Enforcing the Colonial Relationship, 1763–1774 key terms

No taxation without representation

A slogan used by colonists to protest against British taxation policies, emphasizing their lack of representation in Parliament.

Sons of Liberty

A secret organization formed in the colonies to oppose British policies and taxes, known for its role in protests against the Stamp Act.

Taxation without representation

The principle that it is unjust to tax a person or group without giving them a voice in the government that imposes the tax, a key grievance of the American colonists.

Continental Congress

A convention of delegates from the thirteen colonies that became the governing body during the American Revolution, coordinating resistance against British policies.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by Britain in 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party.

Committees of Correspondence

Colonial networks established to coordinate resistance against British policies and share information.

Tea Act

A 1773 law that allowed the British East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonies, undermining local merchants.

Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest where colonists, frustrated by British taxation, dumped tea into Boston Harbor.