10/10/2013

1

England tightens control over the colonies

� After the French and Indian War, Britain wanted to govern all its landholdings in North America equally

� Parliament began to impose new laws and restrictions on colonists

� After the period of Salutary Neglect, many colonists felt their freedoms were being limited

10/10/2013

2

� Forbade colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains

� Prevent further conflict with the Natives, � After Pontiac’s Rebellion

� Colonists wanted to move into the fertile valley of the Ohio River � Many felt they had earned

the right by helping to win the war

� Must enforce the Proclamation and needed troops in the colonies.

� Quartering Act (1765) –Required colonists to house British soldiers and provide them with supplies

� Most of the troops were stationed in New York with General Thomas Gage

10/10/2013

3

� England had a huge debt from the war, and the quartering act required even more money.

� Colonial assemblies had been responsible for creating taxes to support the colonial military

� Sugar Act – tax on sugar, molasses and other products shipped to colonies; included a harsh punishment for smuggling

� Many colonial merchants had been trading smuggled goods and reacted angrily to the new enforcement

� Colonial leaders criticized the direct taxation by Parliament

� James Otis argued that Parliament had no right to tax the colonies because they had no direct representation in Parliament

� England argued that colonists benefited from English laws they were subject to be taxed.

10/10/2013

4

� Required that all legal and commercial documents have an official stamp showing a tax had been paid for them

� New type of tax – not on imported goods, but applied to items within the colonies.� It was a tax directly on

colonists

� Colonial leaders continued to question the legality of being taxed without representation

� Met in New York City; first time colonies met to act together in protest

� Created petition to King protesting the act

� Declared right to tax the colonies rested with colonial legislatures

� Colonial merchants boycotted British goods

10/10/2013

5

� Colonists formed secret societies to oppose British policies

� Most were people whose businesses were most affected by the tax

� Many groups staged protests against the taxes; some were violent with fires set and tax collectors tarred and feathered

• The protests had an effect on British Merchants. They were scared their trade with the colonies would be hurt

• William Pitt agreed with colonists about taxation and representation and criticized the Stamp Act

• Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766

• Declaratory Act (1766) –Parliament declared it had supreme power over the colonies