Spheres of influence would be referring to the influence that a superpower has on countries under its sphere. In the 1900s, China was under the influence of the British. Under the rule of the British, the British set rules for what the Chinese were allowed to trade and produce. They also were the ones who set rules as to who can trade with China. This is one of the reasons that lead to the Opium war. Western imperialism was rampant during that time and Britain was one of the superpowers.
In the Stamp Acts of 1756, the British had all of the printed paper stamped, so that the colonists had to pay tax on all stamped papers. In the Townshend act the British taxed tea :)
A. Churches
They wouldn't go back to plantations to meet up