The Stamp Act and Its Effects

*Because of the French and Indian War, Great Britain was deeply in debt. Added to that dept was the coast of sending troops to protect the western lands. The British decided to turn to the colonist to help pay for the troops.

*To raise money, the British used a tax. A tax is money people pay to their government.

*In 1765, Parliament, Britain’s law making body, passed the

Stamp Act. --everything made of paper in the American colonies had to have an official stamp before it could be bought, used,

or sold.

*The colonists were angry because they thought they should have the same rights as the British since they were the ones paying the tax.

*In 1765, the Virginia House of Burgesses, (the colony’s lawmaking body) pointed out the wrong-doing.

*9 Colonies sent representatives to a Stamp Act Congress in October 1765—they asked Parliament to repeal, or cancel the Stamp Act.

*Although some used words to protest, others chose action.

*The Sons of Liberty encouraged the colonists to defy the Stamp Act.

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Sons of Liberty!• Originated in Boston, Massachusetts• Encouraged the colonists to defy the Stamp Act.• Other cities began to form their own Sons of Liberty• They burned the stamps and threatened stamp sellers• Some stamp agents were covered with tar or molasses, then

coated in feathers! (soon, no one was willing to sell the stamps…….)

• Members of Parliament angrily defended the Stamp Act—others rejected it. Eventually, the colonist won, and the Stamp Act

• was repealed in 1766.

Townshend Acts…..

• British still wanted to raise money. • Charles Townshend, a British official,

was determined to raise money from the colonies.

• He placed a new set of taxes on products the colonists imported from England.

• This new set of taxes is called the Townshend Acts.

• (They thought the colonies would obey)

Resistance Builds!

• Townshend was wrong!• People were being taxed on paper, paint, glass, lead,

and tea• The colonists only wanted to be taxed by their

lawmakers.• “No taxation without representation!”• People began to boycott!

• A group of women who called themselves “Daughters of Liberty” refused British-made goods.

• Instead of buying British tea and cloth, the Daughters of Liberty made their own tea from herbs and wove their own cloth.

• They boycotted both taxed and untaxed items.• The Sons of Liberty became active again…..• Samuel Adams=fiery speeches• James Otis=wrote pamphlets on the rights of

colonists• James's sister, Mary=wrote patriotic plays and poems• **Alamred, the British sent troops!—they were angry,

many British merchants had lost a great deal of money….

• ****The colonists had won for now—British took away all of the tax except that on tea…….

British Colonists