Which of the following describes the Sugar Act?(1 point) Responses Smugglers supported the tax because it forced merchants to pay. Smugglers supported the tax because it forced merchants to pay. It removed the tax on molasses. It removed the tax on molasses. It called for more customs officials. It called for more customs officials. It enforced existing laws regarding taxes on molasses.
It enforced existing laws regarding taxes on molasses.
The correct answer is: It enforced existing laws regarding taxes on molasses.
The correct answer is:
It enforced existing laws regarding taxes on molasses.
To arrive at this answer, let's analyze the given options and their descriptions.
Option 1: "Smugglers supported the tax because it forced merchants to pay." - This option doesn't accurately describe the Sugar Act. The Sugar Act actually aimed to crack down on smuggling, rather than support it.
Option 2: "It removed the tax on molasses." - This description is incorrect because the Sugar Act did not remove the tax on molasses. In fact, it actually lowered the tax rate on molasses.
Option 3: "It called for more customs officials." - Though the Sugar Act did increase the number of customs officials, this description alone does not sufficiently capture the overall purpose or effect of the Act.
Option 4: "It enforced existing laws regarding taxes on molasses." - This is the correct answer. The Sugar Act was passed by the British Parliament in 1764 to enforce and strengthen existing laws related to the taxation of molasses. It aimed to combat smuggling by increasing enforcement and decreasing the tax rate on molasses in order to encourage legal trade.
By evaluating the options and their descriptions, we can confidently identify option 4 as the one that accurately describes the Sugar Act.