Main Answer:Many colonists felt that they should not pay these taxes, because they were passed in England by Parliament, not by their own colonial governments. They protested, saying that these taxes violated their rights as British citizens. The colonists started to resist by boycotting, or not buying, British goods.
Side Answers:
How did the colonists react to taxation without representation?
Stamp Act violations were to be tried in vice-admiralty courts because such courts operated without a jury. Colonial assemblies denounced the law, claiming the tax was illegal on the grounds that they had no representation in Parliament. Colonists were likewise furious at being denied the right to a trial by jury.
What actions did the colonists take after Parliament passed the Stamp Act?
The British government coupled the repeal of the Stamp Act with the Declaratory Act, a reaffirmation of its power to pass any laws over the colonists that it saw fit. However, the colonists held firm to their view that Parliament could not tax them.
How did parliament react to the colonists?
The ultimate response of the British government to these protests was to repeal the Townshend Acts. They revoked all of the taxes imposed by these acts except for the tax on tea. When the Townshend taxes were imposed, there was a great deal of protest in the colonies.
