Instead, the colonists made clear their opposition by simply refusing to pay the tax. Prominent individuals such as Benjamin Franklin and members of the independence-minded group known as the Sons of Liberty argued that the British parliament did not have the authority to impose an internal tax.
Public protest flared and the ensuing violence attracted broad attention. Tax commissioners were threatened and quit their jobs out of fear; others simply did not succeed in collecting any money. The colonists may well have accepted the stamp tax had it been imposed by their own representatives and with their consent. Even had they submitted to it, there is little doubt that many would have been troubled by the negative impact of a tax on the free press.
Scholars contend that the American separatist movement gained a great deal of influence as a result of its success in protesting the Stamp Act. The crafters of the Constitution were careful to include safeguards against usurpations of freedom and the violence such acts could breed. Details Related. In addition, between and , Massachusetts colony instituted a tax using embossed revenues, while New York colony imposed a similar tax between and Despite the history of taxation in the colonies, the Stamp Act generated intense opposition, in part because the taxes were imposed at higher rates in the colonies than in England.
The Stamp Act required that certain court documents, contracts, and property transfers be executed on stamped paper or they would be subject to penalties and would not be enforceable. The embossed revenue stamp could be impressed upon ordinary paper; however, it was not possible to impress the stamp on vellum. Instead, for documents prepared on vellum, the revenue stamp was impressed upon either beige or dark blue paper, which had been glued and stapled to the vellum. The back of the staple was covered with a cypher bearing the Coat of Arms of George III, probably to prevent reuse of the embossed stamp.
November 1, the Stamp Act goes into effect in the colonies March Colonial resistance to the Stamp Act and pressure from London merchants prompts Parliament to abolish the Stamp Act.
March Parliament issues the Declaratory Act, which states that the king and Parliament have full legislative power over the colonies. Excerpts King George III, An Act for granting and applying certain stamp duties, An act for granting and applying certain stamp duties, and other duties, in the British colonies and plantations in America, towards further defraying the expences 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.
For every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper, on which shall be ingrossed, written, or printed, any licence for retailing of wine, to be granted to any person who shall take out a licence for retailing of spirituous liquors, within the said colonies and plantations, a stamp duty of three pounds, For every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper, on which shall be ingrossed, written, or printed, any notarial act, bond, deed, letter, of attorney, procuration, mortgage, release, or other obligatory instrument, not herein before charged, within the said colonies and plantations, a stamp duty of two shillings and three pence.
And for and upon every pack of playing cards, and all dice, which shall be sold or used within the said colonies and plantations, the several stamp duties following that is to say For every pack of such cards, the sum of one shilling.
And for every pair of such dice, the sum of ten shillings. Samuel Adams led the Sons of Liberty in Boston. These groups protested by hanging effigies of people associated with the tax and ransacking their homes. Individuals appointed to be stamp collectors feared for their personal safety. Most tax collectors never claimed their lucrative offices and resigned their positions before ever issuing any stamps.
In addition to mob violence, other groups organized efforts to stop the importation of British goods. Many of these groups also punished merchants who violated the boycott of British goods. News of the violence against the tax collectors and government officials quickly reached London.
The British Parliament was strongly divided as to how to proceed, and two major factions swiftly developed within the government. He and his faction rejected repealing the Stamp Act, feeling this was a question of Parliamentary supremacy and that there could be no retreat on the issue.
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