Intolerable Acts

1. Also known as the Coercive Acts; a series of British measures passed in 1774 and designed to punish the Massachusetts colonists for the Boston Tea Party . For example, one of the laws closed the port of Boston until the colonists paid for the tea that they had destroyed. Although the acts were intended to check colonial opposition to Britain, they only inflamed it.

Example Sentences

The Bostonians said they could not, and would not, stand these five laws, which they called the "five intolerable acts."

From Project Gutenberg

The intolerable acts were described as "impolitic, unjust, and cruel, as well as unconstitutional."

From Project Gutenberg

The intolerable acts went through Parliament with extraordinary celerity.

From Project Gutenberg

To enforce these intolerable acts the military arm of the British government was brought into play.

From Project Gutenberg