And to think alleged conservatives now want the federal government to impose a tax on every transaction.
The first conflict of the American Revolution might be said to be the result of the Stamp Act of 1765. In August of 1765, Andrew Oliver, the Crown's stamp agent in Boston was hung in effigy from the Liberty Tree and forced to resign his commission.
"What a greater Joy did ever New England see
Than a Stampman hanging on a Tree".
Lt. Gov Thomas Hutchinson, regarded by the colonists as much too cozy with the Crown agents, and the sheriff attempted to break up the crowd around midnight only to be driven off by a hail of stones and harsh commentary.
A couple of weeks later a crowd gathered and lit a bonfire on King St in Boston. They then moved on to the house of William Story, a Crown agent in the admiralty court. The crowd swarmed the house, destroying Story's papers and his furnishings as well as Court records held there.
The crowd then moved on to the home of Boston's Controller of Customs, Benjamin Hallowell. They tore down his fence, broke out his windows, stormed the house and stripped it of contents.
The next target of the night was Hutchinson's home. The Lt. Gov. had gotten warning and sent his family to safety. But his eldest daughter had returned and declared she would stay unless Hutchinson also departed. Hutchinson retreated with her to a neighbor's house. The crowd did its work again and left only a shell and a partial roof to greet the dawn.
Thus our ancestors met overreaching government. It was not the last battle but merely a beginning. There followed the Declaratory Act and the Townsend Acts and the Tea Act. Martial law and direct resistance pushed back and forth until "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" and then it was game on.
The toffs in Parliament thought it was a “Cunning Plan” (shameless reference to Black Adder) and it would have worked if not for the colonists telling them, in inimitable American style, to go f*** themselves.
The difference is that the money all stays here....a kitty for government waste.
I just finished reading the “Sparrowhawk” series, and it was interesting to read, as The Stamp Act played prominently in the story (Leading up to the American Revolution)
I was a bit put off by the uber-positve portrayal of colonial atheists, but other than that, greatly enjoyed it.
As another poster said, it wasn’t repealed out of generosity, it was repealed because there were enough realistic people in England who said the equivalent of “If we don’t repeal it, we will lose the colonies”.
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Recessional of the Sons of the American Revolution:
“Until we meet again, let us remember our obligations to our
forefathers who gave us our Constitution, the Bill of Rights,
an independent Supreme Court and a nation of free men.”
Very iteresting. Despitemy ever abiding love of American history, I really did not know anything about the Stamp Act, oother than its name. It was always just referred to in a list of onerous taxes. Thanks for posting.