Stamp Act 1765

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Stamp Act 1765
Long title An act for granting and applying certain stamp duties, and other duties, in the British colonies and plantations in America, towards further defraying the expenses of defending, protecting, and securing the same; and for amending such parts of the several acts of parliament relating to the trade and revenues of the said colonies and plantations, as direct the manner of determining and recovering the penalties and forfeitures therein mentioned.
Territorial extent	British America
Royal assent	22 March 1765
Commenced	1 November 1765
Introduced by	George Grenville
Repealed by
Repeal Act 1766
Status: Repealed

The Stamp Act 1765 was an act of the Parliament of Great Britain that imposed a direct tax on the Thirteen Colonies in British America and required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London, carrying an embossed revenue stamp. These printed materials were legal documents, magazines, newspapers, and many other types of paper used throughout the colonies. The purpose of the tax was to help pay for troops stationed in North America after the British victory in the Seven Years' War and to assert the right of the British Parliament to tax the colonies.

Background

The British government had accumulated a massive debt following the Seven Years' War, also known as the French and Indian War in North America. The war had been expensive, and the British government sought ways to generate revenue to cover the costs of maintaining a standing army in the colonies. George Grenville, the British Prime Minister, proposed the Stamp Act as a means to raise funds directly from the colonies.

Provisions

The Stamp Act required that many types of printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London, which carried an embossed revenue stamp. These materials included legal documents, magazines, newspapers, and many other types of paper. The act also specified that the revenue collected from the stamp tax would be used to pay for the defense and protection of the American frontier near the Appalachian Mountains.

Colonial Reaction

The Stamp Act was met with widespread resistance in the colonies. Many colonists viewed the act as a violation of their rights as Englishmen to be taxed only by their own elected representatives. The slogan "no taxation without representation" became a rallying cry against the act. Colonial assemblies sent petitions and protests to London, and the Stamp Act Congress convened in October 1765 to coordinate a response. The act also led to the formation of the Sons of Liberty, a group that used direct action to oppose the tax.

Repeal

The widespread opposition to the Stamp Act and the economic boycott of British goods led to its repeal on 18 March 1766. The Repeal Act 1766 was accompanied by the Declaratory Act, which asserted the British Parliament's right to legislate for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever."

Legacy

The Stamp Act 1765 is often cited as a significant event leading up to the American Revolution. It united the colonies in opposition to British rule and set the stage for future acts of resistance, including the Boston Tea Party and the First Continental Congress.

Related Pages

• Townshend Acts
• Tea Act
• Intolerable Acts
• Boston Massacre
• American Revolution
• Sons of Liberty
• Stamp Act Congress
• Declaratory Act