Has your parent/ guardian ever had a rule, or policy that you thought was unfair or unreasonable? What did you do about it?

Today’s key historical question: Why were the colonists upset about the Stamp Act? The Stamp Act was passed by Parliament on March 22, 1765 with an effective date of November 1, 1765

Impact of the French and Indian War 1754-1763 (French & Indians vs Impact of the French and Indian War 1754-1763 (French & Indians vs. colonists & British army)

Problems for England after French and Indian War (1754- 1763)… British debt is doubled after expensive war… Territory under its control is expanded 10,000 more troops needed to control Native Americans and former French subjects Pontiac’s Rebellion- Natives in Ohio River Valley rebelling What should Britain do?

Proclamation of 1763 Colonists barred from moving into area west of the Appalachians

George Grenville- appointed Prime Minister Decides to tax colonies American colonists on average are 20% richer, but pay about ¼ of the taxes as British citizens

Sugar Act- 1764 Purpose: tax on imported molasses Effect: tougher enforcement of colonial smuggling (no more SALUTARY NEGLECT) Smugglers tried in vice-admiralty court rather than colonial courts

Stamp Act passed by Parliament on March 22, 1765 with an effective date of November 1, 1765 A small tax on legal documents, licenses, magazines, pamphlets, almanacs, playing cards, newspapers and many other types of paper used throughout the colonies 1st INTERNAL TAX Colonists who disobeyed tried in vice- admiralty courts

Colonial response to the Stamp Act Colonial assemblies pass resolutions against “taxation without representation” Merchants boycott British imports Stamp Act Congress NYC October 1765 Delegates from 9 colonies Declaration of Rights and Grievances- Parliament has no right to tax the colonies because they are not represented there

Sons of Liberty-Violent resistance Leaders of protests Sam Adams leads in Boston Some violent intimidation Mobs riot in cities Tax collectors harassed, threatened August 1765- stamp collectors office torn down; house damaged October 1765- Governor Hutchinson’s house burnt down By November 1, the day the tax was to go into effect, there was not a single stamp left in the colonies to collect the tax http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFWZ925zK0A

Key Question: WHY WERE THE COLONISTS UPSET ABOUT THE STAMP ACT? READING LIKE A HISTORIAN: WHAT DO THE DOCS SAY? Sourcing Contextualization Close-Reading Corroboration

Always SOURCE the document first CONTEXTUALIZATION- What were people thinking/ saying AT THAT TIME? Close Reading- what claims does the author make?

Sourcing Questions: Context Questions: What newspaper does this come from?   What would you predict the author’s perspective will be on the Stamp Act? Context Questions: What happened in Boston? Why is the author surprised? Who reads the newspapers, according to the author? According to this document, why were colonists upset about the Stamp Act?

CORROBORATING: Looking at all 3…. WHY WERE THE COLONISTS UPSET ABOUT THE STAMP ACT? Was the Stamp Act unreasonable or unfair? Were the British violating colonists’ rights? If yes, how so? How were the colonists behaving in response? Some historians argue that the American Revolution happened because a few rich leaders riled up all the poor people. Do these documents provide evidence for this argument? Is that evidence believable?

Why do the colonists see the Stamp Act as a violation of their rights?