Why was the Sugar Act successful?
A. the colonists agreed that the tax was needed
B. the colonies had enough money to pay the tax
C. the British limited smuggling and officials did not take bribes
D. colonists refused to smuggle goods
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is C. the British limited smuggling and officials did not take bribes.
The Sugar Act of 1764 was part of a series of measures introduced by the British government to raise revenue from the American colonies. The act was aimed at reducing smuggling and increasing the revenue from taxes on sugar and molasses imported into the colonies. The British government took several steps to make the act successful, which involved enforcing stricter regulations and ensuring that customs officials were less likely to take bribes, a practice that had previously undermined enforcement efforts.
Before the Sugar Act, the colonies had a long history of smuggling goods to avoid paying British taxes. The act sought to stop this by tightening enforcement and making it more difficult for merchants to evade duties. It also established more detailed and direct oversight, including the appointment of customs officers and the use of vice-admiralty courts to try violators, rather than local colonial courts, which had been more sympathetic to smugglers.
Additionally, the British government reduced the tax rate on molasses (from 6 pence to 3 pence per gallon) but made it more enforceable. By enforcing these measures, the British were able to reduce smuggling, thereby ensuring that the tax was more effective and generated the intended revenue. This stricter enforcement, coupled with fewer opportunities for corruption among officials, was one of the key reasons the Sugar Act achieved its goals, at least initially.
However, the act still faced resistance from the colonists, who felt it infringed upon their rights and further burdened them with taxes. The Sugar Act was one of the early causes of colonial unrest, leading to protests and eventually contributing to the broader push for independence.