Stamp Act Essays - British East India Company, Stamp Act

Stamp Act Once again, the question of who is sovereign created problems for the colonies. England produced a series of acts as a response to the provinces rebellion. The Stamp Act raised port duties on certain items imported from the West Indies, such as sugar, coffee, and wine. This act was enforced by the British troops established within the colonies. This strategic move by the troops forbade the colonies from smuggling in other items. The Currency Act forbade the colonies from printing their own money. In 1865, England repealed the Stamp Act in response to the provinces protests. The provinces reasoning was that parliament is sovereign in the empire and can only raise taxes to regulate trade, not to generate revenues. The Quartering Act was passed by England so that on the occasion that the colonies misbehaved, they would send over more troops. With this condition, the colonies were also responsible for housing and feeding the troops. In 1767, the Townsend Act gave Englands parliament the right to tax the colonists on lead, paper, printers, and tea. This also enraged the colonists, for this tax was solely for raising Englands revenues. The Boston Massacre came as a result of the colonists reaction to the tea tax. At first, East India did not have to pay tax on tea, but the provinces did. Therefore, the colonists dressed as Indians and threw off the boat into the water East Indias tea. In response to their rebellion, England passed the Coercive Act, which shut down the port and arrested the colonists involved. These acts passed by Englands parliament raised the question of whether the King has the right to tax the colonies without the colonies having representation. The Kings actions show that he believed in taxation without representation. Thus the Revolution began. The Revolution was about sovereignty. The provinces revolted by boycotting. The protests raged. There was violent vandalism. The British officials homes were destroyed. The elite responded by petitioning parliament, writing pamphlets, and rethinking fundamentals between provinces. In 1874 to 1875 fighting broke out between the British and the provinces. Lexington and Concord was significant in that the British stole arms that the provinces were storing. A big fight in Boston broke out. The provinces tried to starve the troops. England said that they would free slaves that fought on their side against the colonists. This upset the colonists and made them retaliate even more. History Reports