Final answer:
No, the Coercive Acts did not have the intended effect as they unified the American colonies against British rule rather than just punishing Massachusetts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts, were a series of measures passed by the British Parliament in 1774 with the intent to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party and to assert British authority. The acts included closing Boston Harbor, altering the Massachusetts government, and allowing trials of royal officials to be moved out of Massachusetts. Instead of isolating and disciplining Massachusetts, the Coercive Acts had the counterproductive effect of unifying the American colonies against British rule, leading to the formation of the First Continental Congress and the escalation toward the American Revolution. Thus, the answer would be (b) No, the Coercive Acts did not have the effect that Parliament intended.