The Molasses Act imposed duties on molasses (six pence per gallon), rum (nine pence per gallon) and sugar (five shillings per hundredweight) from non-British islands in the Caribbean Sea to protect the English planters form foreign competition. The act was generally ignored by the Americans. Therefore the British amended it with the
Sugar Act (1764) one and a half pence per gallon on wine, sugar and testiles. To settle problems under the Molasses Act the tax was reduced by fifty percent but strictly enforced. Now the Americans were feeling the threat of British rule and objected the way how the money was being spent. The British pretended to need money to support troops but the troops were stationed at ports to enforce British rule and not in the interior were the treat of attacks existed.
British parliament would additional tax revenue for some imperial expenses and passed the
Stamp Act in 1865 which was due on paper, newspapers, customs document, licenses, college diplomas and numerous legal forms for recovering debts, buying land or making wills. This was the beginning of censoring information as any document with unwanted comments about the British was not stamped. With the
Townshend Act (1767) taxes on glass, lead, paper, paint and tea were introduces. The colonists claimed "Taxation without representation is slavery". The poycotts of British goods leat to repealing the Stamp Act in 1766 and the new import duties were lifted in 1770 but not the tax on tea. The
Tea Act of 1773 heightens the tension and filally lead to the Boston Tea Party (December 17, 1773). In reply the British passed the
Coervice Act (1774) to punish Boston. This act was called Intolerable Acts by the Americans. Under this act the port of poston was closed and the city was putted under military command. To support Boston the First COntinental COngress (1774) were held in Philadelphia by fifty-six delegates from twelve colonies (Georgia was missing). By 1775 the first military actions began and in 1776 the Continental Congress declared independence. and in 1775. With the Paris treaty of September 3, 1783 the American Revolution came to its successful end.
