Question

document 3a:
1 \an act for granting and applying certain stamp duties, and other duties, in the british colonies and plantations in america, towards further defraying the expenses of defending, protecting, and securing the colonies... for every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper, on which shall be engrossed, written or printed... within the british colonies and plantations in america, a stamp duty of three pence...\
2
3
4
5
stamp act 1765, parliament of great britain (1765)

1. according to line 2, what were the funds from the stamp act going towards?
2. according to lines 3 and 4, what was the stamp act taxing?
3. was the stamp act written by the british government or the american colonists? how might this have contributed to american colonists desire to overthrow the british government?

document 3b:
1 i am sorry to be obliged to inform my readers, that as the stamp act, is feared to be obligatory mandatory upon us after the first of november (tomorrow)... the publisher of this paper unable to bear the tax burden, has thought it expedient urgent to stop publishing this paper awhile, in order to think about, whether any methods can be found to break the taxing chains put on us, and escape the insupportable economic slavery...
2
3
4
5
pennsylvania journal and weekly advertiser, william bradford (1765)

1. according to lines 2 and 3, why was william bradford no longer able to publish the pennsylvania journal and weekly advertiser?
2. using both document 3a and 3b, how did the stamp act affect the lives of citizens in the american colonies? cite textual evidence from both documents to support your claim.

Explanation:

1. Document 3a, line 2 clearly states the funds were for "defending, protecting, and securing the colonies".
2. Document 3a, lines 3 - 4 mention "skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper" as what was being taxed.
3. The Stamp Act is from "Parliament of Great Britain (1765)" in Document 3a. Colonists might feel they have no say (no - representation) as it's a British - made act.
4. Document 3b, lines 2 - 3 say the publisher can't bear the tax burden.
5. From 3a: economic burden (tax on paper - related items). From 3b: a newspaper stops publishing due to tax.

Answer:

1. Defending, protecting, and securing the colonies.
2. Skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper.
3. The British Government. Colonists had no representation in making the act (no say in a law that affected them economically), leading to desire for overthrow.
4. Because he couldn't bear the tax burden.
5. It imposed an economic burden. In 3a, there was a tax on paper - like items. In 3b, a newspaper stopped publishing as the publisher couldn't handle the tax.