After the fall of Puritan rule in Massachusetts, Great Britain regained control of Massachusetts and expanded across North America, making it one of the world's largest empires of the world. To maintain their power in the colonies they issued rules and regulations regarding traded goods. However, most colonists resorted to bootlegging and boycotting items. It was only during the French and Indian War that England began to strictly enforce these restrictions due to a large war debt. The Sugar Act was one of the first acts that started a domino effect that led to the American Revolution. The French and Indian War broke out when conflicts arose between the French and the British as English settlers began settling in 1689 in New France, modern day Canada. This push for settlement significantly increased the population in 1750, from 250,000 to 1.25 million. Britain had asked to collect goods such as turpentine, copper, tar and hemp from the colonists. To finance the war, England produced these goods, then raised their prices and resold them to colonists under the Navigation Acts. The Acts were used to prevent smuggling by allowing the colonies to trade only with England, however, Parliament did not strictly enforce them until 1750, which allowed Britain to set tariffs for goods as it pleased. According to ushistory.com, “The colonies were totally interested in defeating the French in North America and appealed to the king for permission to raise armies and money to defend themselves.” They wanted protection from their homeland, which they had the right to do. Yet the king wasn't sure about giving them money for the war because he was afraid they would rebel against the Bri... middle of paper... denied their natural rights "by taxation without representation". Parliament had exercised “virtual representation” towards the Americans. In Parliament there was recognition of the issues involved in the colonies, however there was no one to represent them. The two provisions of the Sugar Act attracted the most colonial opposition. In 1764 the Massachusetts House of Representatives ruled that the colonists had not consented to these taxes. A year after the Sugar Act was passed, the Stamp Act was enacted, beginning a pattern of creating additional laws to tax the colonies over the next 10 years. In the summer of 1765, the Sons of Liberty organized themselves, the driving force in freeing the colonies from ties to Great Britain. The American colonies were now on the brink of war with Great Britain challenging the tyrannical rule of King George II..