Lord George Grenville's tax program was designed to reduce Britain's war debt (French and Indian War) which was more than 140 million pounds and to help to pay for the increased military needs in the colonies and new territories. The English Parliament passed the Sugar Act in 1764. This act increased taxes on imported sugar and other items such as textiles, coffee, wines and indigo dye. It doubled the tax on foreign goods reshipped from England to the colonies. Even though the colonists did not like the taxes from the Sugar Act, they were more upset over Grenville's Stamp Act, which affected everyone in the colonies.

The English Parliament also decided they need to better enforce the trade laws in the Colonies. King George III established a court in Halifax, Nova Scotia that ruled over all the Colonies in trade matters.

Then came the Currency Act that took the right to issue their own money away from the colonists. Both the industrial colonists in the North and the agricultural colonists in the South were angry about this decision.

In May of 1764 at a town meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, James Otis brings up the question of taxation without representation. His question roused the colonists and in August, Boston merchants begin a boycott of British luxury goods.

In December 1765, British General Thomas Gage, commander of all English military forces in America, asked the New York assembly to make colonists comply with the Quartering Act and house and supply his troops. Also in December, the American boycott of English imports spreads, as over 200 Boston merchants join the movement.

In January 1766, the New York assembly refused to comply with Gen. Gage's request to enforce the Quartering Act.

In March 1766, King George III signed a bill that repealed the Stamp Act. There was a lot of debate in the English Parliament. Ben Franklin presented the colonies' argument for the repeal and warned that if the British soldiers enforced the act, the colonies would rebel.

On the same day it repealed the Stamp Act, the English Parliament passed the Declaratory Act. This gave the British government total power to make laws they felt were needed to govern the colonies.

In April 1766, the colonies ended their boycott of British goods when they heard the news the Stamp Act had been repealed. There were a lot of celebrations in the colonies because they thought this meant good news.

In August 1766, the Sons of Liberty in New York fought with the British soldiers. The colonists were refusing to obey the Quartering Act by not giving up their homes or supplies to the soldiers.

In December, the New York legislature is closed down after it voted again to not obey the Quartering Act.