| As one significant historical event in colonial period of America, the Stamp Act provides one perspective to be reckoned with to inspect American history during the period. The Stamp Act is nominally one tax bill, essentially one dispute in allusion to political rights. It’s inappropriate to inspect the Stamp Act in isolation, but should place it in the long period of the American Revolution. Specifically, this thesis will analyze the background of how the act came on, the details of the process and the consequence being triggered by the act. It is the footing of this thesis that to describe the historicity of concrete historical event. At the same time, the central aim is that inspecting what influence was exerted on the ideology of the American people by the discussion of rights—talk concentrating on the Stamp Act. From the discussion can be pried into the ideological origins of the American Revolution. The movement may not truly enlighten American people, but what is certain is that the movement agitated American people, and it’s a necessary condition for the American Revolution.The Stamp Act is one portion of the system that Britain adjusted to govern America. During the Seven Years’ War, the defect of how to govern America was exposed, so Britain was determined to adjust the policy of America after the war. It’s no doubt that the war provided an opportunity for Britain to reconstruct policies of America. American colonies did not show a consistent stance with mother country during the war, and some merchants in colonies even engaged in smuggling trade with hostile France. Britain was discontented with what happened in America. What made Britain most worried is that the independence of America grew during the war, not only economic dimensions, but also ideological dimensions. The British cabinet alternated after the war. Grenville cabinet replaced Bute cabinet, becoming the builder of American new policy system. Grenville advocated that Britain should strengthen the control of America using the tougher means. Concrete policies are as follows. Keep one larger permanent army in America, and the American colonies should be burdened with the military expenditure; Strengthen the government of land in America; Enact a series of fiscal and tax bills. The Stamp Act is one tax bill that Grenville focused on making. As one tax bill, it was designed to increase the fiscal revenue for Britain, in addition, to strengthen the government of America is also it’s aim.The Stamp Act in British America is neither an innovation nor an unfounded imagination and it was based on existing experience. In 1624, Netherlands initiated stamp duty. Afterwards, this kind of tax was gradually adopted by other countries and regions, among which Britain and America are. Britain began to levy stamp tax from 1671, as the normalization of being levied, stamp duty gradually became one kind of regular tax in Britain; America had ever levied stamp duty in the first half of the eighteenth century. Thus it can be seen that Britain and America are all familiar with stamp duty. The brewing of the Stamp Act went though a long period of time. At first, British decision makers lacked sufficient information about American stamp duty; Secondly, divergence of stamp duty existed in Britain. After the Seven Years’War, British interior held different views about how to govern America and whether levy stamp duty in America or not. One faction headed by George Grenville insisted severe policy in America, including the Stamp Act; Another faction headed by William Pitt insisted loose policy in America, opposing the Stamp Act. The divergences between two sides triggered debate in Britain, and that’s one inevitable part during the process of enacting the Stamp Act. At the same time, Britain collected more information about American stamp duty, of which the significant means were the dialogue and exchange between Britain with America. America presented petitions to Grenville through their agents in London, expecting their opinions of stamp duty. Grenville expressed one standpoint to America that they have options to decide how to levy duty, if that kind of duty could bring equitable revenue to stamp duty. This kind of exchange didn’t alter the consequence of the Stamp Act, but it eased the tension caused by the Stamp Act to a certain extent.In March,1765, the Stamp Act formally came out. The act was elaborately planned and prepared by British Treasury, during the course, the draft being modified for several times. Relevant departments discussed the amount of stamp duty and the objects being levied again and again. Ultimately, one tax bill was passed which levies relatively low amount and contains a wide range of items and objects. The Stamp Act caused widespread dissatisfaction and protest that came from not only American colonies but also Britain. American colonies tried their best to prevent the Stamp Act from being carried out through ways of violence or peaceful petitions. The stamp distributors who were assigned to America and some important American officers associated with the Stamp Act were attacked so fiercely that the bill couldn’t be carried out. The trade between Britain with America was therefore affected. Under the situation, Britain had to repeal the Stamp Act in March,1766. Meanwhile, British parliament issued the Declaratory Act aiming at maintaining British sovereignty and authority in America.In the event of the Stamp Act, one common thread centering on the bill is the discussion about rights—talk, and there is no doubt that the movement has a profound impact on America in revolution period. While radical American people resisted the Stamp Act in violence, some upper echelons started one rational and abstract discussion with their mother country. Their debate refers to British taxation right, American parliamentary representation, private property right and the constitutional position of America within British Empire. The debate was not complete with the repeal of the Stamp Act. It extended to the revolution period and became significant impetus of the American Revolution. |
