Massachusetts Government Act

The Massachusetts Government Act was a law enacted by the British Parliament in 1774 to tighten control over Massachusetts during escalating tensions before the American Revolution. It abolished Massachusetts' elected government, assigned royal officials to oversee local affairs, and restricted town meetings. The act also closed Boston Harbor until damages from the Boston Tea Party were paid. These measures aimed to punishe Massachusetts for rebellion but were seen by colonists as the suppression of their rights, fueling revolutionary sentiments. It was part of the Coercive Acts, which unified colonies in opposition to British authority.