During the 1760s , relations between Great Britain and some of its North American colonies became strained by a series of Parliamentary laws ( including the 1765 Stamp Act and the 1767 Townshend Acts ) , intended to raise revenue for the crown , and to assert Parliament 's authority to pass such legislation despite a lack of colonial representation . These laws had sparked strong protests in the Thirteen Colonies ; the Province of Massachusetts Bay in particular saw significant unrest and direct action against crown officials . The introduction of British Army troops into Boston in 1768 further raised tensions that escalated to the Boston Massacre in 1770
Boston Massacre
Boston Massacre
Hutchinson Letters Affair