Considering that the French and Indian war was very expensive, Britain’s struggle for more revenue caused the first major conflict between England and the colonies over Parliament’s right to tax. The Stamp Act, sponsored by George Grenville, was the first direct tax forced by Britain on its American colonies. To help cover the cost of maintaining troops in the colonies, Parliament charged a tax on legal and commercial documents as well

as printed material such as newspapers and pamphlets, all of which had to carry a special stamp. The act took effect in November 1, 1765. Americans, who did not elect members of Parliament, opposed the act not only because of their inability to pay the tax, but also because it violated the newly detailed principle of "No taxation without representation." This measure encouraged the grievances of the colonists, and their determined action in response paved the way for the American Revolution. Disagreement to the tax took the form of petitions to the king and Parliament, a boycott of British goods, the refusal of lawyers or printers to use stamps or stamped paper, and violence led by the Sons of Liberty. The Sons of Liberty was a group of protestors, organized by Samuel Adams, intended to convince Andrew Oliver, the stamp distributor, to resign. If he would resign, there would be no one to sell the stamps. The Massachusetts legislature lead the formation of the first general intercolonial conference, the Stamp Act Congress, consisting of delegates from 9 of the 13 colonies (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and South Carolina).Strongly protested and opposed, the Stamp Act was recognized as unenforceable and was repealed on March 18, 1766. At the same time, however, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act, affirming its continuing authority over colonial legislatures. It is more than likely that if England (Parliament) had simply given the colonies fair and equal representation, there would never have been need of a revolution, and "America," would still be a part of Great Britain today.

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Some topics in this essay:
Tea Act, Britain American, George Washington, Stamp Act, Sons Liberty, Charles Townshend, Thirteen Colonies, Intolerable Acts, Townshend Acts, Revolution Disagreement, stamp act, sons liberty, north america, french indian war, intolerable acts, townshend acts, tea act, revolutionary war, boycott british, american revolution, america britain,