Stamp Act 1765

About Stamp Act 1765

The Stamp Act of 1765 required American colonists to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. Ship papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, and even playing cards were taxed. The tax was intended to pay for British troops stationed in North America after the Seven Years War. The colonists had no representation in Parliament, leading to the slogan no taxation without representation. The Stamp Act Congress met in New York to organize opposition. Colonial assemblies refused to enforce the act. British merchants, hurt by colonial boycotts, pressured Parliament to repeal the act in 1766. The Stamp Act crisis was a critical step toward the American Revolution.