Provisions
What it Entailed
The Quartering Act of 1765, as an amendment to the Mutiny Act, outlined specific responsibilities for the British colonies in North America:
- Housing: The act mandated that colonial legislatures provide suitable accommodations for British troops. The initial focus was on public spaces:
1. Existing barracks would be prioritized.
2. If barracks were insufficient, troops could be quartered in inns, alehouses, livery stables, or other similar 'public' buildings.
3. Where even these were lacking, the act vaguely allowed for the use of "uninhabited houses, outhouses, barns, or other buildings." This ambiguity later became a point of contention.
- Supplies and Logistics: Colonies were responsible for providing essential supplies including:
1. Food and provisions like candles, beer, or cider
2. Utensils for cooking and eating
3. Fuel, including firewood, for warmth and cooking
4. Transportation and logistical support to move troops if required
1765 and 1774 Versions
There were two significant Quartering Acts, with a few differences between them.
- 1765 Quartering Act: As described above, this initial version aimed to house troops in public buildings. It barred forced quartering within private homes without legislative oversight. Colonial authorities were expected to cover associated costs.
- 1774 Quartering Act: This version, included in the Coercive Acts of 1774, aimed to punish Massachusetts for events like the Boston Tea Party. Crucially, it:
1. Expanded the definition of permissible locations for quartering troops, allowing for a wider range of buildings
2. Shifted decision-making power: The authority to requisition buildings as needed was transferred from colonial legislatures to British governors.
