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Throughout early American history, England had a strong hold on the development of a new country. Because of this, England saw they could tax the colonies on everyday items. On March 22, 1765, the British Parliament passed what was called the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act taxed the colonies on any item made from printed paper: ranging from newspaper, to legal documents, and even something like playing cards. The money that was used to pay the taxes went to the costs of defending and keeping safe the American frontier close to the Appalachian Mountains during the seven year's war. However the cost of the tax was fairly small. Previously, taxes on colonial deals had always been seen as a way to control commerce, and not to raise funds. Colonists …show more content…
When all hope was released from the hearts of the colonists, the House of Burgesses in Virginia gave all support to Patrick Henry's Stamp Act Resolve. It was stated that Americans most definitely had the same rights as anyone else. The colonists always thought they should be taxed by their representatives only, but no one wanted to stand up to England. They believed they should be taxed, only if the House of Burgesses voted on it. So the House of Burgesses stepped in and tried to set the colonies free of the taxes forced on them by England. The House of Burgesses bested the most crucial of Henry's resolutions. However their were four others that had been adopted by the governor of Virginia, Fauquier, who didn't exactly approve of the resolutions. Therefore he dissolved the House of Burgesses responding to their …show more content…
There was a group that formed called "Sons of Liberty", and was lead by Sam Adams. This group of men intimidated the tax collectors from England. The "Sons of Liberty", had thought up an idea to "scare" away the tax collectors, that way when the stamps arrived on ships from England, there would be no one to hand the stamps out. Not only did they strike fear into the lives of tax collectors, they created boycotts, essentially saying they would not buy goods that was imported from England. Soon after this, the colonists sent people as representatives to the Stamp Act Congress, who wanted a united response in the colonies. This proved to be an extremely important step in the right direction. At last the Americans were uniting as one force against British government. The Stamp Act Congress had sent letters of protest, not only to British parliament, but to the king of England. Also the Stamp Act Congress devised a plan to not just boycott and resist buying England's goods; but to make their own goods and supplies with the resources they
When the British passed the Stamp Act, the colonists reacted in various ways. The Stamp Act, passed in 1765, put taxes on all printed goods in the colonies. Specifically, newspapers, legal documents, dice,
The British were facing economic difficulties after the French and Indian war; therefore, they passed taxes on the colonies to help repay the debt. Initially, the British introduced the Sugar Act in 1764. The colonists did not approve of the British taking control over them. The colonists opposed the Sugar Act because they had to pay three cent tax on sugar. In addition, the Sugar Act increased the taxes on coffee, indigo, and wine. This act was the start of colonist frustration. Subsequently came the Stamp Act the following year in 1765. The Stamp Act was the mind changer for many colonists known as the Patriots. The Patriots started forming as a result of England enforcing acts. The patriots believed the colonies should go to war and separate
Taxation was imposed across the colonies, and loyalists and patriots alike could not support said tax. The Virginia House of Burgesses clearly considered themselves British in their resolution passed in 1764 to inform the King
It was not all as good for the Colonies as it seemed, however, for with that came the Declarative Act. The Declarative Act states that, “That the King 's Majesty, by and with the consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons of Great Britain, in parliament assembled, had, hath, and of right ought to have, full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America, subjects of the crown of Great Britain, in all cases whatsoever” (Temperley). This nullified any progress the House of Burgesses had accomplished. There was still hope however for the King George III appointed a new minister. He made a name for him self in the Colonies in the French and Indian War. He was sympathetic to the Colonies and was a supporter in repealing the Stamp Act. His name was William Pitt. Unfortunately for the Colonists, he fell ill shortly after taking office and passed and was replaced by Townshend. Townshend had quite the opposite views as Pitt. He supported generating yet even more revenue from the Colonies. He adds taxes on lead, paint, paper, glass, and tea. He also set out to quell the power of the upstart American assemblies. He used the New York legislature to set a bold example. The New York legislature was not recognizing the Quartering Act. Townshend suspended the Assembly until they submitted and agreed to recognize and follow the act. Such
