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Stamp Act of 1765 Facts & Worksheets

The beginning of the American revolution occurred due to a number of events between the US and Britain. One of these was the passing of the Stamp Act in 1765.

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The American revolution was perhaps one of the most significant events in US history. The beginning of the American revolution occurred due to a number of events between the US and Britain. One of these was the passing of the Stamp Act in 1765.

See the fact file below for more information on the Stamp Act in 1765 or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Stamp Act in 1765 worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BEFORE THE STAMP ACT

  • After the costly Seven Years’ War with France that lasted from 1756 until 1763, Great Britain was at the edge of debt and financial crisis. The war began with a French and British rivalry over the control of North America, which included the American colonies and Canada.
  • The war, although won, was an expensive one for the British army. A lot of money was spent on victory. As a result, the British government believed it was only fair that colonies should contribute to the expense of the war.
  • By the first half of the 18th century, the British Parliament began to pass laws that meant to raise colonial revenue. In 1764, the Sugar Act, also known as the American Revenue Act, levied new duties on sugar and other commodities.
  • Aside from increasing revenue to pay off debt, the British government aimed to crack colonial trade of the thirteen colonies to other countries, including France and Spain.

NATURE OF THE STAMP ACT

  • The Stamp Act was a tax put on the American colonies by the British in 1765. It covered printed materials; specifically newspapers, magazines, and legal documents.
  • The colonies did not agree with the government’s assessment and the subsequent expense. The Stamp Act of 1765 was introduced to help the British pay for the war. The colonies believed this was an unfair tax as there was no representation of the colonies within British Parliament.
  • This was duly named the Stamp Act, as the colonies purchased paper from the British government that was already branded with an official ‘stamp.’ This suggested they had already paid their taxes.
  • It was mandatory to pay all Stamp Act taxes with British money.
  • Stamp agents (who collected the stamp tax) were commonly forced from their jobs as a result of the anger toward the Stamp Act. These individuals were regularly threatened. It suggested that the introduction of the Stamp Act was one of the key contributors to the American Revolution.

REACTION OF THE COLONISTS

  • The rejection of the Stamp Act by the Colonies and the dismissal of such tax was as a result of the colonies having no say in how much tax was to be paid. The name coined for this was ‘taxation without representation.’
  • This resulted in a number of protests and a refusal to pay the taxes.
  • Those whose job was to collect taxes were threatened and the tax paper was burnt in the street. Mass condemnation of the stamp duty spread across the colonies. They went as far as completely boycotting all British products and merchants.
  • In September 1765, an angry mob gathered at Portsmouth and burned an effigy of a stamp master. By November, Portsmouth colonists conducted a mob funeral procession to condemn the Stamp Act.
  • As a result of the Stamp Act, members of the colonies decided to create a Stamp Act congress that met in New York city in October 1765. As part of the discussions they organized a protest against the British government to combat the act imposed.

AFTER THE STAMP ACT

  • This congress resulted in a document being produced. This document was called “The Declaration of Rights and Grievances” and was sent to the British government. It highlighted issues the colonies had with the British government. Included in this was the Stamp Act.
  • Protests began to gather momentum and the British government began to feel the strain of the rebellion from the Colonies. The impact of the protests on the British merchants was huge and eventually the British government repealed the Stamp Act on the 18th of March 1766.
  • Although they finally admitted the Stamp Act was perhaps not the best way to tax colonies, they still went ahead and passed a declaration that very day! This declaratory act stated that the British Parliament had every right to tax and make laws in the colonies.

Stamp Act of 1765 Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Stamp Act of 1765 across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Stamp Act of 1765 worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the American revolution which was perhaps one of the most significant events in US history. The beginning of the American revolution occurred due to a number of events between the US and Britain. One of these was the passing of the Stamp Act in 1765.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Stamp Act of 1765 Facts
  • Colonial Taxes
  • Mark with Stamp!
  • Colonial Crossword
  • Sequencing Events
  • Tax Time!
  • The Declaration
  • Sons of Liberty
  • Comparing Acts
  • King George III
  • To Protest or Not to Protest

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Link will appear as Stamp Act of 1765 Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 16, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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