Stamp Act

Sons of Liberty

Sending soldiers to America to fight + 7 long years

of fighting = broke British government The king and Parliament decided to tax the

American colonies to help pay for some of the war debt.

They thought because they were fighting to protect the colonies, the colonies should help pay for it.

Colonists didn’t disagree with the idea of paying taxes, but with the idea that the British government could tax them without their consent.

French & Indian War

This wasn’t the first tax, but it was

the most important because it was the first direct tax placed on the colonists.

Before this all taxes were indirect, or paid by the merchants.

Taxed paper – legal documents, newspapers, playing cards.

Stamp Act

Colonists felt they should not have to obey a

government that didn’t give them a vote. Colonists thought all taxes should be enacted

through their local colonial legislature/assemblies.

Colonists met in a “Stamp Act Congress” to organize a boycott of British goods.

The boycott worked, causing Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act.

“No taxation without representation!”

Groups of colonists organized to protest the

taxes being imposed by Parliament. Christopher Gadsden was a merchant from

Charles Town who spoke out against the British taxes. Served as a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress Founder and leader of the Charles Town Sons of

Liberty The Sons of Liberty enforced boycotts through

persuasion and intimidation.

Sons (and Daughters) of Liberty