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WHAT WAS THE STAMP ACT?
THE STAMP ACT OF 1765
The British Government was in debt after The French and Indian War. If you remember, British soldiers were sent here to the American Colonies to protect the colonists from French Soldiers and their Native American Allies.
To help pay for this debt, Parliament - the group in England that creates laws - passed a law called The Stamp Act. This law required colonists in America to pay a tax on all documents. Some examples were: diplomas, playing cards, wills, dice, marriage licenses, and almanacs. This is an example of one of those stamps. Having the stamp on the item you bought showed that the tax had been paid.
While other British citizens had been paying stamp taxes for years, this was the first time that the American Colonists had been required to pay this kind of tax.
THESE PRIMARY SOURCES ARE ALL ABOUT THE STAMP ACT
The Stamp Act, pamphlet, published in London, 1765.
THE STAMP ACT ITSELF
This picture is a pamphlet that contained the text of the Stamp Act. The excerpt below is some of the law.
WHEREAS by [a law] made in the last session of parliament, several duties (taxes) were [passed] ... [to help pay] ... the expences of defending, protecting, and securing, the British colonies and plantations in America: and whereas it is just and necessary, that [more money be raised] within your Majesty’s dominions (colonies) in America, towards [paying for the French and Indian War]: we, your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the commons of Great Britain in parliament assembled, have therefore resolved to give and grant unto your Majesty the [ability to tax the colonies with this Stamp Act]
HERE IS A MODERN "TRANSLATION"
Because of a law made by parliament, some new taxes were created to help pay for protecting the British colonies in America. Since it is fair and needed to raise more money in the colonies to help pay for the French and Indian War, we, the people in parliament, have decided to give the King the power to tax the colonies with this Stamp Act.
The Boston Gazette or Country Journal - Part I
This is a picture of an issue of The Boston Gazette or Country Journal. It was a newspaper published in the American colonies.
Please read this article written by a colonist who identified themselves as "B.W."
To the Inhabitants of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay My Dear Countrymen,
It is [an understood truth] of English Liberty “That no man shall be taxed but with his own consent (agreement),” and you very well know we were not, in any sober (real) sense, represented in parliament, when this tax was imposed.
AWAKE! Awake, my Countrymen and defeat those who want to enslave us. Do not be cowards. You were born in Britain, the Land of Light, and you were raised in America, the Land of Liberty. It is your duty to fight this tax. Future generations will bless your efforts and honor the memory of the saviors of their country.
I urge you to tell your representatives that you do not support this terrible and burdensome law. Let them know what you think. They should act as guardians of the liberty of their country.
I look forward to congratulating you on delivering us from the enemies of truth and liberty.
HERE IS A MODERN "TRANSLATION"
To the People of Massachusetts
My fellow Americans,
It's a very important rule in England that people should only be taxed if they agree to it. But we weren't represented in the English government when this new tax was put in place. That means we didn't have a say in it!
Wake Up!
Wake up, my friends! We need to fight against those who want to control us. Don't be afraid. We were born in England, a land of freedom, and we grew up in America, a land of liberty. It's our duty to stand up against this unfair tax. Our children and grandchildren will thank us for fighting for their freedom.
Tell Your Leaders
I urge you to tell your representatives that you don't agree with this unfair law. Let them know how you feel. They should protect our freedom.
I can't wait to celebrate with you when we finally get rid of those who want to take away our rights and freedoms.
Henry Seymore Conway
Britain's Secretary of State
The Boston Gazette or Country Journal - Part II
This letter was written in Great Britain by a man named Will Alfred. He wrote this letter to Britain’s Secretary of State, Henry Seymour Conway. The letter was published in a British newspaper and then later in the Boston Gazette on January 27, 1766.
From a recent London newspaper.
To Mr. Secretary Conway:
The riotous behavior of the people in Boston is remarkable. I would have been less surprised by their behavior if we had taxed their beer, because everyone drinks beer. But the Stamp Act is a tax on none of the necessities of life. It does not affect the poor. And even a poor person can afford this little amount of money. The tax on newspapers only affects the rich— common people do not purchase newspapers. Isn’t it surprising, then, that the mob in Boston has begun to riot against this tax even before it has officially gone into effect? I was expressing my wonder at this, when I was informed, that it was not the burden of the tax to be raised, but the manner in which it was imposed, that created the discontent: If this is so, the matter is more serious than it may first appear…
The colonists are our brethren and fellow-subjects…We should ask therefore whether we have behaved to them as brethren… [a] birth right privilege of a Briton is, that he cannot be taxed but by a parliament in which he is represented…Do these who impose taxes on the colonists pay also themselves a share of these taxes? If this is not the case, what have the colonists done that they are to be stripped of one of the most valuable privileges of Britons?
HERE IS A MODERN "TRANSLATION"
Imagine a group of people in Boston getting really upset and causing trouble. It's kind of strange, right?
Someone wrote a letter to a man named Mr. Conway, who works for the government in London. The letter writer is surprised that the people in Boston are so angry. He thinks it would be easier to understand if the government had put a tax on beer, because everyone drinks beer. But this new tax is on something called a "Stamp Act," which is a tax on papers. The letter writer says this tax doesn't affect poor people because they don't buy newspapers. So why are the people in Boston making such a fuss?
The letter writer then learns that it's not the amount of the tax that's bothering the people in Boston, but how the tax was put in place. This makes the situation seem more serious.
The letter writer says that the people in Boston are like family to the people in England. They should be treated fairly. He says that one of the most important rights of people in England is that they can only be taxed by a group of people called Parliament, where they have someone to speak for them. But the people in Boston don't have anyone in Parliament to speak for them.
