Following the Boston Tea Party, Britain responded with a series of harsh laws intended to punish Massachusetts and restore order. Known to colonists as the Intolerable Acts, these measures closed Boston Harbor, altered local government, and limited colonial self-rule.
British leaders believed firm action would discourage further resistance. Instead, the Intolerable Acts had the opposite effect. Colonists across the thirteen colonies viewed the laws as a threat to everyone’s liberties—not just Massachusetts.
Communities sent food and supplies to Boston in solidarity. Colonial leaders met to discuss a unified response, leading to the First Continental Congress.
The Intolerable Acts transformed isolated grievances into a shared cause. Colonists began to see themselves as connected by common rights and common risks.
These laws revealed a critical truth: attempts to suppress liberty often strengthen resistance. The Intolerable Acts helped turn protest into preparation for independence.
