Taxing The Colonies

A choice: How will the colonists achieve their freedom?

The Stamp Act of 1765 was imposed by the British government under King George III. It imposed a tax on all papers and official documents in the American colonies, though not in England. Included under the act were bonds, licenses, certificates, and other official documents as well as unofficial items, like plain parchment and playing cards.

The American colonists were angered by the Stamp Act and quickly acted to oppose it, but because of the distance from the colonies to the king, a direct appeal or official opposition statement was almost impossible. Instead, the colonists made clear their opposition by simply refusing to pay the tax.

The colonists were so angry that they organized boycotts of British goods as well as protests and demonstrations. In Boston on March 5, 1770, British military occupation and control over the colonists continued to rise as a result of the protests.

A deadly fight took place between the colonists and British soldiers. This event, known as the Boston Massacre, killed five colonists and injured six.

King George III was in debt from a long war with the French, so he taxed some of the products the colonists were buying to help repay his debts.

Let’s Reflect:

What is a protest? A protest is a demonstration that is done by one or many people and can take many forms. One example of a protest is a march with people carrying signs and wearing t-shirts and stickers. Protests give people the opportunity to tell a government, a company, or a group: “Hey! We don’t like what you’re doing. You need to change these things if you want our support.”

It’s important to remember that protests should always be peaceful. Protesters should respect other people and their property.

During one colonial protest, while the colonists continued rallying support, British soldiers were deployed to enforce these laws and keep the unruly colonists in line. The presence of British troops, called “Redcoats” because of the color of their uniform, increased tensions between the colonists and the British crown.

Resisting the British: A Plan Would Eventually Be Formed.

The First Continental Congress.

In the fall of 1774, the First Continental Congress, a gathering of delegates (or representatives) from every colony except Georgia, got together in Philadelphia to discuss American resistance to the British. The colonists had high hopes that forming a united front would put an end to British oppression. The colonists first issued a strong declaration, listing the things that the British government had done that were wrong and infringed on their freedom, liberty, and right to representation in government.

Finding Compromise.

The colonists also wrote a respectful petition – or letter – to King George III, saying that if he addressed their issues, they would remain loyal to the king. The goal of the colonists was not to start a war with the king. They wanted the complete opposite, in fact: peace. Yet, the British were not willing to find a compromise with the colonists to preserve the liberty they wanted and the treatment they felt was fair. These events set the stage for the American Revolutionary War, which would come a few years later.

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