The English passed many pieces of legislation, such as the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, and the Tea Acts in the hope that they would dissuade the colonists from breaking with Great Britain. Unfortunately, the last of the above-mentioned acts did exactly the opposite of what the British wanted. On December 16, 1773, approximately seven months after the enactment of the Tea Acts, the colonists responded to the impositions of the English by attacking British ships and throwing 342 chests of tea into the water. This led to British retaliation and the passing of the worst pieces of legislation, known as the Intolerable Acts. From 1775 to 1783, the American Revolutionary War took place, and the resistance of the English was fueled dramatically when the colonists signed the Declaration of Independence in 1777. This led to the finalization of the first paradigm shift in American history, the victory of the war. against the British and the ratification of the United States