Federal Hall where the Stamp Act Congress took place

The Stamp Act

Colonists were angry since parliament had been taxing them. The Stamp Act , was passed March 22,1765 but was going on effect until November 1 of that same year. It became the  first direct British tax. The Stamp Act stated that colonists had to pay a tax on all printed paper such as magazines, newspapers, books, deeds and legal documents. This Act was called like this because colonists were supposed to buy paper from the British. This paper would have a stamp that showed that the colonists had payed the tax. The tax had to be payed with the British currency and not with the colonial money. The purpose of this tax was to help pay the troops in colonial America after British had won the French and Indian war. The British government thought that the colonies had received the most benefit from the soldiers  so they should at least help the British pay for them.
On the other hand the colonists thought they should not pay taxes on something they had been doing for free many years. They thought that there was no need for the taxes or the troops. Colonists believed this was  another example of taxation without representation. They argued that since they didn't have a vote in parliament they should not be paying a tax for them. Colonists thought they could only be taxed by their own representatives.  The colonists responded to this act with legislative protests and street violence. Colonists believed that this threatened their prosperity and their liberty, and that if they accepted this tax  many more would come. Everyone who was in favor of the Stamp Act was considered an enemy of the colony.

In response to this situation,the colonists gathered in the Stamp Act Congress. This was the first congress of the american colonies. Representatives from nine of the thirteen colonies went to New York City from October 7 to October 25 ,1765. The purpose of the congress was to organize a protest against British taxation. Representatives of this colonies decided on the non importation agreements. This meant that they wouldn't buy any British product. England was strongly affected by this economic boycott so they repealed the Stamp Act. Even though parliament  repealed the Stamp Act on the same day they  passed the Declaratory Act which stated that the parliament had the right to tax and make laws in the colonies.