William Pitt's Stamp Act Is A Violation Of Rights

147 Words1 Page

William Pitt was a British statesman of the Whig group during the 18th century. In his speech Defence of the American Colonies he is on the side of the American Colonists that claim the Stamp Act is a violation of their rights. During his speech to British parliament he states that the Stamp Act is not needed to collect money to pay for America's protection. That America already indirectly makes payments for this protection. Making millions for the Motherland and more money could be made if the economy of the colonies was changed in their favor. But he doesn't agree with the colonists with the rebellion thing.But does think that the rights of the Americans were being violated. He thinks that Britain has the right to govern her colones and

Show More
Related

  • What Provoked the British Colonists in the Americas to Rebel against the Crown

    681 Words  | 2 Pages

    After the Seven Years Way England was broke for she had spent more money needed to win the war. Also winning the war gave the colonist a “we can do it spirit”. However because England now was facing debt she decided to tax the colonies. One the first acts passed was the sugar act passed in 1764. This Act was the raise revenue in American colonies. What it did was lowered the tax from six penses to three penses per gallon on foreign molasses. Molasses is a product made by refining sugarcane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. This upset the colonist because before the sugar act they didn’t have to pay the tax so even if it was lowered that meant nothing for they now had to pay for it. A year later, in 1765, the Britain’s passed another act known as the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act put a tax on stamped paper, publications, playing cards, etc. Because it was on all paper products in a way it affected everyone; from the papers for the upper class such as lawyers, publications such as newspapers for the middle class, and playing cards for the lower class for entertainment. Next, the Townshend Act passed by Charles Townshend. This came in 1767, which imposed taxes on colonial tea, lead, paint, paper, and glass which just like the Stamp Act affected all of the classes in the colonist in the Americas. Though this act was removed three years later in 1770, it still left colonists with a warning that conditions may become worse. Around 1773, parliament passed the Intolerable Acts one of those acts which affected taxation was the Bost...

    Read More

  • Dbq Essay

    591 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the British actions that angered the colonists was the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act was passed in response to colonist's complaints about the Sugar Act. The Stamp Act, according to the chart in document one, forced colonists to buy a stamp and place it on all of their paper products. Colonists boycotted the Stamp Act and and formed the Committees of Correspondence and the Sons of Liberty. The Sons of Liberty, according to document two, tarred and feathered British officials and tax collectors to protest the Stamp A...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of 'A Calm Address To Our American Colonies'

    498 Words  | 1 Pages

    His writing makes a reader doubt the veracity of the American Revolution and the right of the colonies to fight for independence. Personally, my perspective changed and I no longer saw England as some tyrant power who tried to strip the colonies of their rights and taxed them unjustly. I began to see how England’s actions were justified and my patriotism took a blow. England clearly had a right to tax, as is evidenced by the charter and especially because the taxes were for expenses racked up for the protection of the colonies in the French and Indian War. Overall, Wesley makes a very convincing argument that the colonies are acting irrationally and unreasonably, which makes you wonder whether one should be proud of America’s “honorable” fight for

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The American Revolution

    1347 Words  | 3 Pages

    He was sympathetic to the Colonies and was a supporter in repealing the Stamp Act. His name was William Pitt. Unfortunately for the Colonists, he fell ill shortly after taking office and passed and was replaced by Townshend. Townshend had quite the opposite view as Pitt. He supported generating even more revenue from the Colonies.

    Read More

  • Analysis of Patrick Henry's Speech to the Virginia Convention

    844 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Give me liberty or give me death!” This statement from Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention,” delivered to the House of Burgesses, has been quoted by many, becoming almost cliché. However, the declaration is truly understood by a select few. The unjust Stamp Act passed by the British crown in 1765, brought fame and notoriety to Henry as he spoke out against the unjust taxation without representation. Ten years later on the eve of revolution, Henry calls upon the Colonial government of which he is part, to act for the betterment of the people. Patrick Henry attempts to persuade the House of Burgesses to revolt and declare war against Britain by logically convincing them that it is their natural right to be free and calling on their patriotism and pride as leaders of colonial America.

