Sugar act, 1764
- Created by: reneesimba
- Created on: 06-06-18 16:58
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- Sugar Act, 1764
- Terms of Sugar Act
- Reduced tax on imports of molasses from 6 to3p per gallon
- Aim: incentivise traders to buy molasses from British colonies and pay customs rather than smuggle from foreign ones
- Increased tax on foreign on Foreign refines sugar
- To increase revenue and keep trade within British colonies
- Importing foreign rum was banned
- Keep trade wtihin colonies
- Additional goods were subject to this tax and were only allowed to be traded within colonies
- Increase in revenue keep trade within colony
- Reduced tax on imports of molasses from 6 to3p per gallon
- Limited trade with foreign west indian colonies
- Reducing amount of foreign coinage and maintain trade
- Twenty Royal Navy ships allocated to track smugglers who were tried in vice admirality court
- To strengthen and enforce the law and reduce smuggling
- Colonists reaction to the Act
- Were annoyed as it marked the end of salutary neglect (british leaving colonies to run themselves). Custom officers now working full time
- Judges who decided outcome in vice admiralty courts received 5% of smuggled cargo- meant unlikely to get free trial
- Being limited to use of coins made it difficult for some colonists to pay taxes, debt increase
- Impact of Sugar Act
- Tried to challenge act by protesting to government and setting up groups to challenge the trade laws. James Otis wrote a pamphlet articulating the colonist's objections, widely read and influential
- Further strained colonist-British relations
- Some colonists boycotted British goods
- Smuggling of molasses largely remained until 1766 when duty was eventually reduced
- Revenue was less than expected due to smuggling and oppostion
- Trade with foreign powers decreased.
- Terms of Sugar Act
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