British had placed taxes on the colonist before the French & Indian War. What made the taxes after the war different, and consequently, sparked colonial protests?

Question

The money from the tax did not benefit the colonist at all.

The taxes were based on people's income.

The taxes were extremely high and the colonist could not afford them.

Colonist had no voice in Parliament

Answer 1

The primary difference that sparked colonial protests after the French and Indian War was that the colonists had no voice in Parliament. This lack of representation was encapsulated in the slogan "no taxation without representation." The British government imposed new taxes to help pay off debts incurred during the war and to cover the costs of maintaining British troops in North America. The colonists felt it was unjust to be taxed without having their interests represented in the British Parliament, leading to widespread protests and resistance against the new taxes, such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts.

While the other factors you mentioned may have contributed to discontent, the critical issue was the absence of colonial representation in the decision-making process regarding taxation.