HE BOSTON PORT ACT WAS PASSED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN MARCH 31, 1774. THE BOSTON PORT ACT WAS DESIGNED TO PUNISH THE INHABITANTS OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS FOR THE INCIDENT THAT WOULD BECOME KNOWN AS THE BOSTON TEA PARTY. THE PORT ACT WAS ONE OF A SERIES OF BRITISH LAWS REFERRED TO AS THE INTOLERABLE ACTS PASSED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN 1774.

THE BOSTON PORT ACT INTENTIONALLY PASSED TO PUNISH ALL THE RESIDENTS OF MASSACHUSETTS RATHER THAN THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESTRUCTION AND ECONOMIC LOSS DURING THE TEA PARTY PROTEST. READ THE ORIGINAL TEXT OF BOSTON PORT ACT FOR FULL DETAILS OF THE TONE AND THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT. THE BRITISH KING GEORGE AND PARLIAMENT BELIEVED THAT THE PEOPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS COULD BE PUNISHED WITHOUT THE OTHER COLONIES OBJECTING. THEY BELIEVED THAT THE HARSH PUNISHMENT OF THE WHOLE MASSACHUSETTS COLONY WOULD PANIC THE OTHER AMERICAN COLONIES INTO CONCEDING THE AUTHORITY OF PARLIAMENT OVER THEIR ELECTED ASSEMBLIES. THE BRITISH WERE COMPLETELY WRONG.

THE MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNMENT ACT GAVE THE ROYAL APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS CONTROL OF THE COLONY, RATHER THAN THE PEOPLE. AS PART OF THE BRITISH ATTEMPT TO INTIMIDATE THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON, KING GEORGE III APPOINTED GENERAL THOMAS GAGE, WHO COMMANDED THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH AMERICA, AS THE NEW MILITARY GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS IN MAY 1774. AFTER THE EVENTS OF THE BOSTON MASSACRE GENERAL GAGE HAD SAID THAT "AMERICA IS A MERE BULLY, FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER, AND THE BOSTONIANS BY FAR THE GREATEST BULLIES." THE APPOINTMENT OF GENERAL THOMAS GAGE MADE IT CLEAR TO BOSTONIANS THAT THE CROWN INTENDED TO IMPOSE MARTIAL LAW, IN WHICH A MILITARY GOVERNMENT SUSPENDS CIVIL LAW.

HARBOR,ONE OF THE EMPIRE'S BUSIEST, UNTIL THE TEA,AND THE DUTIES ON IT WEEP