Stamp Act

In March 1765 the English Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which imposed a tax on all paper imported into the American colonies. To get the paper they needed for such common items as newspapers, pamphlets, marriage licenses, deeds to lands, diplomas, and even playing cards, colonists would have to pay to have the papers stamped. The act angered many colonists, particularly the lawyers, merchants, and printers who were most directly affected. Great resistance, often violent, spread throughout the colonies.

Financial woes

The British government had depleted its treasury in fighting France during the French and Indian War (1754–63). Although the war had been fought in the New World, most of the fighting happened outside of colonial territories. Parliament, however, believed the colonies should share in the expense of the war. England also needed money for maintaining a military presence in the colonies.

Adding to Britain's financial problems, the Sugar Act , imposed on the colonies in 1764, was not bringing in as much money as Parliament had hoped. Although colonists were already angered by the Sugar Act, Parliament passed the Stamp Act to increase revenue from the colonies to meet England's financial needs.

Colonial reactions

The Stamp Act angered colonists for several reasons. As they had for the Sugar Act, colonists argued that Parliament had no right to tax the colonies. The colonies were not represented in Parliament, and colonists argued that taxation was unfair without representation. Prior to the Sugar Act, local colonial legislatures had regulated taxes.

Colonists also protested the method for paying the tax. Those who had to conduct business with imported papers were inconvenienced by having to go to the stamp office to obtain the right papers embossed with the right stamps. The stamps had to be paid for with British sterling rather than with colonial money. Sterling was in short supply, which made complying with the tax more difficult.

Opposition led to loud and often violent protests within the colonies. Lawyers and newspaper publishers, among those most affected by the tax, were especially vocal. Many colonists gathered to form a network of resistance groups called the Sons of Liberty. Women formed a parallel group called the Daughters of Liberty. They used persuasion, pressure, and violence to end the use of the stamps. They forced Loyalist merchants out of business, attacked stamp distributors and royal officials, and even tarred and feathered their opponents under Liberty trees, so named as symbols of resistance.

The Sons of Liberty organized colonial resistance among the colonies. Not all colonists, however, agreed with the aggressive action embraced by the Sons of Liberty. As a result, a convention of moderate representatives from most of the colonies gathered in October 1765. Known as the Stamp Act Congress, the convention allowed a united political statement to be sent to England on behalf of all the colonies.

England's response

News of American discontent was slow to reach England. Political realities in England further slowed a response from the English government. A new government took office in July 1765 but was in recess until December. Upon its return, English merchants whose business was affected by American boycotts asked Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act. Parliament debated the issue of repeal for ten days in January 1766. Mostly as a result of the impact on English merchants, they decided to repeal the Stamp Act. To emphasize their right to tax the colonies, however, they also passed the Declaratory Act. It confirmed Parliament's power to make laws for the colonies.

Stamp Act Congress

On October 7, 1765, twenty-seven of the most influential men from nine colonies served as representatives to the Stamp Act Congress in New York . Virginia, North Carolina , and Georgia were prevented from participating. Their royal governors had refused to allow state assemblies to gather to elect delegates to the Congress. Delaware and New Jersey faced the same opposition, but assemblymen held informal elections and sent representatives anyway.

The Congress was called to make a united stand against the Stamp Act. In all, fourteen resolutions were passed as the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. The Declaration affirmed loyalty to the king and the idea that the colonists were British citizens. It insisted, however, that the colonial assemblies that represented them, not Parliament, had the sole right to tax Americans. They would gladly support the finances of the British government, but only through taxes levied by their local assemblies. Finally, the Declaration petitioned the king and Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act.

Lasting impact

Most Americans were overjoyed at the decision to repeal the Stamp Act and paid little attention to the Declaratory Act. Even after its repeal, the Stamp Act had a far-reaching impact on American attitudes toward British rule. Many Americans, once loyal subjects, now regarded every British action with suspicion. Many Loyalists lost positions of power within the colonies as a result of the Stamp Act crisis. Encouraged by the coordinated efforts of colonial assemblies and the Sons of Liberty, a colonial patriotism began to emerge. A passion for protecting their fundamental rights against an overbearing government began to unite the colonists.