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how did england justify increasing its control over the colonies and taxing them

by Prof. Terence Ritchie Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The Colonies had spent men and resources to help the British win control of Canada. So the American felt that they had already paid their share of the cost of the French and Indian

French and Indian War

The French and Indian War pitted the colonies of British America against those of New France, each side supported by military units from the parent country and by American Indian allies. At the start of the war, the French colonies had a population of roughly 60,000 settlers, compared with 2 million in the British colonies. The outnumbered French particularly depended on the Indians.

Wars. The British felt justified in raising the taxes the American Colonists paid.

Britain also needed money to pay for its war debts. The King and Parliament believed they had the right to tax the colonies. They decided to require several kinds of taxes from the colonists to help pay for the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › French_and_Indian_War
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Full Answer

What was the result of the British attempts to tax colonists?

Updated June 28, 2018. The attempts by Britain to tax its North American colonists led to arguments, war, the expulsion of British rule and the creation of a new nation. The origins of these attempts lay, not in a rapacious government, but in the aftermath of the Seven Years' War.

What caused England to tighten control over the colonies in 1760s?

What Caused England to Tighten Controls Over American Colonies in 1760s. In the 1760s, Great Britain began tightening controls over its American colonies in the wake of the Seven Years War, often referred to as the French and Indian War.

What contributions did the colonists make to the British economy?

Before the war, the most that colonists had directly contributed to British income was through customs revenue, but this barely covered the cost of collecting it. During the war, huge sums of British currency had flooded into the colonies, and many not killed in the war, or in conflicts with natives, had done rather well.

What rights did the British government have over the colonies?

While the colonies had become almost self-governing, many in Britain assumed that as they sent governors to the colonies, legislated for them in the British parliament, had a veto over colonial laws, and because the colonies largely followed British law, that the British state had rights over the Americans.

What was the impact of Britain's slowing economy on the West Indian economy?

What happened to the British after 1760?

What battle did Bostonians celebrate in 1759?

What documents were required to be embossed with a stamp?

What was the purpose of the Navigation Act of 1651?

What was the sugar act?

When did Grenville become Prime Minister?

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How Did the Colonists React to the Stamp Act? - History

How did the colonists react to the Stamp Act? Henry’s charge against the Stamp Act set other activities in motion. In the fall of 1765, representatives from nine colonies (Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, and New Hampshire did not send a delegation) met at Federal Hall in New York City and adopted a series of resolutions that closely resembled Henry’s Stamp Act Resolves.

Stamp Act of 1765 | The First Amendment Encyclopedia

This 1774 print shows Boston colonists pouring tea down the throat of a loyalist official whom they have tarred and feathered. Tax commissioners were commonly threatened with tarring and feathering when they tried to enforce the Stamp Act of 1765, which imposed a tax on all papers and official documents in the American colonies.

Sugar Act | Summary & Facts | Britannica

Sugar Act, also called Plantation Act or Revenue Act, (1764), in U.S. colonial history, British legislation aimed at ending the smuggling trade in sugar and molasses from the French and Dutch West Indies and at providing increased revenues to fund enlarged British Empire responsibilities following the French and Indian War. Actually a reinvigoration of the largely ineffective Molasses Act of ...

Why did the British tax the colonies?

Unfortunately for King George III and his government, their attempt to transform the colonies politically and economically into a safe, stable and revenue-producing—or at least revenue-balancing—part of their new empire would flounder, because the British failed to understand either the post-war nature of the Americas, the experience of war for the colonists, or how they would respond to tax demands. The colonies had been founded under crown/government authority, in the name of the monarch, and there had never been any exploration of what this really meant, and what power the crown had in America. While the colonies had become almost self-governing, many in Britain assumed that because the colonies largely followed British law, that the British state had rights over the Americans.

What was the result of the attempts by Britain to tax its North American colonists in the late 1700s?

The attempts by Britain to tax its North American colonists in the late 1700s led to arguments, war, the expulsion of British rule and the creation of a new nation. The origins of these attempts lay, however, not in a rapacious government, but in the aftermath of the Seven Years' War.

How did Britain respond to the colonists?

Britain responded to these new, but false, assumptions about the colonies by trying to expand British control and sovereignty over America, and these demands contributed another aspect to the British desire to levy taxes. In Britain, it was felt that the colonists were outside the responsibilities which every Briton had to bear and that the colonies were too far removed from the core of British experience to be left alone. By extending the duties of the average Briton to the United States—including the duty to pay taxes—the whole unit would be better off.

What was George Grenville's stamp tax?

