| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An act to prohibit all trade and inter-courses with the colonies of New Hampshire, Massachuset's [sic] Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, during the continuance of the present rebellion within the said colonies respectively; for repealing an act, made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, to discontinue the landing and discharging, lading or shipping, of goods, wares, and merchandise, at the town and within the harbor of Boston, in the province of Massachuset's Bay; and also two acts, made in the last session of parliament, for restraining the trade and commerce of the colonies in the said acts respectively mentioned; and to enable any person or persons, appointed and authorised by his Majesty to grant pardons, to issue proclamations, in the cases, and for the purposes therein mentioned. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 16 Geo. 3 c. 5 |
| Territorial extent | British America and the British West Indies |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 22 December 1775 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Statute Law Revision Act 1861 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Prohibitory Act was British legislation in late 1775 that cut off all trade between the Thirteen Colonies and England and removed the colonies from the King's protection.[1] In essence, it was a declaration of economic warfare by Britain as punishment to the American colonies for the rebellion against the King and British rule that became known as the American Revolutionary War.
The Prohibitory Act references two acts passed by the last session of Parliament that were known as the Restraining Acts 1775. It was referenced as one of the 27 colonial grievances of the American Declaration of Independence.
- ^ Gillon, S. "Congress opens all U.S. ports to international trade". History.com. A&E Television Networks. Retrieved 17 December 2018.