Complex sentence: Starting with the Molasses Act of 1733 and followed by the Sugar Act of 1760, a shift in alcohol consumption changed due to both necessity and protests against taxation of molasses, the main ingredient in rum production.
Split into simpler sentences: Starting with the Molasses Act of 1733, followed by the Sugar Act of 1760, a shift in alcohol consumption occurred. This was more than a protest against taxation of molasses, the main ingredient in rum production.