The Stamp Act of 1765 • Most important event leading to the American Revolution • Purpose: Raise revenues to support military• Provisions:

– Purchase and use special stamped paper for newspapers, customs documents, marriage certificates, death certificates, mortgages, insurance policies, liquor licenses, & playing cards.

• Both Sugar Act and Stamp Act - offenders - admiralty courts

• Projected revenues – 12-20% of military expenses

Sugar Act• EXTERNAL TAX –

Levied on IMPORTS• Regulate trade, fell mainly

on merchants and ship captains

Stamp Act• INTERNAL TAX – levied

directly on property, goods, and government services IN the colonies

• Raise revenue for the crown and touched everyone – if you make a will, transferred property, bought playing cards, newspapers…

Grenville’s' view:• Stamp Act - reasonable and

just – Colonials pay fair share for colonial defense – Stamp Act in Britain much heavier, in effect since

1695

Resisting the Stamp Act• May 1765 – Patrick Henry (VA Lawyer) -

Virginia Resolves • 5 of 7 resolutions adopted by

House of Burgesses, including non-importation.

• Claimed Virginia could only be taxed by Virginians. – "No taxation w/o representation"

• Assemblies of 8 other colonies passed resolutions similar to Virginia’s.

• Colonies had "virtual representation" in Parliament – All British subjects were represented, even those who did

not vote for members in Parliament.

• Colonists dismissed "virtual representation“

• Did not really want "direct representation" (actual representation) – Would mean increased taxes (as in Britain) – Increased responsibilities to the crown – Colonial reps. would be heavily outnumbered in Parliament

Stamp Act Congress (1765) • Brought together 27 delegates from 9 colonies• Statement of rights and grievances – Parliament no

authority to levy taxes outside GB, deny any person jury trial

• demanded end to the Stamp Act

• Set precedent for future resistance to British rule.

• Non-importation agreements against British goods.

• Grass-roots resistance (means??)

• Loyal Nine – artisans, shopkeepers, businessmen in Boston

• Pressure stamp collectors to resign

• Why Boston???• Andrew Oliver/Thomas Hutchinson• Sons of Liberty

Sons of Liberty • Samuel Adams

• Violently enforced nonimportation agreements against violators; (tarring & feathering was one painful tactic).

• Late 1765 - stamp act agents were forced to resign; no one risked selling stamps.

• October 31, 1765 – NY merchants –

BOYCOTT British goods– Other cities followed

• Colonists purchased 40% of England’s manufactured goods!!

–PANIC!!

Stamp Act repealed in 1766

• Parliament - Declaratory Act • Way it was worded – Colonists saw it as a way

to save face – Parliament saw it - right to tax colonies in the

future.

Quartering Act, 1765

• Provide food/quarters for British troops.

• INDIRECT TAX – colonial assemblies had to raise $$

• NY – most soldiers

• New York Suspending Act – NY resisting, GB threatened to nullify all laws passed by colony if assembly refused to vote supplies