Explain The Ways In Which British Imperial Policies Between 1763 And 1776

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There are many ways in which British imperial policies between 1763 and 1776 intensified colonials’ resistance to British rule and their commitment to republican values. In the year 1763 the Peace of Paris Proclamation was passed, which is where the French alienated to Great Britain some of their West Indian islands, most of their colonies in India and Canada, and all other French territory in North America east of the Mississippi. With this treaty England felt at peace for the first time in years. So with this new found peace the British government decided to turn its attention towards the organization of the empire. However, with this enormous amount of debt left upon England, a new place for income is necessary. The imperial government …show more content…

The Sugar Act of 1764 raised taxes on sugar while lowering tax on molasses. It also enabled sympathetic local juries for smugglers by establishing new vice-admiralty courts in America. The Currency Act was also passed in 1764 and it required the colonial assemblies to stop issuing paper money. The colonist tried their best to resist these unpopular new laws, which was difficult at first. This difficulty came from the harbor of many grievances from one another just as they did against the authorities of London. The Mutiny Act was established in 1765. Regular British troops were permanently stationed in America. The Mutiny Act says that colonist were required to help out the army by providing them with food and shelter. British navy ships circled American waters in order to find smugglers. The custom service was reorganized and enlarged. Royal officials were required to take their post instead of sending substitutes. Manufacturing in the colonies were restricted in order to prevent competition with the quickly expanding industries in Great …show more content…

Grenville came up with the best way to do so with the Stamp Act of 1765. With this act, unlike the Sugar Act the tax on printed documents fell on everyone instead of just a few New England merchants. This act required taxes on every printed document in the colonies such as, newspapers, almanacs, deeds, wills, etc. Britain was now collecting more money from the colonies then they have ever had before 1763. What was more shocking was the precedent they seemed to have created. Taxes in the past created by Britain were to regulate commerce. The Stamp Act was created to as an attempt by England to raise revenue from the colonies without the consent of the colonial assemblies. In Massachusetts James Otis convinced his fellow members of the colonial assembly to call an intercolonial congress to take action and do something about these new taxes. In October 1765, The Stamp Act Congress met in New York with delegates from 9 colonies. This was in a petition to the British government, the congress denied that the colonies be taxed except through their own provincial assemblies. Many mobs started rising up in many colonial cities against the Stamp Act. On the night of March 5, 1770, a mob of dockworkers, “liberty boys,” and others started pelting rocks and snowballs at a customs house. Several armed men lined up in front of the building in order to protect it. One of the

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