What was one major effect of the Stamp Act?

The Stamp Act, enacted in 1765, was a pivotal piece of legislation that mandated the use of stamped paper for a variety of documents, including legal papers, newspapers, and even playing cards. This tax directly affected everyday transactions and communications, thereby taxing paper for all uses within the colonies. The Act aimed to generate revenue for Britain to help cover the costs associated with troops stationed in North America, but it also sparked significant unrest among colonists who viewed it as an unlawful attempt to impose taxation without representation.

While the other options present valid consequences associated with colonial response to the Stamp Act, the most direct and immediate impact of the Act was the implementation of taxes on paper itself, which fundamentally altered the economic transactions of the time. As this tax affected everyone—from lawyers to newspaper publishers—it became a rallying point for colonial resistance and ultimately contributed to the united opposition of the colonies against British rule.