Topic 2.2: Taxed by England
Taxes, Taxes, Taxes
Events leading to the American Revolutionary War were largely the result of the attempt by the British king and Parliament to impose taxes on the colonies in order to pay the French and Indian War debt. Colonists believed it was the right of their colonial assemblies to impose taxes, not the King or Parliament.
The Stamp Act
The most important tax imposed by Parliament was the Stamp Act. This act placed a tax or duty on paper, such as legal documents and newspapers which the colonists paid directly. Taxes before the Stamp Act had been indirect taxes – taxes paid by the merchants (sellers), not the colonists. Angry colonists protested “No taxation without representation” because colonists did not have their own representative in Parliament. Colonists wanted only their own colonial assemblies to continue to impose taxes. Colonists organized a Stamp Act Congress and a boycott on British goods that led to the repeal of the Stamp Act. They also organized the Sons and Daughters of Liberty in order to protest British taxes. The Sons of Liberty played a significant role in enforcing the boycotts through persuasion and intimidation. The Daughters of Liberty engaged in spinning bees and refused to buy British products.
The Townshend Duties and the Tea Act
The British then imposed another indirect tax through the Townshend duties, which were import taxes on paint, paper, tea, and a variety of goods. The colonists at this point were unwilling even to accept an import tax because it was designed to collect revenue, not to regulate trade. Again the colonists used a boycott and the Townshend duties were repealed except for the tax on tea. Although most of the Townshend duties had been repealed, the tax on tea remained. In addition to the tax on tea, Parliament created the Tea Act – which was NOT a tax. This act gave the British East India Company exclusive rights to sell tea in the colonies because the East India Tea Company had financial problems and Parliament wanted to help the company. Colonists had already been boycotting tea because of the tax but now the Sons of Liberty feared that the availability of cheap tea (the Company sold at bargain prices) would end the boycott.
“Tea Parties” and the Intolerable Acts
But the colonists still boycotted. Georgetown and Charles Town had small “tea parties” that were not as large as the famous Boston protest, but did not allow the tea to be sold. In addition, in Charleston, the tea cargo sat on the docks to rot. The Boston Tea Party – throwing tea overboard the ships while dressed as Natives –led to Parliament’s passage of what the colonists called the Intolerable Acts. Colonists sent delegates to a Continental Congress in order to address the problem of the Intolerable Acts.
Events leading to the American Revolutionary War were largely the result of the attempt by the British king and Parliament to impose taxes on the colonies in order to pay the French and Indian War debt. Colonists believed it was the right of their colonial assemblies to impose taxes, not the King or Parliament.
The Stamp Act
The most important tax imposed by Parliament was the Stamp Act. This act placed a tax or duty on paper, such as legal documents and newspapers which the colonists paid directly. Taxes before the Stamp Act had been indirect taxes – taxes paid by the merchants (sellers), not the colonists. Angry colonists protested “No taxation without representation” because colonists did not have their own representative in Parliament. Colonists wanted only their own colonial assemblies to continue to impose taxes. Colonists organized a Stamp Act Congress and a boycott on British goods that led to the repeal of the Stamp Act. They also organized the Sons and Daughters of Liberty in order to protest British taxes. The Sons of Liberty played a significant role in enforcing the boycotts through persuasion and intimidation. The Daughters of Liberty engaged in spinning bees and refused to buy British products.
The Townshend Duties and the Tea Act
The British then imposed another indirect tax through the Townshend duties, which were import taxes on paint, paper, tea, and a variety of goods. The colonists at this point were unwilling even to accept an import tax because it was designed to collect revenue, not to regulate trade. Again the colonists used a boycott and the Townshend duties were repealed except for the tax on tea. Although most of the Townshend duties had been repealed, the tax on tea remained. In addition to the tax on tea, Parliament created the Tea Act – which was NOT a tax. This act gave the British East India Company exclusive rights to sell tea in the colonies because the East India Tea Company had financial problems and Parliament wanted to help the company. Colonists had already been boycotting tea because of the tax but now the Sons of Liberty feared that the availability of cheap tea (the Company sold at bargain prices) would end the boycott.
“Tea Parties” and the Intolerable Acts
But the colonists still boycotted. Georgetown and Charles Town had small “tea parties” that were not as large as the famous Boston protest, but did not allow the tea to be sold. In addition, in Charleston, the tea cargo sat on the docks to rot. The Boston Tea Party – throwing tea overboard the ships while dressed as Natives –led to Parliament’s passage of what the colonists called the Intolerable Acts. Colonists sent delegates to a Continental Congress in order to address the problem of the Intolerable Acts.
Content information was obtained from the South Carolina state standards support document for eighth grade Social Studies. This document can be located at http://www.ed.sc.gov/agency/se/Instructional-Practices-and-Evaluations/documents/Grade8SupportDocument.pdf .All images were obtained from Google.com and were labeled as Free to Use or Share.