    Read More

  • Boston Tea Party Analysis

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    (140) It was during this time period that “the government in London concerned itself with the colonies in unprecedented ways…to help raise funds to pay for the war and finance the empire.” (Forner 141) The British government was heavily in debt after fighting the Seven Years War on several fronts. The need to raise funds was paramount and the colonies were a ready source. The British government started imposing taxes on the colonies as a means of income. This was a change in the relationship between America and the mother country. Many Americans opposed these taxes. (Forner 142- 143) According to Forner, “Opposition to the Stamp Act was the first great Drama of the revolutionary era and the first major split between the colonist and Great Britain over the meaning of freedom.” (142) This act was eventually repealed by Parliament in 1766 after great opposition by Americans. (Forner 144) The Stamp Act was just the beginning of several events and taxes on the colonist leading up the Boston Tea

    Read More

  • Essay on the Canon and Feudal Law by John Adams

    946 Words  | 2 Pages

    Before his presidency, Adams took part in many of the historical events that marked this country. He became a prominent figure in his activities against the Stamp Act, which he wrote and published a popular article “Essay on the Canon and Feudal Law” (Ushistory.org). Word had arrived in Boston that Parliament was planning to pass a stamp tax, which was the first direct tax on the colonies, unless the colonies taxed themselves to help raise the needed revenue to pay off the war debt. The colonies, however, did not tax themselves. On March 8, 1765, the Stamp Act passed both houses of Parliament. It provided for a tax to be specified by a stamp on legal documents, newspapers, licenses, and other printed matter. Once the Stamps arrived to Boston, they were detained and burned. The people rushed in the streets saying, “No taxation without representation!” (Cowley 21-22).

    Read More

  • Stamp Act

    682 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Stamp Act was an act that was passed by the British Parliament that was to go into effect on November 1st, 1765. This act was created to help pay the costs to govern and protect the American colonies. The Stamp Act required stamps to be placed on all legal and commercial documents and various articles. Many colonists did not want the act to be implemented. For that reason, Samuel Adams put together the Sons of Liberty to help abolish this law. Then the Stamp Act Congress was composed to completely repeal the act. The Stamp Act was one of the many taxes that the British Parliament put on the colonies as a source of wealth. This act made it necessary for colonists to put stamps on almost all written documents and other various articles.

    Read More

  • Was Britain Justified In The Revolutionary War Essay

    599 Words  | 2 Pages

    “ No taxation without representation!” a group of colonists shouted as they roamed the streets surrounded by armed, red-coated British soldiers. Around the 1760’s, turmoil between the 13 colonies and Britain began. Britain no longer gave them their rights, respected the amount of time between taxations, or gave them a say in any law that applied to them. Although there are reasonable things that Britain did, American colonists were justified in waging war and breaking away. If Britain was going to bombard them with taxation and laws in the span of a few short years or not present them with a representative in Parliament, then the colonists had every right to become their own self governing country.

    Read More

  • Thomas Pownall: The Cause Of The Civil War

    1449 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thomas Pownall was a man of high status who had a huge influence in British politics. With a resume of governing the Province of Massachusetts Bay, to serving in British parliament, one could say that Pownall was a huge advocate of British practices. Although a supporter of the colonies, Pownall confidently spoke of the impossibility of Independence America faced. He was not alone in this idea, and was supported by other people and situations that made his statement a reality. There were examples from 1600-1763 that support Pownall’s implications; however, through great perseverance and help, the colonies were able to support themselves long enough to build a flourishing America.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Edmund Burke's Speech On Conciliation With The Colonies To Parliament

    851 Words  | 2 Pages

    Edmund Burke delivered his speech on conciliation with the Colonies to Parliament on March 22, 1775. The purpose of the speech was to persuade the British Parliament to consider their relationship with the American Colonists in regards to them being forced to pay taxes and whether or not their relationship would evolve. The evolvement would see the Colonists as more of an equal nation instead of the “loyal” British subjects that they were. This speech came almost 10 years after Parliament passed the Stamp Act (Mamet, 2015). This meant that the Colonists had been living with the oppression of the Crown as well as being taxed without proper representation or consent.

