Many merchants smuggled French molasses and had never paid
the duty. <span>In 1764, Parliament first tried to tax colonists. It changed
the 1733 Molasses Act into a new law called the Sugar Act. This law amplified
the number of customs agents. It also increased the consequences for smuggling,
though it lowered the duty on molasses. By catching more smugglers, Britain helped
to make merchants pay the duty. </span>
In a parliamentary system, laws are made by majority vote of the legislature and signed by the head of state, who does not have an effective veto power.
