Historical Review of the 1760’s in Colonial North America

LIST OF MAJOR EVENTS

· 1763 A.D. The Treaty of Paris officially ends The French and Indian war.
· 1765 A.D. Great Britain imposes the Stamp Act, taxing almost everything the colonists produced because the British felt that the Colonists should help pay for the French and Indian War. This outraged the colonists. · 1766 A.D. Great Britain Repeals the Stamp Act.
· 1767 A.D. Andrew Jackson, the 7th president is born. · 1767 A.D. Great Britain passes the Townshend Revenue Acts, which tax the colonists on lead, paint, glass, paper, and tea. This event was very similar to the Stamp Act, since it outraged the colonists.

MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENT

The most significant event is the Stamp Act in 1765.

BACKGROUND ON THE EVENT

In 1765 Great Britain imposed the Stamp Act on the colonists of the New World, for compensation for the French and Indian War. Great Britain’s reasoning for the Stamp Act was that they had saved the colonists from the French, so they deserved to be paid back for their services. Since the colonists had no representation in Parliament there was very little they could do besides protesting and not paying the taxes. Since the colonists felt unfairly taxed they became outraged. This anger and overall disapproval of the Stamp Act by the colonists led to its repeal in 1766.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EVENT

The Stamp Act was significant because it was an important cause for the colonies to gain independence from Great Britain. The Stamp Act caused a great uproar of anger throughout the colonies. The people were angry at Great Britain for this tax, but more so since they had no say in what taxes are imposed on them selves. They had no representation in Parliament. They had no say in what happened in their colonies. The king and Parliament had control of them. This oppression and the colonists desire to make their own decisions helped to make us want independence from Great Britain. Without the Stamp Act the colonists would have had a weaker argument for independence from Great Britain. The Stamp Act helped to give the United States its freedoms, rights, and independence today.

HOW THE EVENT AFFECTS US TODAY

This event still affects us today because if it was not for the Stamp Act we may not have become an independent country. The Stamp Act helped to spark the idea of independence from Great Britain. Without that spark, the United States may never have formed. Great Britain’s oppression was our main reason for independence. If we had never felt oppressed by the taxes, then we may never have wanted to be independent. So as you can see the Stamp Act still has a lasting effect on our country today.

Bibliography
1. Graves, Donald. “The Stamp Act”
http://ahp.gatech.edu/stamp_act_bp_1765.html 2004
(10/11/04)