Intolerable Acts (from Pennsylvania Journal)
6/15/1774
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To punish Boston for the “Boston Tea Party,” the British Parliament passed a series of measures in 1774 called the Coercive Acts–later renamed “Intolerable” by revolutionaries. This copy of the Pennsylvania Journal published two of the four acts and the reactions of Annapolis, Maryland, and Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Instead of isolating Boston and intimidating colonists as intended, the Coercive Acts further united Americans in a “Common Cause” that spurred the convening of the First Continental Congress.
The acts were composed of
- The Boston Port Act, which closed the port of Boston
- The Massachusetts Government Act, which required that all Massachusetts government positions be appointed by either the Crown itself, the Governor, or Parliament
- The Administration of Justice Act, which asserted that trials against officials of the Crown were to take place in Great Britain and not in Massachusetts if the Crown believed Massachusetts incapable of executing a fair trial
- The Quartering Act, which allowed Royal soldiers to be housed in unoccupied buildings
This primary source comes from the Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention.
Full Citation: Intolerable Acts (from Pennsylvania Journal); 6/15/1774; Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, Record Group 360; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/intolerable-acts, May 21, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
