Omar Bennett
The Stamp Act of 1765 angered American colonists, who argued that there should be No Taxation without Representation and that it went against the British constitution to be forced to pay a tax to which they had not agreed through representation in Parliament. The British government argued that the colonists enjoyed virtual representation, but the colonists refused to pay the tax. This refusal to protect colonists was also seen in the Act of Aug. 7, 1789, which designated the Secretary of the Department of War to perform duties related to Indian affairs, and in President Jackson's campaign against the Creek Nation during the War of 1812, which was defined by force rather than negotiation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colonists' argument | "No Taxation without Representation" |
| Colonists' action | Refused to pay the tax |
| Colonists' reasoning | British parliament, in which no Americans were seated, did not have the authority to impose an internal tax on the colonists |
| British government's argument | Colonists enjoyed virtual representation |
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What You'll Learn
The Stamp Act of 1765 angered colonists
The American colonists felt that the Act went against the British constitution, as they had no representation in Parliament and therefore no say in the matter. This led to the famous motto, "No Taxation without Representation".
The colonists responded to the Act with protests and by publishing pamphlets, resolutions and newspaper articles. They also refused to pay the tax, arguing that the British parliament did not have the authority to impose an internal tax on them.
The Stamp Act was one of several acts, including the Sugar Act, Townshend Acts and Intolerable Acts, that contributed to tension and unrest among colonists and ultimately led to the American Revolution.
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Colonists refused to pay the tax
The Stamp Act of 1765 angered American colonists, who quickly acted to oppose it. They did this by refusing to pay the tax. The colonists argued that under the principle of "no taxation without representation", the British parliament, in which no Americans were seated, did not have the authority to impose an internal tax on the colonists. This principle was embodied in the Magna Carta of 1215.
The British government argued that the colonists enjoyed virtual representation, in the same way as the thousands of British subjects who did not have the vote, or towns not represented in Parliament, such as Birmingham and Manchester. MPs in the Commons, it said, legislated for all British subjects everywhere.
The Act resulted in violent protests in America. The Secretary of the Department of War was designated to perform "such duties as shall from time to time be enjoined on, or entrusted to him by the President of the United States, agreeably to the Constitution... relative to Indian affairs".
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Colonists argued for 'no taxation without representation'
Colonists argued for no taxation without representation, a principle embodied in the Magna Carta of 1215. The Stamp Act of 1765 angered American colonists, who opposed it by refusing to pay the tax. They argued that because they had no representation in the British parliament, it did not have the authority to impose an internal tax on them.
The British government disagreed, stating that the colonists enjoyed virtual representation, just like the thousands of British subjects who did not have the vote, or towns not represented in Parliament, such as Birmingham and Manchester. MPs in the Commons, they argued, legislated for all British subjects everywhere.
The colonists' argument for no taxation without representation was a key part of their opposition to the Stamp Act and their broader push for independence from Britain. They believed that being taxed without representation in Parliament went against the British constitution and their rights as British subjects. This principle, which had been established in the Magna Carta centuries earlier, was a fundamental aspect of their case against the Stamp Act and other similar measures imposed by the British government.
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![Reply to the Speech of the Hon. Joseph Howe, of Nova Scotia on the Union of the North American Provinces, and on the Right of British Colonists to Representation in the 1855 [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/617DLHXyzlL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Colonists were not represented in Parliament
The British government argued that the colonists enjoyed virtual representation and were represented in Parliament in the same way as the thousands of British subjects who did not have the vote, or towns not represented in Parliament, such as Birmingham and Manchester. MPs in the Commons, it said, legislated for all British subjects everywhere.
The American colonists disagreed with this assessment, arguing that they were not truly represented in Parliament and that the Stamp Act was an unfair tax. They believed that the British government was overstepping its bounds by imposing a tax on them without their consent. This disagreement over representation and taxation rights was a major factor in the growing tensions between the American colonists and the British government, eventually leading to the American Revolution.
The issue of representation in Parliament was a significant point of contention between the American colonists and the British government in the years leading up to the American Revolution. The colonists felt that they were being unfairly taxed without having a say in the matter, as they had no direct representation in the British Parliament. This sense of disenfranchisement and lack of political power contributed to the growing sense of resentment and dissatisfaction among the colonists, ultimately leading to their desire for independence and self-governance.
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The British government argued for virtual representation
The British government disagreed, stating that the colonists enjoyed virtual representation. They were represented in Parliament in the same way as the thousands of British subjects who did not have the vote, or towns not represented in Parliament, such as Birmingham and Manchester. MPs in the Commons, it said, legislated for all British subjects everywhere.
The colonists' opposition to the Stamp Act was clear, as they refused to pay the tax. Prominent individuals such as Benjamin Franklin and members of the Sons of Liberty argued that under the principle of "no taxation without representation" that was embodied in the Magna Carta of 1215, the British parliament, in which no Americans were seated, did not have the authority to impose an internal tax on the colonists.
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Frequently asked questions
The Stamp Act of 1765 was a tax imposed on the American colonists by the British parliament. The colonists opposed the Act, arguing that under the principle of "no taxation without representation", the British parliament did not have the authority to impose an internal tax on them as they had no representation in parliament.
The colonists refused to pay the tax. They also engaged in violent protests and made direct appeals to Parliament.
The British government argued that the colonists enjoyed virtual representation in Parliament, just like the thousands of British subjects who did not have the vote or towns not represented in Parliament, such as Birmingham and Manchester. They claimed that MPs in the Commons legislated for all British subjects everywhere.
