Passage 1
The following is from the Stamp Act of 1765, which was imposed on all American colonists and required them to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used.
adapted from Stamp Act
by The British Parliament
This act is for granting and applying certain stamp duties, and other duties, in the British colonies in America, towards further financing the expenses of defending, protecting, and securing the same. It is also for amending such parts of the several acts of parliament relating to the trade and revenues of the said colonies, as direct the manner of determining and recovering the penalties and forfeitures therein mentioned.
Whereas by an act made in the last session of parliament, several duties were granted, continued, and appropriated, towards financing the expenses of defending, protecting, and securing, the British colonies in America. Whereas it is just and necessary, that provision be made for raising a further revenue within your Majesty's dominions in America, towards financing the said expenses: we, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the commons of Great Britain in parliament assembled, have therefore resolved to give and grant unto your Majesty the several rates and duties herein after mentioned. . . .
Passage 2
The following is from a list of rights declared by the American colonies to the British Parliament.
adapted from Declaration of Rights and Grievances
by The Stamp Act Congress of the American Colonies
The members of this congress, with minds deeply impressed by a sense of the present and impending misfortunes of the British colonies on this continent, have considered as maturely as time would permit, the circumstances of said colonies. We consider it our duty to make the following declarations, respecting the most essential rights and liberties of the colonists, and of the grievances under which they labor, by reason of several late acts of parliament.
3d. It is also essential to the freedom of a people, and the undoubted rights of Englishmen, that no taxes should be forced on them, but with their own consent, given personally, or by their representatives.
4th. The people of these colonies are not, and from their local circumstances, cannot be represented in the house of commons in Great Britain.
5th. The only representatives of the people of these colonies are persons chosen therein, by themselves. No taxes ever have been, or can be constitutionally forced on them, but by their respective legislatures.
6th. All supplies to the crown, being free gifts of the people, it is unreasonable and inconsistent with the principles and spirit of the British constitution, for the people of Great Britain to grant to his majesty the property of the colonists.
8th. The late act of parliament entitled, an act for granting and applying certain stamp duties, and other duties in the British colonies in America, by forcing taxes on the inhabitants of these colonies, and the said act, and several other acts, by extending the jurisdiction of the courts beyond its ancient limits, have a manifest tendency to sabotage the rights and liberties of the colonists.
9th. The duties forced by several late acts of parliament, from the peculiar circumstances of these colonies, will be extremely burdensome and critical, and, from the scarcity of specie1, the payment of them absolutely impossible.
10th. As the profits of the trade of these colonies ultimately center in Great Britain, to pay for the manufactures which they are obliged to take from thence, they eventually contribute very largely to all supplies granted there to the crown.
1. money in coin
17
Which statement best describes a claim made by The Declaration of Rights and Grievances in response to the Stamp Act?
A.
The Stamp Act is not specific enough to be carried out legally.
B.
The Stamp Act is an act of war and should be treated with hostility.
C.
The Stamp Act has caused the people of the colonies to change their loyalties.
D.
The Stamp Act threatens the liberties of the colonies and their people.