The Stamp Act and the American Revolution

The Stamp Act and the American Revolution tells the story of the Stamp Act controversy of 1764 to 1766, widely considered to be the most influential event in the run-up to American independence from Great Britain. The Stamp Act and its repeal by Parliament set a precedent for American active resistance to influence the decisions of Parliament. As part of a plan to draw revenue from the colonies, a proposal was brought forth in Parliament to require revenue stamps be placed on many forms of written material to prove a duty had been paid. Ken Shumate takes the reader through the process of the Stamp Act formulation and announcement in 1764, followed by its enactment in 1765. The act prompted American protests in both 1764 and 1765, while the British countered with assertions of parliamentary sovereignty over the colonies. The book then describes different aspects of American resistance, including a congress of colonies to establish a consensus statement of their constitutional position, a boycott of British products, and a refusal to allow the act to take effect. For the first time, Britain was forced to reconsider its legislation in the face of colonial active resistance, and the author takes us into the Parliamentary debates regarding enforcement or concession, and the ultimate repeal of the Stamp Act.

The Stamp Act and the American Revolution is the only book-length treatment of the subject that provides detailed explanation of actions as seen from both the British and American points of view. The book tells the story through contemporary speech and writing, with a structure that is event-based, driven by the back-and-forth nature of unfolding episodes. The latest in the Journal of the American Revolution Books series, this volume is a major contribution to understanding how the political struggle between Parliament and colonial legislators moved from the houses of government to the ultimate break by force between America and Great Britain.