Stamp Act Crisis

The Stamp Act Crisis

One major event that reveals insight on the cause of the American Revolution was the passing of the Stamp Act by the British Parliament on March 22, 1765. It required the colonists to pay a tax for stamped paper that all legal documents including marriage licenses, diplomas, newspapers and even playing cards were to be printed on. Prime Minister George Grenville proposed that a tax should be imposed among the colonies to help offset the costs of sending troops needed for their own protection and maintenance. The revenue that would then generate from this act was to be used solely for this purpose. In addition to this, the Stamp Act would not only make money for Britain, but Grenville intended for this tax to demonstrate
The colonists needed to show Britain that they were not going to be dictated and told what to do if it wasn't to their advantage. The colonists proceeded to throw protests during political assemblies, they put forth pressure through popular crowd actions and riots, and they boycotted English goods. This gave Parliament a taste of what they were in for in the future when situations of colonial resistance would arise. A more formal way of the colonists' rebellion can be seen through the Stamp Act Congress. As first suggested by James Otis, the Massachusetts legislature issued for a general congress to meet in New York and find ways of resisting the British law. As a result, unity occurred within the colonists, and 27 delegates from nine colonies were sent to the meeting. They drafted a set of resolutions that stood for the colonial attitudes in response to the Stamp Act. Among the resolutions, the congress resolved that since they possessed the rights of all British-born subjects, it was their right not to be taxed without their consent, that no taxes could be imposed against the colonies except by their own assemblies and that they were not properly represented in Parliament. In addition to this, many of the colonies agreed to not purchase any British goods until the Stamp Act was
He also pointed out that if the resistance were to be neglected, there would soon be an end to the commerce in which Parliament derives her greatest power from, as well as where her maritime power is based upon. Due to this commercial pressure, the resolutions made by the colonists did not impact Parliament's decision nearly as much as the threat of losing trade did. After one year of debating, Parliament was then forced to repeal the Stamp Act in 1766. They certainly overestimated their power to impose laws and it confirmed their fear of having defiant and unruly