Taxes, Legislations and Reactions Flashcards
Sugar act
Tax implemented to increase revenue and decrease level of avoidance
Tax was at 6d per Gallon but lowered to 3d
New 3d tax much more rigorously enforced
Caused unrest due to old tax not being enforced as much
Currency act
Banned the colonial currency
In future only GB currency could be used which made it harder for the colonists to pay their debts
Resulted in severe colonial depression
Caused unrest as showed centralised control from GB
Stamp act
A tax imposed on any legal documents, covering any printed or formally written, including newspapers and legal documents
Affected every colonist
Led to Virginian resolves in which the right of parliament to tax the colonists without their consent was refuted
Led to stamp tax congress
Led to the foundation of the loyal nine, later known as the sons of liberty
Repeal of the Stamp tax and Declatory act
A heated parliamentary debate did lead to a repeal in March 1766
However on the same day parliament passed the Declatory act which made clear that parliament had not abandoned its rights to legislate or tax colonists
Despite the Declatory act the repeal of the Stamp tax was still met with joy
Townshend duties
Charles Townshend implemented a series of duties in order to raise revenue for troops stationed in colonies and to ensure the colonists accepted that their elected assemblies were subordinate to British parliament
Range of external taxes on the import of : Wine, China, Glass, Tea, Paper, Paint and Lead
Colonies couldn’t produce these goods therefore had no choice but to pay
Led to Massachusetts assembly which led to the renowned phrase of “No taxation without representation”
Quartering act
This act required colonial assemblies to provide GB troops with accommodation and food which would lower their cost of stationary
Most colonists bar New York agreed which led to the 1767 New York restraining act which suspended the New York assembly until it agreed
Caused further damage in relations as the colonists didn’t like the fact that their assemblies could be suspended
Boston Massacre
Colonists seized one of the soldiers guarding the customs house, in an attempt to rescue him the soldiers were attacked and under provocation opened fire- killing 5 civilians, further discrediting the British gov, many colonists came to believe the massacre was planned
Tea act
Act which allowed the East India company which was facing bankruptcy to export cheap tea directly to the colonies
This would give the East India company a virtual monopoly in the tea trade and threatened the colonial merchants selling other tea
Boston Tea Party
60 sons of liberty dresses as mohawk Native Americans in order to disguise themselves
They then boarded the ship and threw 342 chests of tea worth about £10k into the harbour
The navy did not respond as they feared it would only make the situation worse
The Intolerable acts
Reactionary act from the GB gov who weren’t happy with their authority being challenged via the tea party
Passed 4 acts:
Boston port to remained closed until damaged tea was paid for
Authority of the governor was increased as the expense of the assembly
Murder trials were transferred to GB to ensure that the colonists would not be allowed sympathetic jurists
A new Quartering act was imposed
Proclamation act
Law prohibiting British colonists from moving west of the Appalachian mountains in order to try and prevent another costly war with the Native Americans
