342 trunks of tea were thrown into Boston Harbor. Pride and happiness grew between the colonists. They knew that they have acted for their liberty and political freedom. The parliament and the crown had seen this as an insult. They were outraged and said that Colonists actions will not go unnoticed nor be forgiven. The Parliament decided to pass the Coercive Acts, which were a series of acts that were to punish colonists actions. In a lapse of about three month, five acts were passed, which became to be known as The Intolerable Acts by Colonists.

The Coercive and Intolerable Acts were as follows:

1. Boston Port Act: Passed on May 31, 1774. The Boston Port Act closed Boston Port and trades until colonists would pay all the tea that had been thrown to the sea, plus its taxes. This created a great hardship for the people of Boston whose livlihood depended on trade. Also it created problems with other colonies that relied on Boston’s trade. Because of this Act, products could not be imported into Massachusetts, nor colonists could export their products. These brought economic losses as well hunger and the closing of business. As result, the other colonies needed to send supplies to Massachusetts for its people to survive.

2. Administration of Justice Act: Passed on May 20, 1774. This act implied that any officer or british soldier accused of committing a crime must be sent to England to be trailed. Because it meant that witnesses needed to travel and that the accused British Officers or soldiers were trailed in a place that favors them, it was most likely that they escaped their crime and were declared innocent.

3. Massachusetts Government Act: Passed on May 20, 1774. This act dissolved most of Massachusetts’s legislature and place Massachusetts under the control of an appointed royal governor. Assemblies and meetings were closed, and the colonists lost the right to govern themselves. Massachusetts had always been proud of its political freedom and rights, and were completely angered by this act. In rural Massachusetts people reacted to this “brutish actions” with violence. They armed themselves with clubs and guns, and they force the Courts of Law to a shutdown. They also would assault anyone that would take an office in the government.

4. Quartering Act of 1774: Passed on June 2, 1774. As the previous quartering act, this act forced the colonists to provide supplies and shelters to all British Soldiers. If there was insufficient space, the colonists could be even force to leave their homes.

5. Quebec Act: Passed on June 22, 1774. This act lowered the borders of Quebec, taking land of people who were already settled there. “Many colonists thought this transfer of land from the colonies to unrepresented Quebec was another attempt to punish the colonies and solidify British control”

Because of these acts, the bond between Colonists and British was severely weakened. Colonists saw the intolerable acts as a threat to their liberty and freedom. In fall of 1774, delegates from every colony except Georgia, went to the First Continental Congress were Virginia Delegate, Patrick Henry, gave his speech: “Give me Liberty or give me Death” He also exclaimed that there was no distinction between colonists anymore, and that all were now Americans.

John Adams expressed that they should unite and fight against the British, but many colonists rejected this at first hoping that the Intolerable Acts were repealed and that they could stay subjects to British Crown. Others even thought of uniting with the King against the Parliament. Whatever the thoughts of the Colonists were, John Adams proved to be right in two years. Colonists would have to unite and fight.