Some of the laws that the British government passed in an effort to assert its authority over the colonies included the Stamp Act of 1765, the Quartering Act of 1765, and the Townshend Acts of 1767. The Stamp Act was a tax that required colonial citizens to purchase stamps to place on everything from newspapers and diplomas to calendars and playing cards. The tax not only was put into affect to exercise control over the colonies, but also to help clear the war debt Great Britain accumulated during the French and Indian War, without raising taxes for citizens of Great Britain. Of course this placed a huge burden on colonial America and resulted in a rather violent uproar. Along with peaceful demonstrations and petitions came the harrassment
