Taxation in the Colonies

Because of the loud protests against taxes that helped lead to the American Revolution, some people have the idea that the only taxation in the colonies came from Great Britain, but that's not true. Each colony could levy their own taxes, so they differed from colony to colony. The gripe with England was not so much the taxes, as the fact that they were imposing more and more taxes without the colonists having any representation in parliament or any say.

In some places, colonial taxes were charged according to the number of rooms in a house. Closets did exist in colonial times, but they were usually taxed as another room, and, therefore, most houses were built without them. Similarly, gambrel roofs allowed more room without actually adding another floor. They also didn't require the extra construction cost of walls, sills, etc., and they didn't require the owner to pay more in taxes.

Some colonies had a head tax, which usually meant a tax on all white males and all slaves. Many of the Southern colonies preferred a tax on imports and sometimes exports.

Still, taxes in the colonies were pretty low, until Great Britain decided they should be made to pay for the debts incurred during the French and Indian War. From the

mother country's perspective, British troops had kept the settlers safe, so it was only right that they paid for it. The colonists, however, felt that it wasn't fair, unless they had a voice in what was done. After all, they had helped fight the French and Indians, too. In the end, Britain's taxation led to another war, which cost them even more.

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