Final answer:
Option (b), George Grenville initiated the Sugar Act in 1764 to generate income for England. This act aimed to raise revenue by reducing smuggling and ensuring proper tax collection, leading the way to later taxation measures.
Step-by-step explanation:
In an effort to generate income for England, in 1764 George Grenville initiated the Sugar Act. Prime Minister Grenville, the author of the Sugar Act of 1764, introduced legislation that sought to raise revenue rather than simply regulate trade, which had been the precedence with earlier taxation measures such as the Molasses Act. The Sugar Act aimed to lower the taxes on imported sugar as a method to discourage smuggling and to ensure that the taxes were actually collected, having the intent of raising revenue for Britain to solve debts incurred from the Seven Years' War.
Following the Sugar Act, Grenville introduced the Stamp Act in 1765, which was the first direct tax levied on the American colonies, affecting a wide range of paper goods to raise funds for Britain. This act caused significant discontent among colonists, who were against 'internal' taxes imposed by Britain without their consent and ultimately led to its repeal. However, this was soon followed by other revenue-raising legislation, such as the Townshend Acts in 1767, which imposed taxes on items including glass, tea, and paper, causing further revolt from the colonists.