Revolutionary War

Intro: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts

Content: Passage of the Stamp Tax by the British Parliament provoked several changes in the North American colonies. Rioting and civil disobedience were rampant. Advocates of the taxes were subjected to political pressure and physical violence. At the same time in most of the colonies a new class of leaders, such as Patrick Henry, began to help the public come to grips with a changing relationship with Britain, more resistant, even hostile to the interests of the mother country, and eventually to consider the path to independence.

Intro: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts

Content: After the passage of the Stamp Act by Parliament in 1765, reaction was slow in coming but built all during the summer, fall and winter of 1765. In the end, Parliament was forced to repeal the Stamp Tax because of vigorous resistance within the colonies and not insignificant opposition within Parliament itself. With Virginia and Massachusetts leading the way, the flame of resistance began to spread to the other colonies.

Intro: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts

Content: The passage of the Stamp Act by the British Parliament in 1765 transformed the political landscape within the colonies of North America. The London government was determined to extract from the colonies sufficient revenue to pay for the troops stationed on the continent to protect British and colonial interests. They came up with a clever scheme to raise the cash. A significant portion of legal and business documents would have to be printed on stamped paper supplied by the government at a relatively nominal rate, but no one was fooled. This was a tax, plain and simple. The reaction was slow in coming but built all during the summer, fall, and winter of 1765. In the end Parliament was forced to repeal the Stamp Tax because of vigorous resistance within the colonies and not insignificant opposition within Parliament itself.