continental Congress and the establishment of the Continental Association. The American colonists resisted British laws and taxation due to lack of representation and economic burden, using methods such as boycotts, protests, and civil disobedience. The Stamp Act caused more resistance among ordinary people than the Sugar Act due to its direct impact on their daily lives.
Step-by-step explanation:
Significance of the Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party:
The Tea Act was passed by the British Parliament in 1773 and it granted a monopoly on tea trade to the British East India Company. This led to the Boston Tea Party, where American colonists, disguised as Native Americans, dumped tea from the East India Company into the Boston Harbor. This event was significant because it demonstrated the colonists' resistance to British taxation and control.
Significance of the Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts) and Americans' response:
The Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts, were a series of punitive laws enacted by the British Parliament in 1774. These acts were designed to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. They closed the port of Boston, limited colonial assemblies, and imposed stricter control over the colonies. In response, the Americans organized the First Continental Congress to protest against these acts and demand their repeal. The Congress also established the Continental Association, which enforced boycotts of British goods.
Reasons for American resistance to British laws and taxation:
Two main reasons for American resistance were the lack of representation in the British government and the economic burden caused by British taxation. The colonists argued that they should have a say in the laws and taxes that affected them, as they were being taxed without their consent. Additionally, the colonists felt that the British taxes and trade regulations were stifling their economic growth and autonomy.
Ways in which the colonists resisted or rebelled:
The colonists used various forms of resistance and rebellion against British laws. Three significant ways were boycotts, protests, and acts of civil disobedience. They boycotted British goods, organized protests such as the Boston Tea Party, and engaged in acts of civil disobedience, such as the formation of illegal committees and non-compliance with British regulations.
Sugar Act and Stamp Act and why the Stamp Act caused more resistance:
The Sugar Act of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765 were both revenue-raising measures imposed by the British Parliament on the American colonies. However, the Stamp Act caused more resistance among ordinary people because it directly affected them on a daily basis. The Stamp Act required colonists to pay a tax on a wide range of paper goods, including legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards. This tax was seen as a direct assault on their rights and resulted in widespread protests and boycotts. The Sugar Act, on the other hand, primarily targeted merchants and did not have as direct an impact on ordinary people's daily lives.