The Townshend Acts

The Townshend Acts are several acts passed by the British Parliament in 1767. All these acts affected the American colonies. The Acts were named for their sponsor, the British chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Townshend.

Townshend was a gifted statesman, and delivered brilliant speeches in Parliament. His enemies used to say he did so only while drunk. They nicknamed him the "Champagne Charley".

The first Townshend Act required the colonies to provide quartering of British troops in America. The second, called the Revenue Act, imposed customs duties on colonial imports of some goods, tea being among them. Most of the colonists drank tea several times a day, so the tea tax was especially irksome. Another act established commissioners in the colonies to administer the customs services and to collect the duties. The colonists strongly objected to new impostures. They called the Townshend Acts the Intolerable ones. However, each colonial protest provoked additional measures by Parliament. Thus, in 1768, two regiments of British troops were landed in Boston. Their task was to discourage colonial demonstrations against the Townshend Acts. The people in the streets soon began to insult the soldiers, while the soldiers assaulted the citizens. A clash between the soldiers and townspeople was inevitable.

Notes:

The Townshend Acts — Законы Тауншенда

chancellor of the Exchequer — канцлер казначейства, ми­нистр финансов в Англии

Charles Townshend — Чарлз Тауншенд (1675-1738)

the Revenue Act — Закон о государственных доходах

established commissioners in the colonies to administer the customs services and to collect the duties — назначили уполномоченных в колонии для управления таможенными служ­бами и сбора пошлин

to provoke additional measures — вызывать дополнитель­ные меры

to insult — оскорблять

to assault — нападать

EXERCISES

1. Переведите на русский язык:

His enemies, duties on colonial imports of some goods, a clash between the soldiers and townspeople several acts, a gifted statesman, brilliant speeches in Parliament.

2. Выпишите из текста предложения, содержащие следующие словосочетания и переведите их на русский язык:

The Townshend Acts, "Champagne Charley", the Revenue Act, British troops the Exchequer Charles Townshend.

3. Составьте предложения со следующими словами и словосочетаниями:

These acts, for their sponsor, customs duties, on colonial imports, to collect the duties, each colonial protest.

4. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. What are the Townshend Acts?

2. What did these acts require?

3. Which of them was especially irksome?

4. How did the colonists call the Townshend Acts?

5. Why were two regiments of British troops landed in Boston?