(140) It was during this time period that “the government in London concerned itself with the colonies in unprecedented ways…to help raise funds to pay for the war and finance the empire.” (Forner 141) The British government was heavily in debt after fighting the Seven Years War on several fronts. The need to raise funds was paramount and the colonies were a ready source. The British government started imposing taxes on the colonies as a means of income. This was a change in the relationship between America and the mother country. Many Americans opposed these taxes. (Forner 142- 143) According to Forner, “Opposition to the Stamp Act was the first great Drama of the revolutionary era and the first major split between the colonist and Great Britain over the meaning of freedom.” (142) This act was eventually repealed by Parliament in 1766 after great opposition by Americans. (Forner 144) The Stamp Act was just the beginning of several events and taxes on the colonist leading up the Boston Tea
He addressed the cruel taxes and policies that have been placed upon the American people. He also, speaks of the tiring efforts of the colonies to overcome the impossible British policies. Henry begins his statement with the numerous actions taken by people in response to the British approach to limit their freedom. Writing in the statement, Henry complains that many actions have been taken in an effort to achieve freedom but have failed. Henry himself writes, “In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation?”. In making this comment Henry urges the British to be prepared for them. After overcoming the stamp act , Henry urges the British to be ready for revolution if freedom is not given. This exactly, Henry points out, if basic privileges are not given to men and women, there will be a war. Henry himself writes. “give me liberty, or give me death!”. Basically, Henry is warning that if freedom is not given, he is willing to fight until it is. Patrick Henry’s statement is crucial to the American cause in the War for Independence. He led the fight against the stamp act, after being elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1765. Also, he proposed his argument for going to war was in an effort to live as free men and fight. His speech inspired men to join the cause and fight for
In 1765, England passed on the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act taxed a seal that was required on important documents in England, and extended that tax across the Atlantic Ocean, and into the colonies. The tax seemed like a fair deal because all the revenue generated in the colonies from the tax, would stay in the colonies, rather than get sent back to England. Even though it was
Through many means of protest such as the Boston Tea Party, boycotting British goods and products, and the formation of many protest groups such as the Sons and Daughters of Liberty that made it possible for the colonists to fight off the English influence. The Boston Tea Party in Boston was a major factor when it came to the independence of America because it showed that the colonists could work together and formulate a plan such as disguising themselves as Mohawk Indians to intimidate the enemy and successfully dispose of hundreds of barrels of tea into the Boston Harbor. Now with cause comes effect, the cause was that the English had lost a lot of money and profit once the tea was disposed of, but the major reaction of the English was to retaliate. England had sent an increase in troops to the colonies to oversee what was happening with the formulation of protests and the British government had also passed the Intolerable Act, which closed down the harbor to repair any damage caused by the actions of the Boston Tea Party, and made it so that more restrictions were put on the colonists for their actions. As a result of this act being put into place, the colonists had also retaliated by forming the First Continental Congress which was a meeting of the delegates of the thirteen colonies except Georgia because Georgia was a state that homed debtors and criminals. As stated in Document E, “A Declaration by the Representative of the United Colonies of North America, now met in Congress at Philadelphia, setting forth the causes and necessity of their taking up arms.” This has showed that the colonists would do anything and everything within their power to rid the colonies of the oppressive and selfies rule of the British empire forever even if it meant violence and death would be a result of their
In the 1760s King George III enacted the Sugar Act and the Stamp act to gain extra revenue from his colonies. King George III decided to enact heavier taxes to put money back into the empire that had been lost after the French and Indian War. This act levied heavy taxes on sugar imported from the West Indies. The Stamp Act in 1765 required that many items have a stamp to prove that the owner had payed for the taxes on the item. The problem the colonists had with it was that it increased the presence of English troops in the Colonies and they felt it was unneeded and only meant to put more control into Great Britain's hands.
Without colonial consent, the British started their bid to raise revenue with the Sugar Act of 1764 which increased duties colonists would have to pay on imports into America. When the Sugar Act failed, the Stamp Act of 1765 which required a stamp to be purchased with colonial products was enacted. This act angered the colonists to no limit and with these acts, the British Empire poked at the up to now very civil colonists. The passing of the oppressive Intolerable Acts that took away the colonists’ right to elected officials and Townshend Acts which taxed imports and allowed British troops without warrants to search colonist ships received a more aggravated response from the colonist that would end in a Revolution.
