Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts (1767) passed by Parliament on 20th November 1767 refer to two Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain passed in 1767, originally proposed by Charles Townshend. [1]These laws placed a tax on common products imported into the American Colonies, such as lead, paper, paint, glass, and tea, while giving revenues from these taxes to the British governors and other officials that were normally paid by town assemblies. This could be considered taking the 'power of the purse' of these colonial assemblies. In contrast to the Stamp Act of 1765, the laws were not a direct tax, but rather a tax on imports. [2]The Townshend Acts also created three new admiralty courts to try Americans and reaffirmed the legality of writs of assistance, which gave tax collectors permission to search for smuggled goods (these smuggled goods would be sold in England and the European countryside for profit to Britain).
The Townshend Acts represent the continued efforts of Parliament to place a portion of the large debt incurred by French and Indian War on the American colonies where it had been fought. However, the Acts provoked only further outrage among American colonists and helped spark the Liberty seizure and riots of 1768, their opposition best stated by the phrase "No taxation without representation" originally spoken by James Otis. [3] Smugglers, who were negatively affected by the Acts, avoided the taxes by importing illegal goods and by organizing a boycott of the legitimate imports, of which Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty of Boston were notable supporters. Women also contributed by producing their own goods or relying on domestic products, e.g. spinning their own yarn and cloth, as well as participating in their own organizations such as the Daughters of Liberty. John Dickinson helped also raised support among the colonists through a series of 12 essays entitled "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania", addressing himself as "A Farmer". [4]
In April 1770, this Act was repealed, with the exception of a tax that was retained on tea (which would eventually lead to the Boston Tea Party). [5]
External links
Reference
- ^ "The Townshend Acts". American Revolution Homepage. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
- ^ "Townshend Acts". Patriot Resource. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
- ^ "What were the townshend acts?". WikiAnswers. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
- ^ "Townshend Acts". infoplease. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
- ^ "Townshend Acts". From Revolution to Reconstruction. Retrieved 2008-10-18.