What is Stamp act?
A '''stamp act''' is a [[law]] that puts a [[tax]] on the transfer of some [[document]]s. Those that pay the tax get an [[wikt:official|official]] stamp on their documents. Many products have been covered by stamp acts such as playing [[card]]s, patent [[medicine]]s, [[cheque]]s, [[mortgage]]s, [[contract]]s and [[newspaper]]s. The items often have to be [[Matter|physically]] stamped at approved government [[office]]s following payment of the [[duty]], although other [[wiktionary:Method|method]]s with annual payment of a fixed sum or purchase of [[adhesive]] stamps are more practical and common. Stamp acts have been made common in many countries, like [[Australia]], [[China]], Canada, [[Ireland]], [[Malaysia]], [[Israel]], the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[United States]]. The money raised by the tax, called stamp duty, was first used in the [[Netherlands]] in [[1624]] after a public [[competition]] to find a new form of tax. However, it has more been used in [[Great Britain]] and its colonies. The Stamp Act passed by the British Parliament on March 22, 1765 was upsetting to some [[Thirteen colonies|American colonists]]. Colonists had to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used - ship's papers, legal documents, licences, newspapers and even playing cards were taxed. It was one of the causes of the [[American Revolutionary War]]. [[Category:Taxation]] [[Category:Legislation]] {{multistub|history|UK}}