American Revolution in Massachusetts

Burning of Stamp Act, Boston

Incidents
Protests in Boston against the unpopular Stamp Act of 1765, which occasionally turned violent. Many of these protests were organized by the newly formed group known as the Sons of Liberty. Several officials were burned in effigy with one, stamp master Andrew Oliver, having his office and home destroyed before being forcibly marched to the Liberty Tree to publicly resign his office. Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson (Oliver’s brother-in-law) also had his home destroyed while he and his family were forced to flee to Castle William before relocating to Milton.

Causes
The Stamp Act of 1765 levied a direct tax on the colonies via requiring that printed materials made there (e.g. newspapers, licenses, land deeds) be produced on paper made in London that carried a revenue stamp. Dice and playing cards were also taxed under the act. The new taxes caused a great amount of resentment, with “No Taxation without Representation” becoming the popular rallying cry.

Effects
Because of the protests lodged by the colonists as well as pressure from British merchants and manufacturers who were losing money due to boycotts, the Act was repealed about four months after it was implemented. Parliament continued to assert its authority over the colonies by passing the Declaratory Act and would later implement more unpopular taxes.

Hutchinson lost an estimated  £2,200 worth of property when his mansion was ransacked and destroyed, in addition to having to rewrite a portion of the three-volume history of the colony he'd been working on. He was eventually paid £3,100 in compensation.