The Stamp Act triggered a revolution in the colonies by enacting a tax on all official documents, which colonists strongly opposed. When the stamps arrived in ports, ships lowered their flags in mourning and stamps were burned or stolen in protests. Stamp agents were tarred and feathered and threatened, forcing Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act within a year due to the hostile colonial response.

1. The Stamp Act Triggering a Revolution

2. What is a Stamp Act? A law enacted by a government that required a tax be paid on the transfer of certain documents. Those that pay receive an official stamp on their documents

3. What had to carry a stamp? Playing cards Patent medicines Checks Mortgages Newspapers Wills

4. Why was it enacted? In order to defray costs of maintaining the military presence protecting the colonies

5. Patrick Henry Introduced a resolution claiming that the colony’s own House of Burgess had “the only and sole and executive right and power to lay taxes.”

6. Arrival of Stamps New York Harbor – ships in the harbor lowered their colors to signify Morning, Lamentation, and Woe. In other ports – stamps were stolen and burned. Portsmouth, NH – a copy of the Stamp Act was burned

7. Arrival of Stamps No business involving the stamps was transacted Stamp agents were tarred and feathered Stamp agents’ families were threatened and homes were burned.

8. Repealed Tax response was more hostile than Parliament thought that it would be

9. Dates Stamp Act became law – March 22, 1765 Stamp Act took effect – November 1, 1765 Stamp Act repealed – March, 1766