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The Stamp Act

Clip: Episode 1 | 3m 46sVideo has Closed Captions

In 1765, England found a new way to raise money from the American colonies: The Stamp Act.

The recent war with France had expanded England’s empire, but left its treasury depleted. In the spring of 1765, the king’s ministers and Parliament came up with a new way to raise more money from the American colonies: The Stamp Act. Now, all legal documents, newspapers, books, almanacs—even decks of playing cards—would need official stamps, purchased from the government.

04/04/2022

FromKen Burns

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