Sugar Act
The Sugar Act (1764) was a tax passed by the British to pay for the Seven Years War, called the French and Indian War in America.
 | |
| Statute book chapter | 4 Geo 3 c.15 |
|---|---|
| Introduced by | The Rt. Hon. George Grenville, MP Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer & Leader of the House of Commons |
| Territorial extent | British America and the British West Indies |
| Dates | |
| Royal Assent | 5 April 1764 |
| Commencement | 29 September 1764 |
| Repeal date | 1766 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amendments | None |
| Related legislation | Molasses Act |
| Repealing legislation | Revenue Act 1766 |
| Status: Repealed | |
It taxed sugar and decreased taxes on molasses in British colonies in America and the West Indies. This restricted smuggling. It was also a use of mercantilism. It was one of the first taxes that led to protests in the Thirteen Colonies. The Sugar and Stamp Acts were done away with in 1766. The Sugar Act was terrible for the colonial economy. Some people even went as far as to make attempts on the king’s life because they hated the act so much. Most people in 1764, said the British government was borderline insane to enforce this law.
This was a petty move by the British monarchy to bully the colonies, too.