The Intolerable Acts

Due to the Boston Tea Party the Parliament with The five Coercive Act of 1774, which are also known as the Intolerable Acts. These acts were intended to punish Boston but instead caused a concern in the colonies because they seem to violate the solemnity of the local political institutions. The Intolerable Acts were The Boston Port Act, The Massachusetts Government Act, The Administration of Justice Act, the Quartering Act and the Quebec Act.

 The Boston Port Act: These act closed the port of Boston, therefore the landing and discharging, lading or shipping, of goods, wares and merchandise at the town and within the Boston Harbor was discontinued until the East India Company was paid for the lost tea.  This created trouble for the people of Boston whose income came from trade.

Massachusetts Government Act: These act took away many of Massachusetts rights of self-government, because it abolished the elected council member and replaced them with member council appointed by the King. These act also forbid town meetings unless it was at an annual meeting or a meeting specifically authorize by the governor. It was aimed at punishing Boston and forcing it out of resistance. Massachusetts was very proud of its independence and was angry for the violation to their rights. Administration of Justice Act: The Parliament took measures to afford legal protection to the officials serving in the colony. These act provided British officials accused of committing crimes in a colony to avoid local juries so these cases should be taken England for trial.  Because it would mean witnesses would be forced to travel, the practical effect was thought to be that the British officials would escape justice. The colonists labeled this particular act as the “Murder Act” because it offered means for accused murderers to escape colonial justice.

The Quartering Act: The fourth measure allowed the Colonists to quarter British soldiers in colonial buildings at the expense of the colonists, including colonists’ homes, if there was not enough space in other buildings. Colonists believed it was illegal and unfair for the government to force them to provide quarters and food for the soldiers. Later on the third amendment of the constitution will forbid the quartering of troops in homes.

The Quebec Act: These act intended to afford greater rights to the British inhabitants of Canada which were under the British rule after the Treaty of Paris. This fifth act extended the boundaries of the province of Quebec. Because Quebec did not have representative assemblies, many colonists thought this transfer of land from the colonies to unrepresented Quebec was another attempt to punish the colonies and solidify British control.

The Quebec Act made:

*The province's territory was expanded to take over part of the Indian Reserve, including much of what is now southern Ontario, plus Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota.

*The oath of allegiance was replaced with one that no longer made reference to the Protestant faith.

*It guaranteed free practice of the Catholic faith.

*It restored the use of the French civil law for private matters while maintaining the use of the English common law for public administration, including criminal prosecution.

Unlike the others the Quebec Act was not a punitive act for the colonies but colonists just saw it as another Intolerable Act.

The Intolerable Acts were those that pushed the Americans to their limit. Their impact encouraged all colonies to unite, to become more aware of their political circumstances, to fight for their country, and, ultimately, to gain independence from the British Empire.