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The Sugar Act
This act reduced the previous tax on molasses but enforced it strictly. It aimed to reduce smuggling and raise revenue by taxing sugar and molasses imported into the colonies. The colonists were upset as it disrupted their trade and economic activities. The British government remained firm, seeing the act as a necessary measure to pay off war debts and maintain the empire. -
The Stamp Act
This act required colonists to purchase a stamp for every piece of paper they used. It was the first direct tax on the colonists. The colonists reacted with widespread protests, forming groups like the Sons of Liberty. They argued "no taxation without representation." The British government was taken aback by the intensity of the opposition and eventually repealed the act in 1766, but passed the Declaratory Act to affirm its authority over the colonies. -
The Townshend Acts
These acts imposed duties on common products imported into the colonies. Revenue collected was used to pay the salaries of British officials in the colonies. The colonists viewed these acts as another attempt to tax them without representation. They organized more boycotts and increased smuggling to avoid the duties. The British government sent more troops to enforce the acts and maintain order. They eventually repealed most of the duties in 1770, except for the tax on tea. -
The Tea Act
This act granted the British East India Company the right to sell tea directly to the colonies, effectively creating a monopoly and undercutting local tea merchants. The colonists were outraged, viewing the act as another form of taxation tyranny. This led to the Boston Tea Party. The British government responded with the Coercive Acts to punish Massachusetts and restore order, further escalating tensions. -
The Coercive Acts
These acts included several different measures: closing Boston Harbor until the dumped tea was paid for and altering the Massachusetts Charter to reduce local governance. The acts united the colonies in opposition to what they saw as an attack on their rights and liberties. They formed the First Continental Congress. The British government remained resolute in its approach, believing that a show of force was necessary to maintain control over the colonies.