The letter writer asks a really important question: Do the people who decide to tax the people in Boston also pay the same taxes themselves? If they don't, then why are the people in Boston being treated differently? They are being denied one of the most important rights of people in England.
Thomas Hutchinson
The Stamp Act Riot
The Stamp Act Riot took place in Boston in August of 1765. This account of the riots was written by Thomas Hutchinson, a colonial administrator.
The distributor of stamps for the colony of Connecticut (Jared Ingersoll) arrived in Boston from London . . . A few days after, early in the morning, a stuffed image (the "image" was clothing stuffed with material that made it look like the tax collector - please see the picture to the left) was hung upon a tree, [later called Liberty Tree]. [A sign hung on it identified it as the tax collector] People, who were passing by, stopped to view it, and the [commotion] caused others to gather from all [parts] of the town, and many from the towns [nearby].
The majority of the [people in the city government said it was best to leave the stuffed image alone]; and urged as a reason, that the people were orderly, and, if left alone, would take down the image, and bury it without any disturbance; but an attempt to remove it would bring on a riot, the mischief designed to be prevented.
Before night, the image was taken down . . . Forty or fifty tradesmen, decently dressed, preceded; and some thousands of the mob followed down King street to Olivers dock, near which Mr. Oliver had lately erected a building, which, it was [believed], he [intended to use as] a stamp office. This was laid flat to the ground in a few minutes. From [there] the mob proceeded for Fort Hill, but Mr. Oliver's house being in the way, they endeavored to force themselves into it, and being opposed, broke the windows, beat down the doors, entered, and destroyed part of his furniture, and continued in riot until midnight, before they separated.
. . . in the evening of the 26th of August, such a mob was collected in King street, drawn there by a bonfire, and well supplied with strong drink . . . they came, with intoxicated (drunken) rage upon the house of the lieutenant-governor. The doors were immediately split to pieces with broad axes, and a way made there, and at the windows, for the entry of the mob; which poured in, and filled, in an instant, every room in the house.
The lieutenant-governor had very short notice of the approach of the mob. He directed his children, and the rest of his family, to leave the house immediately, [and he decided to stay to protect his house] ... His eldest daughter, after going a little way from the house, returned, and refused to [leave] it, unless her father would [leave].
This caused him to [leave the house], a few minutes before the mob entered. [The mob stayed in the house] until day light; destroyed, carried away, or cast into the street, every thing that was in the house; demolished every part of it, except the walls, as far as lay in their power; and had begun to break away from the brickwork.
The town was, the whole night, under awe of this mob; many of the [police officers], with the field officers of the militia, standing by as spectators; and no body daring to oppose, [or stop the mob] ...
HERE IS A MODERN "TRANSLATION"
The person who was in charge of bringing stamps to Connecticut, his name was Jared Ingersoll, arrived in Boston from London. A few days later, early in the morning, people found a funny-looking figure hanging from a tree. This tree later became known as the Liberty Tree. A sign on the figure said it was the tax collector. People who were walking by stopped to look at it. Soon, lots of people from all over Boston and nearby towns came to see what was going on.
Most of the city leaders thought it was best to leave the figure alone. They said that the people were being peaceful and would take the figure down and bury it without causing any trouble. But they also said that trying to take it down would make people angry and cause a big fight, which is exactly what they wanted to avoid.
Before it got dark, the figure was taken down. About 40 or 50 workers, dressed nicely, walked in front of a big crowd of people. They marched down King Street to a place called Oliver's Dock. Mr. Oliver had just built a new building there, and people thought he was going to use it as a place to sell stamps. The crowd quickly tore the building down. Then, they went towards Fort Hill. But Mr. Oliver's house was in their way, so they tried to get inside. When people inside tried to stop them, they broke the windows, kicked in the doors, and went inside. They smashed some of his furniture and kept making trouble until midnight.
Later that same month, on the evening of August 26th, a big crowd of people gathered on King Street. They were drinking and having a bonfire. They were really angry and went to the house of the lieutenant governor. They used big axes to break down the doors and windows and rushed into the house. The house was quickly filled with angry people.
The lieutenant governor didn't have much time to get ready. He told his children and the rest of his family to leave the house right away. He decided to stay and protect his house. His oldest daughter went a little way away from the house, but then came back. She said she wouldn't leave unless her father left too.
This made the lieutenant governor leave the house just a few minutes before the angry crowd got inside. The crowd stayed in the house until morning. They destroyed everything they could find, threw things out into the street, and even started to break down the walls of the house.
The whole town was scared of the angry crowd that night. Even the police and the soldiers just watched and didn't try to stop them. No one dared to stand up to the crowd.
Resignation of Andrew Oliver, a tax collector
This image is called a broadside - we would call it a poster. Take a moment and read it. Remember that an "f" in the poster is actually an "s"!
In the previous reading, you read about a tax collector named Mr. Oliver, and how his tax office was destroyed by a mob. He was intimidated into resigning his job as tax collector.
Colonists hanged a fake version of Andrew Oliver from the Liberty Tree - this is called hanging someone in effigy
Colonists directed people to go near the Liberty Tree to have things "stamped" - this was symbolic of having their real goods taxed by Britain
A colonist by the name of Ebenezer McIntosh, and others, cut down the fake Andrew Oliver from the Liberty Tree and took the figure through the streets of Boston as though it was a funeral
The group then tore down Oliver's stamp office - you read about this earlier
The group then beheaded the figure of Andrew Oliver and burned it, as well as his carriage
William Bradford's Newspaper Picture
William Bradford was a newspaper printer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was also a leader of The Sons of Liberty. He printed this image at the top of every newspaper that he printed.
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