The British government enacted the Stamp Act of 1765 to levy a direct tax on American colonies. On March 22, 1765, the Act was enacted. The purpose of this Act was to impose a direct tax on everything written by the American colonists.
Ship’s documents, licenses, periodicals, playing cards, inventories, testimonies, calendars, educational degrees and certifications, pamphlets, ads, court orders, and other legal publications were taxed printed sheets.
Like many other past levies, the levy was intended to be paid in British cash rather than colonial paper money.
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The Stamp Act’s Passage
The British victors in the Seven Years’ War, often known as the French and Indian War, lasted from 1756 to 1763. Britain was heavily in debt after the conclusion of the War.
The debt continued to rise because the British government had to maintain a strong force in the American colonies. The British political establishment came up with the idea that Americans should pay for their defense.
Since 1694, the Stamp Act has been in existence in the United Kingdom. Raising taxes in the United Kingdom was not ideal since the country’s levies were already high. In 1764, the British parliament informed the American colonies that the Stamp Act was being considered.
The American public was mainly uninterested in the news. The Stamp Act, on the other hand, was enacted on March 22, 1765. The Act received 205 votes in the House of Commons, compared to 49 votes in the Senate. On November 1, 1765, it went into effect.
Reaction to the Stamp Act’s Passing
The Stamp Act of 1765 was met with significant opposition and resistance. The Americans considered the tax an infringement of their constitutional rights.
The Stamp Act was seen as an attempt to extort money from the colonists. Several rallies and demonstrations were conducted in opposition to the measure.
Some of the anti-act demonstrations got violent and damaging. Manufacturers and businesspeople in the United Kingdom who profited from exporting their products to the colonies were also impacted. The violent demonstrations had an impact on their businesses.
As a result, they put pressure on the government to either stop collecting the tax or reduce it. The direct tax collection was neither easy nor effective due to the demonstrations.
It was a dismal failure, with the British collecting less than 30% of their objective. The property was also vandalized as a result of the demonstrations.
What Was the Impact of the Stamp Act of 1765?
The funds raised from the direct tax were used to help support the American Frontier, situated near the Appalachian Mountains.
After the Seven Years’ War, the fee allowed compensation for soldiers stationed in North America. The force numbered roughly 10,000 men.
The Americans proposed that Britain assume responsibility for defending the Americans from Indians. As a result, Britain had a legal responsibility to pay the soldiers. The Stamp Act rebellion of 1765 paved the way for a similar uprising against the Townshend Act in 1767.