The New Student's Reference Work/Stamp-Act

Stamp-Act, a measure for raising revenue by requiring the use of government stamps on all legal documents used in the British colonies in America. It was passed in 1765, and was resisted by the colonies because they denied the right of the English Parliament to tax them without representation; that is, without their having a voice by their delegates in the matter. Riots took place in many towns, and the stamped paper was seized and destroyed. A congress of nine states met and claimed the right of taxation for their own assemblies. The stamp-act was repealed by Parliament in February, 1766, after a great debate in which Burke made his first speech, and Pitt took the side of the colonists in one of his greatest speeches.