- 1701 – Act of Settlement
- Anne was declared next in succession after William and Mary. Every sovereign in future must be a member of the Church of England. No foreign-born monarch might wage Continental war without the approval of Parliament. He must not go abroad without consent. No foreigners should sit in Parliament or on the Privy Council.
- 1707 – Act of Union
- The nations and Parliaments of England and Scotland were united.
- 1715 – Septennial Act
- The normal term of Parliament’s existence was increased from three to seven years. This made it possible for the government in office to nurse the constituencies on which its power depended.
- 1733 – Molasses Act
- It created a West Indian monopoly of the sugar trade within the Empire and imposed a heavy duty on foreign imports.
- 1765 – Stamp Act
- It put a tax on legal documents and newspapers, to be paid in bullion.
- 1765 – Declatory Act
- The powers of Parliament to tax the colonies were reaffirmed.
- 1773 – Regulating Act
- The administration of British-held territory in India was unified. Bombay and Madras were subjected to a governor-general established in Calcutta. A council was appointed to veto and to control the governor-general.
- 1774 – Quebec Act
- French civil law was to prevail in French Canada. The Roman Catholic clergy were to keep their lands and their right to take tithes from members of their church.
- 1774 – Coercion Acts
- The Massachusetts Assembly was suspended. The colony was declared to be under Crown control. The port of Boston was closed. Henceforth, all judges in the colony were to to be appointed by the Crown.
- 1774 – Quartering Act
- Troops were to be quartered throughout all the counties to preserve order.
- ???? – Libel Act
- In a libel case, a jury was to provide not only whether or not the defendant had published the matter complained of, but also whether or not it was libel.
- 1776 – Prohibitory Act
- It forbade all communication between England and the rebellious colonies and declared a blockade of the American coast.
- 1784 – India Act
- It made the Board of Control subject to the Cabinet and assumed political powers of the East India Company.
(This page was updated in December 2012.)
