jun 29, 1767 - The Townshend Duties

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Important Persons Involved: Charles Townshend

What it Was: The Townshend Act of 1767 was a new tax legislation that imposed duties on colonial imports of paper, paint, glass, and tea. Some of it was allocated for American military expenses, but most of it was used to pay the salaries of royal governors, judges, and other imperial officials. By doing so, he hoped royal appointees could better enforce parliamentary laws and carry out the king's orders. The Revenue Act of 1767 created a board of customs commissioners in Boston. He intended to undermine American political institutions by using parliamentary taxes to finance imperial administration.

How it Led to Revolution: The duties revived the constitutional debate over taxation. Most colonial leaders rejected the legitimacy. The duties led to a new boycott of British goods. The colonists saw the acts as an abuse of power and when Britain sent troops to America to enforce the laws, tensions increased, leading to the Revolution.

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