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Grenville viewed the colonies as subservient to him as the British Prime Minister.  Grenville humiliated the colonists with legal intrusions.  He violated ancient rights by authorizing writs of assistance to search businesses without a court order or warrant.

Grenville viewed the colonies as subservient to him as the British Prime Minister.  Grenville humiliated the colonists with legal intrusions.  He violated ancient rights by authorizing writs of assistance to search businesses without a court order or warrant.

 

Colonists disliked these events, but only with the passage of the [[Stamp Act]] did they become truly angry.  The Stamp Act was an undisguised attempt to bring the British more money, the first time Parliament directly taxed the colonies.  It required that legal papers, cards, dice, newspapers, degrees, land documents, and appointments to office display a stamp showing that the tax had been paid.  Subtly, the British were suppressing vocal writers and lawyers by making their professions more costly.  The public, and especially the media, was outraged.   

Colonists disliked these events, but only with the passage of the [[Stamp Act]] did they become truly angry.  The Stamp Act was an undisguised attempt to bring the British more money, the first time Parliament directly taxed the colonies.  It required that legal papers, cards, dice, newspapers, degrees, land documents, and appointments to office display a stamp showing that the tax had been paid.  Subtly, the British were suppressing vocal writers and lawyers by making their professions more costly.  The public, and especially the media, was outraged.   

 

A few months later, Britain passed the Quartering Act.  The Quartering Act required colonial governments to house British troops at their own expense.  The troops were to be housed in inns, abandoned homes, and government buildings.  The Act mandated that "all such officers and soldiers ... be furnished and supplied ... with fire, candles, vinegar, and salt, bedding, utensils ... without paying anything for the same."

A few months later, Britain passed the Quartering Act.  The Quartering Act required colonial governments to house British troops at their own expense.  The troops were to be housed in inns, abandoned homes, and government buildings.  The Act mandated that "all such officers and soldiers ... be furnished and supplied ... with fire, candles, vinegar, and salt, bedding, utensils ... without paying anything for the same."

Anger by the colonists against the King, which existed before the Stamp Act and Quartering Act, rose to a fever pitch.  The colonists adopted a powerful phrase against England's oppression:  "taxation without representation."  The colonists pointed out that they were not represented in British Parliament when these taxes were passed.  The colonies could not elect anyone who was making these decisions.  The colonists had no "say" in the matter.  The British leaders responded by saying the colonists had "virtual" representation by Englishmen who were looking out for them.  Nonsense, the colonists said, adequate representation was impossible because England was so far away.

Anger by the colonists against the King, which existed before the Stamp Act and Quartering Act, rose to a fever pitch.  The colonists adopted a powerful phrase against England's oppression:  "taxation without representation."  The colonists pointed out that they were not represented in British Parliament when these taxes were passed.  The colonies could not elect anyone who was making these decisions.  The colonists had no "say" in the matter.  The British leaders responded by saying the colonists had "virtual" representation by Englishmen who were looking out for them.  Nonsense, the colonists said, adequate representation was impossible because England was so far away.

Patrick Henry put this argument into words in one of his resolutions which were published in newspapers throughout the colonies: "''Resolved.'' That the taxation of the people by themselves or by persons chosen by themselves to represent them, who can only know what taxes the people are able to bear, are the easiest method of raising them, and must themselves be affected by every tax laid on the people, is the only security against a burthensome taxation and the distinguishing characteristick of British freedom, without which the ancient constitution cannot exist."  (Notice how the spelling of certain words in colonial America was different, usually longer, than today.)

Patrick Henry put this argument into words in one of his resolutions which were published in newspapers throughout the colonies: "''Resolved.'' That the taxation of the people by themselves or by persons chosen by themselves to represent them, who can only know what taxes the people are able to bear, are the easiest method of raising them, and must themselves be affected by every tax laid on the people, is the only security against a burthensome taxation and the distinguishing characteristick of British freedom, without which the ancient constitution cannot exist."  (Notice how the spelling of certain words in colonial America was different, usually longer, than today.)

 

To confront the problems, nine colonies met with each other as the "Stamp Act Congress" in New York City in October 1765.  This was the first time the colonists had come together to consider protesting.  They sent a petition to the King.  Later, a boycott of British goods was organized.   

To confront the problems, nine colonies met with each other as the "Stamp Act Congress" in New York City in October 1765.  This was the first time the colonists had come together to consider protesting.  They sent a petition to the King.  Later, a boycott of British goods was organized.   

Realizing that it had underestimated the colonies, Britain repealed the Stamp Act in 1766 but passed the Declaratory Act asserting a right by Britain to pass legislation against the colonies in future.  Public outrage decreased dramatically because the Stamp Act was repealed, even though the Sugar Act, Quartering Act, and Proclamation Line (the line preventing colonies from expanding westward) were still in effect.

Realizing that it had underestimated the colonies, Britain repealed the Stamp Act in 1766 but passed the Declaratory Act asserting a right by Britain to pass legislation against the colonies in future.  Public outrage decreased dramatically because the Stamp Act was repealed, even though the Sugar Act, Quartering Act, and Proclamation Line (the line preventing colonies from expanding westward) were still in effect.

 

In 1767, Charles Townshend replaced William Pitt in Britain as leader in the British House of Commons.  Pitt had been generous to the colonies, and quite popular in America.  But Townshend viewed America as an opportunity for imposing taxes on the colonies in order to increase revenue for the benefit of the English government.  His attempts to do this were a series of taxes called the Townshend Acts.  They taxed paper, lead, paint, and tea in colonies to pay salaries of royal judges and governors.  Townshend also tried to divide the colonies from each other by telling only New York and Massachusetts to suspend their assemblies for failing to levy taxes to house and feed British troops in their colonies.  But the rising conflict, particularly that of the Stamp Act, had already begun to unify the colonies, and they realized that they must rise or fall together.  

In 1767, Charles Townshend replaced William Pitt in Britain as a leader in the British House of Commons.  Pitt had been generous to the colonies, and quite popular in America.  But Townshend viewed America as an opportunity for imposing taxes on the colonies in order to increase revenue for the benefit of the English government.  His attempts to do this were a series of taxes called the Townshend Acts.  They taxed paper, lead, paint, and tea in colonies to pay salaries of royal judges and governors.  Townshend also tried to divide the colonies from each other by telling only New York and Massachusetts to suspend their assemblies for failing to levy taxes to house and feed British troops in their colonies.  But the rising conflict, particularly that of the Stamp Act, had already begun to unify the colonies, and they realized that they must rise or fall together.  

The colonies did not react as swiftly as they had to the Stamp Act.  But they did resist, primarily due to clever pamphlets that educated and incited them.  John Dickinson's pamphlet, "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania" was first published in 1767, and spread throughout the colonies as well as to Ireland, England, and France.  Dickinson, known as the "Penman of the Revolution," was a superb writer who also drafted the "Declaration of Rights" for the Stamp Act Congress, the "Olive Branch Petition," and the Articles of Confederation.   

The colonies did not react as swiftly as they had to the Stamp Act.  But they did resist, primarily due to clever pamphlets that educated and incited them.  John Dickinson's pamphlet, "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania" was first published in 1767, and spread throughout the colonies as well as to Ireland, England, and France.  Dickinson, known as the "Penman of the Revolution," was a superb writer who also drafted the "Declaration of Rights" for the Stamp Act Congress, the "Olive Branch Petition," and the Articles of Confederation.