The Stamp tax resolutions

After listening to the personal line of credits of compound agents as to why parliament should not impose such(prenominal) a task on the colonies, Grenville introduced a resolution into Parliament in January of 1765 which would impose a stamp duty on almost every form of constitution used in everyday life, including licenses, legal papers, commissions, private contracts, pamphlets, newspapers, and advertisements. Such duties were to be paying in gold or silver, not in the paper money then being issued by several of the colonies. Grenville doubted the office of the colonies to impose themselves, apparently disbelieving that the colonists would voluntarily contribute to the brave out of British troops in peacetime. In response to the colonists' argument that under the English Constitution Parliament could not tax the colonists since they sent no elected representatives to Parliament, Grenville claimed that the colonists were "virtually represented" in Parliament, along with the other citizens of England who could not vote. In the debate which followed, no(prenominal) of the opponents denied the ability of Parliament to tax the colonists, arguing instead that the tax would be inexpedient or that the colonists should be given the probability to tax themselves. Many also argued that the colonists provided much of their own protection and that economic profits from the colonies far exceeded the costs of the colonies.Despite the protests, Parliament passed the feeling Act an

Bailyn, Bernard. The Ideological of the American Revolution. Cambridge: Belknap Press, 1967.

Middlekauff, Robert. The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789. New York: Oxford University Press, 1982.

Bullion, John L. "British Ministers and American Resistance to the Stamp Act, October-December 1765." William and Mary Quarterly 3d Ser., 49 (January 1992): 89-107.

Jensen, Merrill. The Founding of a Nation: A recital of the American Revolution 1763-1776. New York: Oxford University Press, 1968.

News of the American reply began to reach Britain in August. By this time the Grenville Ministry had been dismissed by the King, who resented being "dictated" to by Grenville and his colleagues.

The new Rockingham ministry was stymied at what to do about the colonial situation, realizing that the Act could not currently be enforced. They looked to William Pitt for a solution, but the popular Pitt would not take a stance throughout the Fall. Although some minsters considered sending troop reinforcements to northwesterly America, the transport of troops across the Atlantic during the Fall and pass months was considered too dangerous.

The unofficial reaction in the colonies, however, was much more(prenominal) violent. Beginning in mommy, riots broke out, targeting official representatives of the British government, as well as agents sent from London to implement the victual of the Act. In Massachusetts, the violent reaction focused upon the person of doubting Thomas Hutchinson, Chief Justice of Massachusetts, holder of several appointed semipolitical positions, and political enemy of many. Hutchinson's brother-in-law had been appointed stamp distributor for Massachusetts and many publicly questioned Hutchinson's views on the Act. Although Hutchinson was against the Act, he did not decline that Parliament had the right to impose taxes upon the colonies and most people believed that Hutchinson secretly supported the Act. On the night of August 26, a cram descended upon the H
Ordercustompaper.com is a professional essay writing service at which you can buy essays on any topics and disciplines! All custom essays are written by professional writers!