Taxes had been rising for the colonies for years prior 1765. It was not appreciated but the colonists tolerated it. Those tax acts included the Townshend Act. That is, until the spring of 1765 when British Parliament passed the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act required a tax to be put on all paper goods. This included all ship papers, legal documents, licenses, and newspapers. It was considered a small tax in cost but the reaction of the colonist was nothing but offended. All the things that the colonist used to develop and have their daily lives separate from British government was now being taxed. Although the act was not passed until November of 1765, the colonists already felt victimized by the Stamp Act and the discrimination from Great Britain. These emotions and reactions quickly followed as motivation to do something again the act. The same can be said for how the Sons of Liberty was started.
To start, the Stamp Act was a tax on the American colonies by the British Parliament. This act was formed in order to raise revenue to pay the costs of governing and protecting the American colonies. This act was supported by Britain’s Chancellor of the treasury department, George Greenville. Paul Gilje points out that, “Since Great Britain had accumulated a debt over £135 million the British first minister, George Greenville, thought it only appropriate that the colonies contribute to their own defense. Maintaining an army in North America would cost about £200,000 per year” (Gilje, Paul A). This act required stamps to be put on all legal and commercial documents such as licenses, liquor permits, newspapers, almanacs, advertisements, papers that were issued in the colonies and various articles like dice and playing cards. Colonists could not participate in any business without the stamped paper. Gilje also explains that, “Anyone interested in any transaction—whether it was buying a ...
The war had been enormously expensive, and the British government’s attempts to impose taxes on colonists to help cover these expenses resulted in chaos. English leaders, were not satisfied with the financial and military help they had received from the colonists during the war. In a desperate attempt to gain control over the colonies as well as the additional revenue to pay off the war debt, Britain began to force taxes on the colonies. Which resulted in The Stamp Act, passed by parliament and signed by the king in March 1765. The Stamp Act created an excise tax on legal documents, custom papers, newspapers, almanacs, college diplomas, playing cards, and even dice. Obviously the colonist resented the Stamp Act and the assumption that parliament could tax them whenever and however they could without their direct representation in parliament. Most colonials believed that taxation without their consent was a violation of their constitutional rights as Englishmen. Which is where the slogan “No Taxation without Representation” comes
After the Seven Years Way England was broke for she had spent more money needed to win the war. Also winning the war gave the colonist a “we can do it spirit”. However because England now was facing debt she decided to tax the colonies. One the first acts passed was the sugar act passed in 1764. This Act was the raise revenue in American colonies. What it did was lowered the tax from six penses to three penses per gallon on foreign molasses. Molasses is a product made by refining sugarcane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. This upset the colonist because before the sugar act they didn’t have to pay the tax so even if it was lowered that meant nothing for they now had to pay for it. A year later, in 1765, the Britain’s passed another act known as the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act put a tax on stamped paper, publications, playing cards, etc. Because it was on all paper products in a way it affected everyone; from the papers for the upper class such as lawyers, publications such as newspapers for the middle class, and playing cards for the lower class for entertainment. Next, the Townshend Act passed by Charles Townshend. This came in 1767, which imposed taxes on colonial tea, lead, paint, paper, and glass which just like the Stamp Act affected all of the classes in the colonist in the Americas. Though this act was removed three years later in 1770, it still left colonists with a warning that conditions may become worse. Around 1773, parliament passed the Intolerable Acts one of those acts which affected taxation was the Bost...
So the government decided to place taxes in. The Stamp Act was taxes, the Stamp Act it states, “Right and Power to lay Taxes and Impositions upon the inhabitants of this Colony.” It was hard for the merchant to trade because they had to pay taxes to people. In Zinn it said that merchants helped start a protest against the stamp act, “A political group in Boston called the Loyal Nine-merchants, distillers, shipowners, and master craftsmen who opposed the Stamp Act-organized a procession in August 1765 to protest it.” This shows that they didn’t like being tax. In “We are equally Free,” in said “Two years earlier, some merchants had organized boycotts against certain products imported from Great Britain (a strategy known as nonimportation) to resist British taxation measures aimed at the rebellious Americans.” As shown by this tried to protest