Declaration of Rights of the Stamp Act Congress

Questions for Further Study

• 1. Great Britain and the American colonies were sharply divided on the question of whether the power of legislation entailed the authority to tax. Review the legal arguments proffered by each side and determine which had the better argument. What accounts for the wide divergence of views on this issue?
• 2. One of the critical issues that arose out of the Stamp Act controversy was the question of consent. In your view, were the colonists represented in Parliament? Why or why not? In your view, what is the utility of virtual, as opposed to actual, representation?
• 3. The Stamp Act Congress asserted, on behalf of the colonists, not merely their rights as Englishmen but also their rights as men. In drawing on the concept of natural rights, the congress hoped to bolster its assertions about liberty. In your view, is the doctrine of natural rights persuasive? Why or why not? What role did natural rights play in the unfolding crisis between Great Britain and the American colonies?
• 4. The petitions and resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress were part of what has been characterized as an American journey—an intellectual and political undertaking that seized the world's attention and transformed thinking about republicanism. In the scheme of things, what importance would you assign to the contributions of the Stamp Act Congress?