This important Act, published in 1776, is essentially Britain’s declaration of war against America.
Known as the Prohibitory Act, it was passed partly in response to the 1775 Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, in which the thirteen colonies declared themselves independent sovereign states no longer accountable to British authority, and more seriously in the wake of Battles of Lexington and Concord, and Bunker Hill.
The Prohibitory Act repealed the Boston Port Act (1774), the New England Restraining Act (1775), the Southern Colonies Restraining Act (1775), and terminated all trade between Great Britain and America and withdrew the King’s protection. Furthermore, any ship found to be trading would be forfeited as if it were an open enemy of the King. The ramifications of this were widespread, not least as it was designed to stop the import of arms and gunpowder.
Far from being deterred, as far as John Adams was concerned the passing of this Act “was independence day; and accordingly as soon as the news … reached America, the open discussion of independence began” (Fisher). Indeed, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was published the month following and, on 4 July 1776, the Second Continental Congress ratified the American Declaration of Independence.
Scarce. Prior to 1796, Acts were printed in editions of only 1100 or so copies.
Fisher, S.G., Struggle for American Independence (London, 1908) vol 1, p.441; Report of the Committee for the Promulgation of the Statutes (London, 1796); Sabin 52780.
