Intolerable Acts
In retaliation for the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament passed four punitive acts in 1774 — closing Boston Harbor, revoking Massachusetts's self-governance charter, expanding the Quartering Act, and shielding British officials from colonial prosecution — which colonists collectively labelled the Intolerable Acts. Lord North's ministry intended these measures to isolate Massachusetts and cow the other colonies into submission, but the effect was precisely the opposite: the acts were perceived across the colonies as a threat to all their charters and rights. The resulting outrage provided the impetus for convening the First Continental Congress.
- Year: 1774 CE
- Category: Political
