Adams Remarked: “For if our trade may be taxed, why not our lands? Why not the produce of our land and, in short, everything we possess or make use of?” If we just let the king tax this, he is just going to keep on placing more and more taxes on us

At Congress, Gadsden expressed his vision of a United America “There Ought to be no New England man, no New Yorker…but all of us AMERICANS” Colonists needed to unite in opposition to these taxes

They would often Boycott, or refuse to buy, certain goods made by Britain

The British people already paid the same tax and the King thought it was not a huge issue

They decided to unload the tea and hold it in the basement of the Exchange building

Boston colonists heard of this and decided to hold a “Stamp Act Congress”

In Massachusetts a secret society called The Sons of Liberty was created

South Carolina sent three delegates to the Stamp Act Congress  Thomas Lynch  John Rutledge  Christopher Gadsden

They were all wealthy white men from the Lowcountry × Edward Rutledge × Thomas Lynch * × Thomas Lynch, Jr. × Arthur Middleton × Thomas Heyward, Jr. * Thomas Lynch (Sr.) was too ill to sign. He died before he had the chance. There is still a blank spot today where his signature would have been!

1. Sit down 2. BE QUIET 3. NO you may not

The war put Britain into debt

The Sugar Act required colonists to purchase molasses from British merchants in the West Indies

These acts made the colonists extremely angry

The Act forced everyone who bought a paper product to also buy a stamp/seal

However, the Colonists instantly began protesting against The Stamp Act In Massachusetts a secret society called The Sons of Liberty was created Boston colonists heard of this and decided to hold a “Stamp Act Congress”

In 1767 Britain passed The Townshend Acts The acts were a tax on glass, paint, paper, and tea

The Colonists responded with another series of boycotts and The Sons of Liberty began attacking the homes of tax collectors In order to further quiet down the colonies Britain eliminated the Townshend Acts, but kept the tax on Tea The Colonists threw over 90,000 pounds of tea into the water (Boston Tea Party)

There Were FOUR Parts to the Acts:  1. Boston Harbor was shut down until Britain was paid for the tea  2. The Massachusetts government was dissolved  3. Trials against British Soldiers were to be held in England  4. The Quartering Act – Forced Colonists to allow British Soldiers to stay with them if necessary

The Colonists called The Coercive Acts – The Intolerable Acts

Therefore they had Thomas Jefferson draft the Declaration of Independence. The signing of the Declaration of Independence ultimately led to the American Revolution!