The colonists had recently been hit with three major taxes: the Sugar Act (1764), which levied new duties on imports of textiles, wines, coffee and sugar; the Currency Act (1764), which caused a major decline in the value of the paper money used by colonists; and the Quartering Act (1765), which required colonists to …
What did the colonies do to avoid paying taxes?
What did the colonists do to avoid paying these taxes? Colonists resorted to smuggling in non British goods. It lowered the taxes on imported molasses. It was done to convince colonists to pay taxes and stop smuggling.
Why did the colonists not want to pay taxes?
Everyone with power, British and American, was making money hand over fist, so if the colonists were illegally trading on the side with countries other than Britain or letting non-British goods into ports without paying tariffs, the British didn’t much care or want to pay to send officials to enforce the law.
When did taxation start in the American colonies?
Taken together, these essays will show the limited scope and low rates of taxation, the response of the colonists to taxation, and the purposes on which public funds were spent between 1607 and 1783, a period encompassing 176 years. T he founding and growth of the original American colonies were a slow process.
Why did the British impose laws on the colonies?
Laws could be imposed on the American colonies, which were under British rule, without legal objection since the colonies had no representation in Parliament. The British also had control of the sea, which meant that the colonists could not trade with other nations without England’s approval.
What was the result of the British taxation?
The result of British taxation was the development of a new voice and consciousness among the American colonies. This had been emerging during the French-Indian War, but now issues of representation, taxation, and liberty began to take center stage. There were fears that Britain intended to enslave them.
