1. 1767-1768

2.  Colonies state only colonial legislatures have the right to levy internal taxes BUT  Colonists still concede supremacy of the king and the role of Parliament in regulating trade for the whole Empire

3.  Shows Parliament doesn’t understand this distinction. They claim the right to rule ‘in all cases whatsoever’

4.  Every Colonial Assembly is to provide for the basic needs of soldiers stationed within its borders. Colonists object to  The cost  A standing army, they associate armies with war and feel Britain is intimidating them

5.  In NY the resistance was strongest. The army HQ was in New York and therefore the cost to this colony was high.  The NY legislature refused to pay the full amount and so the Crown suspended the NY Colonial Assembly. Any laws they made were pronounced null and void.

6.  The Crown passed an act which was essentially a tax on British products exported to America. Essentially this was an external tax for regulating trade. BUT  The money collected was to pay the salaries of royal appointment to the colonies. Parliament also sent customs commissioners to collect this duty.

7.  The Boston Gazette called for an agreement on the non-importation of British goods.  This idea soon spread throughout the colonies, even though the merchants weren’t really too happy about it.

8.  What was it that particularly bothered them about the Revenue Act?  Adams and Molineux were Sons of Liberty agitators  They feared the royal governors having the economic means to set up their own power base by appointing positions independent of the colonial assemblies.

9.  The Customs Commissioners were constantly harassed from the minute their boat arrived.  The resistance took the form of parades, abuse and general mob protest such as surrounding their houses at night  Fearing for their safety they requested the Crown send more soldiers to protect them.

10.  They really made the situation worse. Many of them used their jobs to settle personal scores and to line their own pockets.  They would seize ships belonging to Sons of Liberty supporters and this in turn would result in greater resistance toward them.

11.  Massachusetts sent a letter to Parliament denying its right to impose external taxes which are intended to raise revenue and they called for a boycott on British goods until the Act was repealed.

12.  Massachusetts was told to rescind its letter. They voted not to do so.  This response from Britain actually had unintended consequences in the colonies as it emboldened other colonies to follow Massachusetts example.  In Aug 1768 the Massachusetts legislature was dissolved due to their defiance.

13.  The Sons of Liberty respond by organising Committees of Safety to secure the safety of Boston and New England against ‘the French’ (code to prevent accusations of treason).  These Committees were key organisations in planning colonial resistance.