Declaratory Act

American Colonies Act 1766^[a]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long title	An Act for the better securing the Dependency of His Majesty's Dominions in America upon the Crown and Parliament of Great Britain.
Citation	6 Geo. 3. c. 12
Introduced by	Charles Watson-Wentworth
Territorial extent	British America and the British West Indies
Dates
Royal assent	18 March 1766
Commencement	18 March 1766
Repealed	31 July 1964
Other legislation
Amended by	Statute Law Revision Act 1888
Repealed by	Statute Law Revision Act 1964
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

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The American Colonies Act 1766 (6 Geo. 3. c. 12), commonly known as the Declaratory Act, was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which accompanied the repeal of the Stamp Act 1765 and the amendment of the Sugar Act. Parliament repealed the Stamp Act because boycotts were hurting British trade and used the declaration to justify the repeal and avoid humiliation. The declaration stated that the Parliament's authority was the same in America as in Britain and asserted Parliament's authority to pass laws that were binding on the American colonies.
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