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American Revolution

The Townshend Acts

The Townshend Acts
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 4 to 6
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   6.65

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    champagne, official, well-rounded, altogether, repeal, government, social, particularly, easily, alcoholic, upper, fellow, import, treasury, order, lead
     content words:    Charles Townshend, Champagne Charlie, King George III, King George, Stamp Act, This Stamp Act, George III

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The Townshend Acts
By Jane Runyon 		  
1     Charles Townshend was an English government official. He liked to party and have a good time. He liked to party so much that many Englishmen called him "Champagne Charlie" behind his back. In order for Townshend to be included in the social life of the British upper class, he made himself a favorite of King George III. The best way to make yourself the favorite of a king is to support ideas that the king likes. Charles Townshend was able to accomplish this by proposing taxes to Parliament that would keep the colonists in the new world connected to the mother country, keep the poor citizens of England poor, and fill the treasury that the English government had allowed to get frighteningly low. King George was the only person made happy by these actions.
 
2     In 1765, Townshend proposed a tax on every piece of printed paper the colonists had. This tax was levied to require the purchase of a stamp for each newspaper page, playing card, pamphlet, or advertisement the colonists used. The colonists called it a Stamp Act. They rebelled against it and treated the tax collectors in a most humiliating manner. This Stamp Act was repealed one year later.
 
3     Townshend proposed a tax on cider in England. The cider in England was an alcoholic drink which could be afforded by rich and poor alike. The English people protested against this tax, and it was soon forgotten.

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