Causes of the Revolution- NEW TAXES AND BOYCOTTS
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After the war the British government evaluated new methods for generating funds since any they would have had disappeared with all the expences concerning the war. It was then decided to levy new taxes on the colonies with the goal of offsetting some of the cost for their defense. People in England argued that so much money was spent trying to protect the colonies, and they only paid minor taxes compared to them.
On April 5, 1764, the Sugar Act placed a tax of three pence per gallon on molasses as well as listed specific goods which could be exported to Britain. This new Sugar Act called for active enforcement and struck the colonies during an economic downturn. This lead to outcries from colonial leaders who said: "taxation without representation" meaning that they were against paying levyed taxes without having a member of Parliament to represent their interests.
The economic situation in America was made worse later that year with the implementation of the Currency Act which prohibited the colonies from printing paper money
As many American businesses engaged in credit sales with Britain, they were weakened when financial crisis gripped London in the 1760s and 1770s. Unable to generate any form of liquid currency, American businesses were frequently going bankrupt, damaging the colonial economy. Outraged by these new laws, and the Quartering Act which required colonial citizens to house and feed British troops, the American colonies began to systematically boycott British goods.
The Quartering Act was an act passed by British Parliament to ensure that British soldiers would be properly accommodated and fed during their times of service in the North American colonies. In fact, Parliament passed two separate Quartering Acts, one in 1765 and another in 1774, and both became serious means of contention among the Colonists. In fact, the Quartering Act was found so offensive that specific references were made to it in the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution.
The Stamp Act was simply another mean created to ensure that no one got away with not paying their taxes. This Act required certain goods to bear an official stamp showing that the owner had paid the tax. Many of these items were paper goods, such as legal documents and licenses, newspapers, leaflets, and even playing cards. Also many products. This was the first time the Parliament imposed direct tax to the colonies.
