Stamp Act History Project

The first in the series of Quartering acts passed by the British parliament. The act required colonial assemblies to provide housing, food and drink to British troops stationed in their towns. This practice existed before and usually caused no resentment during war time, but after the war colonists became more reluctant. The new act went further and mandated that the towns and villages provided accommodations not only in public places as before, but also in taverns, inns and even personal houses when other options were not available. Needless to say such heavy handed policies caused series resistance and in 1766 New York refused to comply and quarter 1,500 British troops causing Britain to suspend the governor and the assembly.