Rachael Wright

10/1/02

US History

Townshend Acts

The Townshend Acts

The Townshend Acts originated with Charles Townshend in 1766. Townshend, who was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1766, was not a man whom was very concerned with the nuances involved with the Colonists and their wishes from their government. He effectively took over the Colonial government, and created the Townshend Acts to further strengthen the power of the British parliament. This very organization passed the Townshend Acts on the second of July a year after his ascension, which effectively taxed imports such as glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea.

The Acts were not well received, and with motivation from writers among the colonists the Boston merchants once more boycotted English goods. Earlier acts had provoked a similar reaction, but the ripples this act caused spread quickly. One event that sprung for the dissention turned into the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770, involving British troops and a group of citizens of Boston. Troops were present in the city to discourage demonstrations against the Townshend Acts. After unceasing harassment, several of the soldiers fired into the crowd. Five men were killed, and the event was twisted into an anti-British argument for those whom considered themselves patriots to their developing country. Another one, called the Circular Letter, forced the disbanding of the Massachusetts Assembly, with its list of grievances similar to the ones later written down in the Declaration of Independence.

This Act was later amended, though the tax on tea was kept, and eventually led to the Boston Tea Party.