Britain’s first notion towards taxation was the Sugar Act of 1764. Recommended by Prime Minister George Grenville, the Sugar Act was an indirect tax on sugar. The act was ratified during a time of economic depression for the Colonies, and while it was indiscreet, it angered many colonists. The goal of the Sugar Act was to raise money for the national debt and regulate trade with non-British traders, something the previous Molasses Act had attempted to do so ineffectively. …show more content…
The act also required that ship captains keep detailed logs of the ships’ cargo manifest, and papers had to be verified by British officials before the cargo could be brought to port. The Sugar Act led to an increase in smuggling, as many colonial merchants feared that the tax would drive them out of business. In the end, the Sugar Act did not prove very successful, as it was repealed in 1766. However, it lit the spark for the powder keg of American independence.
The Stamp Act, introduced 1765, proved far more effective towards the colonists, much to their disdain. The tax was direct, and it required that all official documents be produced in London and be embossed with a revenue stamp. The Stamp Act affected legal documents such as wills and court papers, as well as newspapers, magazines, and playing cards. The British claimed the purpose of the tax was to pay for the protection of the Colonies. The tax drew immediate outcry, as the colonists felt it impeded on “their rights as Englishmen to be taxed without their consent”. This consent could only be granted with the approval of colonial legislatures. The Stamp Act was protested by the Stamp Act Congress, a group of colonials from all thirteen colonies who petitioned to King George III and Parliament to repeal the act. The patriot organization, the Sons of Liberty, played a large role in protesting the tax, inciting many violent protests throughout the northeast. Collectors of the tax were intimidated, and the majority resigned from their positions. The tax was never collected effectively. The Stamp Act was also unpopular with many British merchants, whose exports weren’t purchased as much in the colonies as they had been before due to the economic strife. With this pressure, Parliament repealed the act on March 18th, 1776. However, the Declaratory Act was ratified on the same day. The Declaratory Act stated that Parliament had the same authority on matters in America as in Britain, and Parliament had the authority to pass any law on the American colonies. Reaction to the Declaratory Act was mixed. Many colonists saw the repealment of the Stamp Act as a victory for them, while others felt the Declaratory Act hinted more acts were coming. Ironically, the Declaratory Act was copied nearly word-for-word from the Irish Declaratory Act, which placed Ireland under servitude of the British crown. Many felt the Declaratory Act implied this would be the same fate for the colonists of America. The