    Read More

  • The Boston Tea Party

    1265 Words  | 3 Pages

    The war had been enormously expensive, and the British government’s attempts to impose taxes on colonists to help cover these expenses resulted in chaos. English leaders, were not satisfied with the financial and military help they had received from the colonists during the war. In a desperate attempt to gain control over the colonies as well as the additional revenue to pay off the war debt, Britain began to force taxes on the colonies. Which resulted in The Stamp Act, passed by parliament and signed by the king in March 1765. The Stamp Act created an excise tax on legal documents, custom papers, newspapers, almanacs, college diplomas, playing cards, and even dice. Obviously the colonist resented the Stamp Act and the assumption that parliament could tax them whenever and however they could without their direct representation in parliament. Most colonials believed that taxation without their consent was a violation of their constitutional rights as Englishmen. Which is where the slogan “No Taxation without Representation” comes

    Read More

  • The Events Leading Up to the American Revolution

    754 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the event of America’s victory in the American Revolution lead to the birth of a new nation. However, before the American Revolution the original colonies of America were already becoming impatient with British rule. This was mostly a result of a foreign country trying to rule people an ocean apart, and by rule this meant collecting taxes Americans found unfair. This rebellion against British rule became more prevalent from the passing of the Stamp Act of 1765 created mostly by George Greenville. The passing of this tax was Britain’s way of reinforcing their authority in the colonies and lessening their financial burden. However, from British standpoint that was not the sole purpose for the acts as they also wanted to build a defense against foreign nations and insure Britain benefited from her Acts of Trade (Alden 4). This ideology of lessening their burden through taxing the colonies failed instantly, because the colonist refused to pay the taxes at all cost. It became impossible to sell the stamps and anybody who dared try was threatened with violence. American’s rebellious nature against the new taxations methods lead to the creation of The Stamp Act Congress. The Stamp Act Congress denied the right of parliament to levy an internal tax in the colonies, and voiced American’s discontent. The colonist insisted the detested the law be repealed, and reinforced their demand by refusing to import British goods. Leading Britain to become furious with her distant subjects as the colonist began declaring acts of tyranny against them. With the refusal of British imports in America and constant riots British troops were sent to Boston to protect the Customs Commissioners, but were met by angry colonist leading to the Boston Massacre ...

    Read More

  • The Causes of the American Revolution

    1443 Words  | 3 Pages

    Among the many complex factors that contributed to instigating the American Revolution, two stand out most clearly: England’s imposition of taxation on the colonies and the failure of the British to gain consent of those being governed, along with the military measures England took on the colonists. Adding to these aforementioned factors were the religious and political legacy of the colonies, and the restriction of civil liberties by the British. Parliamentary taxation was undoubtedly one of the greatest factors inspiring the American public to rebel in the years leading up to the American Revolution. One of the most striking examples of this kind of taxation was the Stamp Act of 1765. After many years of fighting, England badly needed revenues from their colonies, and they sought to acquire these revenues from the New World, thereby increasing their influence over the colonial governments. These theories of “New Imperialism” were what prompted Prime Minister Grenville to pass the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act of 1765 stated that persons of almost any profession were obliged to buy stamps for their documents. In other words, the act imposed a tax on every printed document in the colonies. For example, a printer had to buy stamps in order to legally be able to distribute his publications. While the act itself was not so detrimental to the economy, it was the ideals behind the act (a direct attempt on the part of the mother country to further itself and raise revenues in the colonies) which drove the revolutionaries’ cause.

    Read More

  • American Revolution

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    The costly French and Indian War created a divide between British Parliament and the colonists that was temporarily appeased when William Pitt returned recruitment control to the colonists and reimbursed farmers and tradesmen for their goods and services that had been forcefully taken. However, this peace was short lived when British Parliament tried to acquire complete control of the colonies and regain financial stability by passing the Stamp Act of 1765, the Townshend Duties, the Tea Act of 1773, and the Intolerable Acts of 1774. The acts greatly inconvenienced the colonists and led to the Boston Massacre of 1770, the Boston “tea party,” colonial unity, and the first shot at Lexington that sparked the American Revolution.

    Read More

More about William Pitt's Stamp Act Is A Violation Of Rights

Open Document