Process Paper

           While discussing topics, we considered the Intolerable Acts and thought it was one of our more interesting ideas. Having covered the topic briefly in class, we wanted to explore the event in greater depth. We were interested in this topic because it took place mainly in Boston, near to where we live.

            When researching, we started at a broad level trying to gain a basic understanding of the topic. We found an article by Kennedy Hickman stating general reactions to the Intolerable Acts. We then narrowed our search to more specific sources to find evidence of revolution, reaction, and reform. At first we went to the Bedford Public Library and found sources after searching with broad terms such as “Intolerable Acts”. We found a book called Massachusetts, which explored the causes of the Revolution including the Intolerable Acts and gave more information on reaction and reform. Att the library we also discovered that there was a historical society in Boston. On their website we found primary sources consisting of newspaper articles from the time of the Intolerable Acts, one of which was a journalist’s account of the initial imposing of the Acts. Using the database eLibrary, we then found some secondary sources on both reaction and revolution. Looking at the references, we noticed the name David Ammerman appearing often. After discovering that he was a history professor at Florida State University, we were able to check out one of his books called In the Common Cause. In this book, we looked at the causes of the Intolerable Acts and how they were a revolutionary influence on the colonies with this new sense of British control. Reviewing our other sources, we discovered and then located a document called the “Suffolk Resolves”. Mentioning their rights as colonists of the King of England and stating actions that should be taken to oppose the Acts, this source greatly aided our research as we learned firsthand of the colonists’ reactions. Noticing that one of our primary sources had been found on ushistory.org, we looked for more useful information there and found four documents written in the first Continental Congress. They show the final conclusions of Congress and evidence of reform.

           Using weebly, we decided that we would display our research using multimedia within the website. We were able to use tabs to organize our project into different sections allowing easy access to information by a viewer and making pages less wordy and easier to understand. Within these tabs, pictures and text discuss our reaserch and how the Acts connect to our theme.


           As a result of our research, we were able to build on our idea about the Acts and how they pertain to revolution, reaction, and reform. Through a new way of seizing power, the British imposed this revolutionary idea which punished Boston as well as the other colonies in a way that had not previously occurred. Instead of the earlier methods of taxing from a distance, Britain took a more direct approach through military and political influence. Outrage was a leading reaction in the colonies, as they thought Britain had gone too far. This reaction caused new bonds between the colonies to form. Through final reform, built by the overall colonial reaction, the Continental Congress was formed. Because of revolution, manifested in a new attempt at control by the British forces, the colonists fiercely reacted to the Intolerable Acts as the acts were an infringment on their liberty. This lead to reform, as shown through the greater unity among the British colonies, eventually resulting in the creation of the Continental Congress in 1774.

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