TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATI Chapter 5 Section 2 RELATIONS

TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATI Chapter 5, Section 2

RELATIONS WITH BRITAIN §After the French and Indian War, Britain controlled a vast amount of land in America §The new question was what to do with that land. §The colonists believed that it was now rightfully theirs to move onto and claim. §Britain had other ideas…

THE PROCLAMATION LINE OF 1763 The King wanted to halt westward expansion. This decree was known as The Proclamation of 1763. The law stated that American colonists could not move west past the Appalachian Mountains. Why did the king pass such a law? The king could not afford future wars that might take place between natives and colonists.

PROCLAMATION OF 1763

THE PROCLAMATION OF 1763 Why was the Proclamation important to American History? 1. The colonists believed that acquiring western lands was the whole point of the war 2. Colonists disagreed with the King’s Proclamation. 3. Colonists began to question British laws 4. Gave colonists a need for independence.

RELATIONS WITH BRITAIN To ensure colonists obeyed the Proclamation of 1763, the British intended to send 10, 000 troops to America. Colonists reaction: 1. Many colonist were alarmed and feared these troops would interfere with their liberties. 2. They believed that the Proclamation limited their freedom. 3. Colonist gained a feeling of distrust towards Britain.

RELATIONS WITH BRITAIN §The French and Indian War had also left Great Britain with a large debt. §To offset this debt, the king began taxing colonists. The decision to charge taxes set off a chain of events that enraged colonists!

NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION § Colonists believed that Britain had no right to tax them. § Under the English Bill of Rights, only citizens who were properly represented in Parliament could be taxed. § Therefore, because they had no colonial figures in the British Parliament colonists believed their rights were being violated.

THE SUGAR ACT §This Act mainly taxed molasses imported by the colonists. §Molasses was an important ingredient in making rum. Rum was used in the African slave trade. §This angered colonists who believed their rights as Englishmen were being violated.

SMUGGLING § Many colonists began smuggling goods into the colonies. § If caught smuggling, you would have to go to Vice-admiralty courts where you had NO trial by jury. § Colonists believed this too violated their rights.

THE STAMP ACT §This law placed a tax on almost all printed materials in the colonies: newspapers, pamphlets, playing cards, etc. §All printed material had to have a stamp that was applied by British officials. §All colonists were affected by the Stamp Act. §Hatred grew between colonists and the mother country of England.

GIVE ME LIBERTY! §Many people began protesting the Stamp Act. §Patrick Henry, for example, persuaded the Virginia House of Burgesses to take action against the Stamp Act. §Patrick Henry is famous for his “Give me Liberty or Give me Death!” Speech

SONS OF LIBERTY §In Boston, a man by the name of Samuel Adams helped start an organization called the Sons of Liberty. §The Sons of Liberty protested on the streets against the Stamp Act and burned effigies of unpopular tax collectors.

TAX STAMPS

THE STAMP ACT CONGRESS §This Congress was established by representatives of the colonies. §They drafted a petition to the king declaring that colonists could only be taxed by their own assemblies. §In the cities, many colonists began to boycott (refuse to buy) British goods. §Due to the boycott many British merchants began going bankrupt. British Parliament was forced to repeal (cancel) the Stamp Act.

NEW TAXES §Soon after the Stamp Act crises, Parliament set up a new set of laws known as the Townshend Acts (also known as the Tea Act). §This set up taxes on imported goods such as tea, glass, and lead. §Colonists were again angered due to the fact they were being taxed without representation.