George Grenville’s Stamp Tax was designed to be subtle, but things didn't play out exactly as he had expected. The opposition was initially confused but consolidated around the five Resolutions given by Patrick Henry in the Virginia House of Burgesses, which were reprinted and popularized by newspapers. A mob gathered in Boston and used violence to coerce the man responsible for the Stamp Tax’s application to resign. Brutal violence spread, and soon there were very few people in the colonies willing or able to enforce the law. When it came into effect in November it was effectively dead, and the American politicians responded to this anger by denouncing taxation without representation and looking for peaceful ways to persuade Britain to scrap the tax while remaining loyal. Boycotts of British goods went into effect as well.

How did Grenville lose his position?

However, he suffered a heart attack before he could order this, and his successor resolved to find a way to repeal the Stamp Tax but keep sovereignty intact. The government followed a twofold tactic: to verbally (not physically or militarily) assert sovereignty, and then cite the economic effects of the boycott to repeal the tax. The ensuing debate made it quite clear that British Members of Parliament felt the King of Britain had sovereign power over the colonies, had the right to pass laws affecting them, including taxes, and that this sovereignty did not give the Americans a right to representation. These beliefs underpinned the Declaration Act. British leaders then agreed, somewhat expediently, that the Stamp Tax was damaging trade and they repealed it in a second act. People in Britain and America celebrated.

What was the stamp tax?

The Stamp Tax was a charge applied on every piece of paper used in the legal system and in the media. Every newspaper, every bill or court paper, had to be stamped, and this was charged for, as were dice and playing cards. The aim was to start small and allow the charge to grow as the colonies grew, and was initially set at two-thirds of the British stamp tax. The tax would be important, not just for the income, but also for the precedent it would set: Britain would start with a small tax, and maybe one day levy enough to pay for the colonies’ whole defense. The money raised was to be kept in the colonies and spent there.

Why did the British believe in sovereignty?

The British believed sovereignty was the sole cause of order in politics and society , that to deny sovereignty, to reduce or split it, was to invite anarchy and bloodshed. To view the colonies as separate from British sovereignty was, to contemporaries, to imagine a Britain dividing itself into rival units, which might lead to warfare between them. Britons dealing with the colonies frequently acted out of fear of reducing the crown’s powers when faced with the choice of levying taxes or acknowledging limits.

How did Britain tax the colonies?

To help pay for the expensive war, Britain began directly taxing the colonies, first by enforcing existing taxes which it had not been collecting, such as the Navigation Acts and the Molasses Acts, and secondly by implementing new taxes through the Sugar Act in 1764, the Stamp Act in 1765, and the Townshend Acts of 1767, the latter of which taxes essential goods such as paper, glass, and tea . Such taxes were a major imposition on the colonists, who say their previous economic prosperity diminish with these new regulations.

What caused England to tighten its control over the American colonies in the 1760s?

What Caused England to Tighten Controls Over American Colonies in 1760s. In the 1760s, Great Britain began tightening controls over its American colonies in the wake of the Seven Years War, often referred to as the French and Indian War. British victory gave them more land in North America but it also left them with more debt to collect from ...

What was the colonial response to the Stamp Act?

The colonists objected to being taxes without representation in British parliament, and after the Stamp Act, many responded by forming the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, an official gathering of representatives from different colonies that would be a precursor to the Continental Congress. Additionally, groups such as the Sons of Liberty were formed and led riots and used the threat of violence against British officials to protest the taxes from the Stamp Act. These tactics would help lead to the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766, but not the end of British taxes as a whole. Further British taxes in the 1770s would only deepen tensions, culminating in the outbreak of war in 1775 and the colonies' declaration of their independence in 1776.

Why did the British have to be quartered?

They also passed the Quartering Act of 1765, which required British soldiers be quartered at colonists' expense to defend them from any further Native American attacks. Like the taxes, these new regulation contributed to the colonists resentment of British control.

What was the purpose of the 3 Proclamation of 1763?

3 Proclamation of 1763. Additionally, the British imposed further restrictions to police the new land gained from the French. Pontiac's Rebellion of 1763, a Native American revolt that unified various tribes who had previously fought with the French, demonstrated the need for additional policing.

What groups led riots against the British government?

Additionally, groups such as the Sons of Liberty were formed and led riots and used the threat of violence against British officials to protest the taxes from the Stamp Act. These tactics would help lead to the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766, but not the end of British taxes as a whole.

Why was the plan of the colonies significant?

The plan proposed that the colonies unite and form a federal government. Significant because it was the 1st time the colonies tried to unite.

What did the colonists need to provide for the British soldiers?

It required colonists to provide food and shelter for British soldiers.

Why were the colonists mad?

Colonists dressed as Indians, dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. Colonists were mad because they felt forced to buy British tea.

How many troops did Britain send to keep order?

Britain sent 1,000 troops to keep order, and colonists heckled them. Since they heckled them, British soldiers fired on them, killing 5. Colonists were furious, but tensions calmed down when England repealed most of the Townshend acts.

