British Acts After the French and Indian War

Study Notes

Colonists from different colonies joined together to boycott British goods and refused to pay taxes imposed by the British government.

The British government passed the Stamp Act in 1765, which placed a tax on printed materials, such as newspapers, pamphlets, and playing cards, in the colonies.
The tax required a large blue stamp to be displayed on each item, and the revenue generated would go to the British government.
News of the Stamp Act sparked widespread outrage among the colonists, who felt they had no say in making these laws and were being subjected to "taxation without representation."

In response to the Stamp Act, colonists refused to buy stamps, protested in streets and town squares, and even attacked tax collectors and destroyed their offices.
The colonists' refusal to pay the Stamp Act led to its eventual repeal in March 1766.

The British government quickly introduced the Townshend Acts in 1767, which placed taxes on imported goods, such as lead, paint, glass, paper, and tea.
The Townshend Acts further angered the colonists, who continued to boycott British goods and refuse to pay taxes.

The British government sent more troops to the colonies in March 1770 to maintain order and enforce the Townshend Acts.
The British government's attempts to exert control over the colonies further fueled the colonists' discontent.

The Proclamation of 1763 was announced to stop the fighting between Native Americans and British settlers, who were moving west into Native American land.
The Proclamation prohibited settlers from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains, but many colonists ignored the law and continued to settle in the prohibited areas.
British soldiers were sent to enforce the Proclamation Line, leading to further tensions between the colonists and the British government.

The French and Indian War had left Britain with unpaid debts, prompting the government to raise revenue through taxation.
The British government felt that the colonists, who benefited from British protection, should contribute to the war effort and pay the debts.