The people would have to pay the tax or they will be able to live there anymore. One consequence was the formation of the Sons of Liberty in Boston, Massachusetts. Another was the colonists openly defying the Stamp Act by refusing to buy British goods.
The Stamp Act of 1765 was a revenue law that was passed by the British Parliament during the ministry of George Grenville. It was the first direct tax to be levied on American colonies, and it required all newspapers, pamphlets, legal documents, commercial bills and other papers issued in the colonies to bear a stamp.
The revenue which was obtained from the sale of stamps was designated for the colonial defense. Although the means of raising revenue was novel, yet the application of such revenue to defense continued existing the British policy. The act was therefore denounced in the colonies by those it most affected like the businessmen, merchants, lawyers and other powerful persons.
Faced with such protests from British merchants whose exports had been reduced by colonial boycotts, the Parliament repealed the act (1766), and then passed the Declaratory Act.