Why was England in debt?

England was in debt because of the war. They also had new territory to govern and protect w/ soldiers which was expensive. England felt colonies should pay to reduce debt and for english soldiers.

Which country gave the eastern part of New France to England?

France gave the eastern part of New France to England. To compensate Spain, France gave western part of New France to Spain including New Orleans.

Which country repealed the Stamp Act?

England repealed the Stamp Act. They made the Declaratory Act, which declared Englands authority to make laws for the colonies.

What did colonists need to provide for British soldiers?

required colonists to provide food and shelter for British soldiers

Why was England in debt?

England was in debt from war and needed money

What did Adams use the Townshend Acts to portray?

colonists furious, Adams used it to portray England as an oppressive tyrant, Townshend Acts repealed

How many chests of tea were dumped into the harbor?

colonists disguised as Indians dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor, caused by Tea Act

Where were violators of acts tried?

violators of acts were tried in admiralty courts and assumed guilty

Which two countries fought for dominance in Europe?

England and France fought for dominance in Europe, both had land in America, fought over Ohio River

When was the Treaty of Paris signed?

Terms of Treaty of Paris in 1763

What was the impact of Britain's slowing economy on the West Indian economy?

Britain’s slowing economy led to a slumping West Indian economy, which reduced demand for New England livestock, lumber, and fish. Merchants in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia declared bankruptcy in alarming numbers. [8] Artisans and laborers faced lower income and higher costs of food, firewood, and taxes. [9] .

What happened to the British after 1760?

Peace ended colonial contracts to supply the British military with weapons, uniforms, and provisions as well as the steady supply of gold and silver that paid for those goods. After 1760, British merchants began tightening up credit to colonial merchants. Britain’s slowing economy led to a slumping West Indian economy, which reduced demand for New England livestock, lumber, and fish. Merchants in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia declared bankruptcy in alarming numbers. [8]

What battle did Bostonians celebrate in 1759?

On October 16, 1759, Bostonians celebrated Britain’s defeat of France in the Plains of Abraham battle in Quebec. Printer John Boyle noted: “…the Regiment of Militia were mustered, and the Town beautifully illuminated in the Evening.”. On September 26, 1760, “public rejoicing” accompanied news of Montreal’s surrender.

What documents were required to be embossed with a stamp?

Beginning November 1, 1765, legal documents, academic degrees, appointments to office, newspapers, pamphlets, playing cards, and dice required embossing with a Treasury stamp as proof of payment of the tax. [4] Colonial essayists, orators, and ordinary people responded with cries of “slavery,” “tyranny,” and “No taxation without representation.”

What was the purpose of the Navigation Act of 1651?

However, the goal was not to raise revenue but to impose a high enough duty on foreign trade to channel trade between Britain and her colonies. [15] Grenville’s proposed duties would raise revenue and be strictly enforced, reducing the colonists’ ability to evade duties.

What was the sugar act?

Both taxes promised dire consequences in a post-war economy. While the Sugar Act was a duty only on foreign goods, the Stamp Act taxed items within the colonies. Previously, only colonial assemblies assumed responsibility for internal taxes.

When did Grenville become Prime Minister?

When George Grenville became Prime Minister in April 1763, he grappled with the national debt, a debt that included an annual estimated cost of £200,000 for 10,000 soldiers in America recommended by his predecessor Lord Bute.

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1.Britain Begins Taxing the Colonies: The Sugar & Stamp Acts

Url:https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/sugar-and-stamp-acts.htm

35 hours ago In the summer of 1764, James Otis, Boston attorney and representative to the Massachusetts General Court, responded to the Sugar Act with The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and …

2.Why Britain Attempted to Tax the American Colonies

Url:https://www.thoughtco.com/why-britain-attempted-tax-american-colonists-1222028

35 hours ago  · England could control the cost and assign a value to the raw materials from the colonies much less than the value of the goods on a global open market. England could also …

3.What Caused England to Tighten Controls Over American …

Url:https://classroom.synonym.com/caused-england-tighten-controls-over-american-colonies-1760s-13367.html

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4.US HISTORY UNIT 2 STUDY GUIDE Flashcards | Quizlet

Url:https://quizlet.com/228685092/us-history-unit-2-study-guide-flash-cards/

13 hours ago  · The Britain imposed taxes on the colonists because it would be used to help pay the cost of defending the colonies. The British also had huge debts as a result of the French …

5.American History Unit 2 Test Flashcards | Quizlet

Url:https://quizlet.com/157340953/american-history-unit-2-test-flash-cards/

4 hours ago  · The attempts by Britain to tax its North American colonists in the late 1700s led to arguments, war, the expulsion of British rule and the creation of a new nation. The origins of …

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