The colonists had to follow which laws?

The American colonists, prior to the United States gaining independence in 1776, were required to follow the laws imposed by the British Parliament. These included a combination of local colonial laws, which were established by the colonial legislatures, and broader laws enacted by the British government. Some of the key laws that colonists had to adhere to were:

1. Mercantile Laws: These included the Navigation Acts, which restricted trade between the colonies and other nations in an attempt to ensure that only England benefited from colonial trade.

2. Taxation Laws: Laws such as the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, and the Tea Act imposed taxes on the colonies to help pay for the British military presence in North America and the debts from the Seven Years' War (French and Indian War in the North American context).

3. Quartering Acts: These laws required colonists to provide housing and supplies to British soldiers stationed in the colonies.

4. Currency Acts: These laws regulated colonial currency to prevent depreciation against British sterling and to ensure that colonial debts could be paid in silver or gold.

5. Laws Regarding Governance: The British Parliament also imposed laws that affected colonial governance, such as the Declaratory Act, which asserted Britain's right to legislate for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever."

Colonists were expected to follow these laws, but as dissatisfaction grew over a lack of representation in Parliament, opposition to these laws became a major source of tension that ultimately led to the American Revolution.