The Stamp Act The twelve years following the conclusion of the French and Indian War were vital in creating an independent drive in the colonies that ultimately led to the outbreak of the American Revolution. Why did the colonists become so jaded with their British overlords? British officials in Parliament had decided that the American colonies needed to pay their share in taxes. In the early 1760s, the average British citizen was taxed 25 times more than the average colonist. When Parliament began attempting to exert influence on the colonists, many Americans began turning to smuggling (importing or exporting without paying customs charges or duties). In 1764, Parliament passed the Sugar Act in an attempt to curb smuggling and encourage colonists to purchase British goods. This marked the first time colonists taxes were sent directly to the British Treasury. The act also set up courts to place alleged smugglers on trial. Judges appointed by the British government would determine a person s guilt or innocence, rather than a jury of colonists. This led to James Otis famous phrase, Taxation without representation is tyranny. Then came the Stamp Act that was expected to raise 45,000 pounds annually, far short of the 325,000 needed to pay for British troops stationed in the colonies. Citizens in England already paid the Stamp Tax, and it provided nearly half of Britain s revenue. The new law stated that colonists would pay taxes on anything paper; wills, playing cards, diplomas, mortgages, etc., and the paper materials had to be produced on officially stamped paper from Britain. Violators would be tried in an admiralty court, which again meant no jury. Most colonists opposed the act because they sent no representatives of their own to Parliament and felt that they had no say over the matter, or how the money was spent. They argued that Parliament was violating the charters it had made with each of the 13 colonial governments. England also sent an army of stamp collectors to enforce the law (with the colonists expected to cover these expenses as well). Angry mobs greeted the stamp distributors across the colonies and riots broke out. In New York, colonists smashed the home of a British officer who announced he would shove the stamps down American throats with the point of his sword. The governor became so frightened that he turned all of the stamps over to an angry mob who promptly burned them. Around the colonies, several British officials were tarred and feathered, while others were placed in cages and spat on. Life-size dummies of stamp distributors and British leaders were hung in effigy (a crude figure or dummy representing a hated person or group). No distributor was safe. Nowhere was the rioting worse than in Boston. Colonists stormed the home of stamp distributer Andrew Oliver, stealing furniture, smashing windows, ripping wallpaper from walls, and even chopping down fruit trees in his yard. They stole clothes from the household and removed all of the books from the home, building a huge bonfire out of them. He resigned the following day. Lt. Governor Thomas Hutchinson, a royal appointee, and his family were evicted from their home, and most of their property was destroyed, including valuable historical documents. While citizen colonists were resorting to violent means of protest, the colonial leaders were seeking a more organized and respectable approach to opposing the new laws. Reading Through History Page 1
Multiple Choice: Select the choice that completes the statement or answers the question. 1. British law that placed a tax on legal documents, magazines, and newspapers in the American colonies. a. The Coercive Acts c. The Stamp Act b. The Quartering Act d. The Proclamation of 1763 2. To import or export without paying customs charges or duties. a. Counterfeiting c. Deporting b. Surcharging d. Smuggling 3. Who was responsible for the phrase, Taxation without representation is tyranny? a. Benjamin Franklin c. Thomas Jefferson b. Mercy Otis Warren d. James Otis 4. Violators of the Stamp Act would be tried in a. Colonial courts with a jury. b. Colonial courts with no jury. c. Admiralty court with a jury. d. Admiralty court with no jury. 5. Which city saw the worst protests to the Stamp Act? a. Philadelphia c. New York City b. Boston d. Baltimore TRUE/FALSE: Indicate whether the statement is true or false. If the statement is false, write the correct word or phrase in the space provided to make the statement true. 6. British officials in Parliament had decided that the American colonies needed to pay their share in taxes. 7. In the early 1760s, the average British citizen was taxed 5 times more than the average colonist. 8. The Stamp Act was expected to raise 325,000 pounds. 9. Colonists argued that Parliament was violating the charters it had made with each of the 13 colonial governments. 10. In Boston, colonists stormed the home of the stamp distributor Mercy Warren, stealing furniture, smashing windows, and burning his private library. Reading Through History Page 2
Guided Reading: Fill in the blanks below to create complete sentences. 1. The years following the conclusion of the French and Indian War were vital in creating an in the American colonies. 2. In 1764, Parliament passed the Sugar Act in an attempt to curb. 3. The implementation of the marked the first time colonists taxes were sent directly to the British Treasury. 4. Under the Sugar Act, judges appointed by the would determine a person s guilt or innocence in cases involving smuggling. 5. Under the Stamp Act, paper materials had to be produced on paper from Britain. 6. Most colonists opposed the Stamp Act because they sent no representatives of their own to. 7. In, the governor became so frightened that he turned all of the stamps over to an angry mob who burned them. 8. Life-size dummies of stamp distributors and British leaders were hung in. 9. Lt. Governor Thomas Hutchinson, a, and his family were evicted from their home, and most of their property was destroyed. 10. While many colonists used violent means to protest the Stamp Act, colonial leaders were seeking a more organized and approach. Reading Through History Page 3
Vocabulary Check: Select the option that best identifies the use of the underlined word. 1. In the opening paragraph, the word jaded seems to mean a. To struggle clumsily or helplessly. b. Impatient or dissatisfied with something. c. Indifferent, uninterested. d. Determination; resoluteness. 2. When Parliament began attempting to exert influence on the colonists, many Americans began turning to smuggling. In the previous sentence, the word exert implies a. To put forth or into use, as power; exercise, as ability or influence. b. A fine; penalty. c. Something to which the right is lost, as for commission of a crime, misdeed, or neglect of duty. d. To take illegally by reason of one's office. 3. In the third paragraph, the word curb means a. To furnish with or protect. b. An individual or minute part. c. To receive special attention or treatment. d. To restrain or control; a restraint; check. 4. They argued that Parliament was violating the charters it had made with each of the 13 colonial governments. In the previous sentence, the word violating means a. To inaugurate; initiate; start. b. To break, infringe, or transgress a law, rule, agreement, or promise. c. To establish in an office or position. d. To institute a law. 5. In the fifth paragraph, the word enforce implies a. To sustain or withstand without giving way. b. To undergo or endure, especially with patience or submission. c. To put or keep in force; compel obedience to. d. To impress or urge. Student Response: Please respond to the questions raised below. A thorough response should be a paragraph of at least three to five complete sentences. 6. In the Stamp Act lesson, you read about the reactions of the colonists to the law implemented by Parliament. What are your thoughts on the Stamp Act? Do you believe that the reactions of the colonists, often violent, were warranted? Explain your answer. Reading Through History Page 4
The Stamp Act Multiple Choice: 1) C 2) D 3) D 4) D 5) B True/False: 6) T 7) F 25 times 8) F 45,000 pounds 9) T 10) F Andrew Oliver Guided Reading for The Stamp Act: 1) Independent drive 2) Smuggling 3) Sugar Act 4) British government 5) Officially stamped 6) Parliament 7) New York 8) Effigy 9) Royal appointee 10) Respectable Vocabulary Check: 1) B 2) A 3) D 4) B 5) C Student Response for The Stamp Act: 6) Responses will vary, but each part of the question should be addressed in a satisfactory manner. Reading Through History Page 5