The Townshend Acts

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    Many members of the British government did not like giving in to disobedient colonies over the Stamp Act. They included the Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Townshend who created a new plan for raising money from the colonies. Townshend convinced parliament that the colonies would find a duty on imported goods. In 1767, parliament passed the Townshend acts. One part put a tax on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. Another set up a customs agency to collect a tax. The colonists argued that the Townshend Acts were just an unfair tax. To protest Americans began to boycott British goods. British merchants harmed by the slowing down sales, pressured the government to back down. In 1770 Parliament withdrew all Townshend duties except the duties on the tea. Parliament kept the tea part to demonstrate it's power to tax the colonies. There were many protests against Parliament. Colonists were claiming "This is taxation without representation" at times these protests could get violent. On March 5, 1770 soldiers fired upon a crowd in Boston witch soon became known as The Boston Massacre.