ON THIS DAY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY
March 22, 1765
The British Parliament Passes the Stamp Act
Which Imposes a Tax on the American Colonies
On this day in 1765, the Stamp Act is passed by the British Parliament which required legal documents,
magazines, newspapers, and other paper documents to be printed on paper with an embossed revenue stamp. This
stamped paper which was printed in London could only be obtained by paying a tax in British currency as opposed to
colonial money.
The British attempted to justify this new tax by claiming that the colonies had the most to gain from the military
that was stationed in North America and therefore should help pay for it. The colonists objected to this tax
because they did not have representation in the British Parliament. Although the Stamp Act was repealed the
following year, it brought the colonies one step closer to the American Revolution.
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