Response to the Stamp Act. Flashcards
When were the Virginia Resolves?
29th May 1765.
Who introduced them and where?
Patrick Henry introduced them Virginia House of Burgesses.
What were the Virginia Resolves?
7 resolutions attacking the stamp act, and threatened resistance.
What resolutions did they adopt?
30th May, 39 Burgesses (not unanimously) adopted five.
. Colonists possessed rights of Englishmen.
. Colonists rights guaranteed by royal charter.
. Colonists could be taxed if they had proper representation.
. Colonists had the right to give consent to their laws.
. The House of Burgesses had the sole right to tax Virginia.
What happened to these resolutions, and what was the impact of this?
Printed in many colonial newspapers- so gave the impression that Virginia had rejected the Stamp Act, and sanctioned open resistance if it was enforced.
What was the situation by the end of 1765?
8 other assemblies had condemned the act. Most had drawn up petitions to the crown and parliament asking for the Act’s repeal.
When was the Stamp Act Congress?
Suggested in June 1765 by Massachusetts assembly. Met in October in New York.
How many delegates attended the Stamp Act Congress?
27 delegates from 9 colonies attended. All men of a high social standing.
What happened at the Stamp Act Congress?
They denounced the Stamp Act, and claimed only their own laws could impose taxes on them.
All meeting together unified the activists.
Give 4 points on the ideological debate regarding the Stamp Act.
. Not prepared to accept taxation w/o representation, but representation in Parliament believed to be impractical due to distance.
. Many believed that gov was oppressive, and encroached on individual rights.
. Conspiracy to deprive Americans of their liberties widely disseminated; made Bute and Grenville seen as villains.
. Concerns over a standing army in america- believed that it would be used to force colonists to yield to taxes.
Popular protest- where did resistance to the Stamp Act originate?
Originated in Boston, among a group of artisans (the loyal nine). Leader was Samuel Adams.
Who did the loyal nine target?
supporters of the Stamp Act- such as Andrew Oliver, who was Massachusetts designated stamp distributor.
List some supporters of the Stamp Act.
Andrew Oliver, Thomas Hutchinson, Governor Francis Bernard.
Detail the mob action against the Stamp Act.
Adams turned to gangs for support, united against cause.
. 14th August, effigies of Oliver and Bute hung from Liberty tree in Boston.
. Ordered to be cut down, crowd stopped from taking action.
. Mob tore down Oliver’s office, destroyed house, resigned from the post.
. 26th August 1765, crowd damaged houses of British officials, and attacked Hutchinson’s mansion.
What was the response to the mob action against the Stamp Act?
Governor Bernard raised a militia- many rich Bostonians feared that popular resentment towards the Stamp Act would turn into an attack on property by the poor.
Was able to maintain order for several weeks, but news of events spread, so did crowd action, leading to Stamp distributors resigning or fleeing in every colony.
Who did the Sons of Liberty include?
. Started in 1765.
. included members of the elite
. small merchants
. artisans
. dissident intellectuals
. Samuel Adams in charge.
Why were the Sons of Liberty not effective?
. organisation far from united.
. sons had limited influence in southern colonies.
. it was an urban movement, but towns were less than 5% of Americas population.
What were the economic sanctions in response to the Stamp Act?
An appeal to the public not to buy British goods.
When were the economic sanctions agreed?
In October 1765, leading merchants in New York signed an agreement not to import goods from Britain until it was repealed.
