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Courtesy of the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection
Courtesy of the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection
[Stamp Act] An Act for Granting and Applying Certain Stamp Duties in the British Colonies and Plantations in America
Courtesy of the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection

[Stamp Act] An Act for Granting and Applying Certain Stamp Duties in the British
Colonies and Plantations in America

Artifact IDTL 2026.1.3
Object Type Temporary Loan
Date 1765
Printer (British, active 1761-1769)
Place MadeLondon, England
Medium folio (disbound)
DimensionsOverall H 7 3/4 in x W 12 5/8 in x D 13 in (19.7 cm x 32.1 cm x 33 cm)

Physical DescriptionOriginal Parliamentary printing of the Stamp Act: 1765 printing. The Stamp Act is an official legislative publication from the reign of King George III of Great Britain. The top half features elegant typography detailing a parliamentary session that began in Westminster in May 1761 and continued through prorogations to January 1765, representing the fourth session of the Twelfth Parliament of Great Britain.The lower half displays an intricate woodcut engraving of the British Royal Coat of Arms, complete with its iconic shield supported by a crowned lion on the left and a chained unicorn on the right. Beneath this emblem, the formal imprint information establishes the document's official origin, stating it was printed in London by Mark Baskett, Printer to the King’s most Excellent Majesty, and by the Assigns of Robert Baskett in 1765.
Historical NoteIn March 1765, Parliament, the supreme legislative body of the British Empire, passed the Stamp Act. The first direct tax on the colonies, the act required that all paper used in the colonies have a stamp—inked or embossed—to certify that a duty was paid on it. This extended to the realms of law (“any petition, bill, answer, claim, plea”), commerce (“any note or bill of lading”), and journalism (“every paper, commonly called a pamphlet, [and] every news paper”). The stamps could be purchased only with hard-to-obtain British pounds sterling, not colonial currency. Although these taxes were specifically American, in that they were designed to offset debt from the French and Indian War (1754-1763) and to maintain troops in the colonies, they were enacted with zero American representation in Parliament.
Additional Details
Credit Lineon loan courtesy of the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection
National Archives Catalog CollectionJohn F. Kennedy Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 1676934)
National Archives Catalog SeriesPolitical Memorabilia (National Archives Identifier 1677287)
Use Restriction StatusRestricted - FullyUse Restriction NoteThe use of this image and document information is fully restricted. Reproduction in any manner is not allowed.
In Collection(s)
Exhibitions
On view