Final answer:
The Stamp Act created a larger and more angry response than the Sugar Act because it was a direct internal tax without colonial representation, affecting a broad segment of society and challenging their autonomy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding the Response to the Stamp Act versus the Sugar Act
The response to the Stamp Act of 1765 was much more vociferous compared to the reaction to the Sugar Act because it represented a direct, wide-reaching internal tax imposed by the British Parliament on the colonies.
Whereas the Sugar Act was seen primarily as a means to regulate trade, the Stamp Act required virtually all printed materials in the colonies to bear a tax stamp.
This included newspapers, legal documents, and even playing cards, which affected a broad segment of colonial society.
Crucially, the Stamp Act raised significant constitutional questions, as it was an assertion of British authority over internal colonial matters, previously the domain of colonial legislatures.
The Stamp Act's requirement for a tax intended solely to generate revenue for the British government without colonial representation in Parliament sparked the principle of "no taxation without representation".
This was new and particularly inflammatory because colonists had no say in the decision-making process, contradicting the traditional rights of Englishmen to be taxed only by their elected representatives.
The Stamp Act not only affected a larger number of colonists directly but also challenged the colonial conception of self-governance and legislative autonomy.
The passage of the Stamp Act meant that colonists would contribute financially to the upkeep of the British military presence in North America.
This direct financial burden combined with the perceived overreach of British power led to serious protests and acts of resistance, such as the formation of the Sons of Liberty and the eventual Stamp Act Congress.
Governor Thomas Fitch of Connecticut clearly outlined the colonial stance when he stated that internal taxation by Parliament would leave the colonies with only a "shadow of legislation."
These events marked a significant escalation in tensions between the colonies and Britain, which continued to shape their contentious relationship.