Grade 7 History of the United States and New York
Unit 2: American Independence
Lesson 2: Rise of Tensions
Name: ________________________________________________
Taxing the Colonies
After the French and Indian War ended in 1763, the American colonists hoped to enjoy peace and prosperity
(wealth). However, the British government decided that it needed more money to pay its debts from the war and to run the
colonies. The British passed several tax laws to get the money. These new taxes angered the American colonists.
The American colonists had always paid some taxes to Great Britain, but the new taxes seemed unfair. For
example, in 1764, Parliament, (the law making branch of the British government), passed the Sugar Act. This law placed
a tax on imported sugar and molasses. One year later in 1765, Parliament passed the Stamp Act. The colonists were
forced to pay a tax on newspapers, almanacs, playing cards, and legal papers. The colonists didn't think they should have
to pay for something they had been doing for free for many years, and they reacted by protesting, and using violence.
Parliament was forced to repeal (cancel) the Stamp Act because of it was so unpopular with the colonists.
In 1767, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts. This law taxed all manufactured goods imported to the colonies.
This law also taxed glass, paper, paints, and even tea. This act angered the colonists. Their strong protests forced the
British to repeal the taxes except for the tax on tea.
Part 1: Vocabulary- define the words below.
1. prosperity: ___________________________________________________________
2. Parliament: __________________________________________________________
3. repeal: ______________________________________________________________
4. imported: ____________________________________________________________
5. act: ________________________________________________________________
Part 2: Complete the chart below.
Tax Law
Year Enacted
Items Taxed
Sugar Act
1764

_______________________________________________
Stamp Act
2. __________

Newspapers, almanacs, playing cards, legal papers
Townshend Acts
1767

_______________________________________________
Part 3: Short Answer. Please answer in complete sentences.
1. Why were the colonists being taxed so heavily by Parliament?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES:
Grade 7 Integrated Social Studies/English Language Arts Curriculum
Page 1 Revised May 2015
Grade 7 History of the United States and New York
Unit 2: American Independence
Lesson 2: Rise of Tensions
2. How did the colonists react to the Stamp Act?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why do you think Parliament repealed all parts of the Townshend Acts except the tax on tea?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Identify and label details in this document.
Liberty Tree
Stamp Act
The Bostonians Paying the Excise (Tax)-Man, 1774
5. Describe what the colonists are doing to the tax collector.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Why are the colonists acting in such a way?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES:
Grade 7 Integrated Social Studies/English Language Arts Curriculum
Page 2 Revised May 2015