The Stamp Act

In order to help cover the cost of the war between Great Britain and France, British officials began to establish new taxes in the Colonies. In 1765 a tax was passed by Great Britain known as the stamp act.

This law required all colonists to pay a tax to Great Britain on all of the printed materials that they used, newspapers, magazines, and even playing cards. All of these materials were required to have a stamp placed on them, in order to show that the tax had been paid.

Colonist were outraged, and responded by boycotting all British goods. They also attacked officials who were sent by Great Britain to enforce the stamp act, and burned the stamps in the street. Many of the colonies sent representatives to a special meeting in New York, which they called The Stamp Act Congress, where the colonies voted and declared that Parliament did not have the right to pass taxes on the colonies because they did not have any representation in parliament. Many of the colonists began crying ‘No taxation without representation.

As a result, the British Parliament repealed the stamp act just one year later in 1766.