Land of the Brave

Townshend Acts

Colonial America - Land of the Brave

Definition of the Townshend Acts
The Meaning and Definition of the Townshend Acts: The Townshend Acts of 1767  were a series of laws which set new import taxes on British goods including paint, paper, lead, glass and tea and used revenues to maintain British troops in America and to pay the salaries of some Royal officials who were appointed to work in the American colonies.

The names of the Townshend Acts

The names of the Townshend Acts of 1767 were:

  • Townshend Act: The Revenue Act of 1767

  • Townshend Act: The Indemnity Act of 1767
  • Townshend Act: The Commissioners of Customs Act of 1767
  • Townshend Act: The Vice Admiralty Court Act of 1767
  • Townshend Act: The New York Restraining Act of 1768

Summary of the Townshend Acts

The Townshend Acts of 1767 regulated colonial trade by taxing items needed by the colonies. Charles Townshend introduced the series of laws, referred to as the Townshend Acts, firstly to impose import taxes on some lucrative British goods sent to America.

He followed the initial Townshend Act with others to reorganize the colonial customs service and make it possible to collect the duties (taxes). He even provided that offences against the revenue laws should be tried by judges appointed directly by the king, without being submitted to a jury of any kind.

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Updated 2018-01-01

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