Final answer:
The new taxes passed by Great Britain, like the Sugar Act and Stamp Act, were aimed at raising revenue to pay off national debt from the French and Indian War and asserting British control over colonial policy. Colonists saw these taxes as an infringement on their rights, particularly due to lack of representation in Parliament.
Step-by-step explanation:
What was the purpose of the new taxes passed by Great Britain?
The purpose of the new taxes passed by Great Britain, like the Sugar Act of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765, was primarily to raise revenue. The British government sought to alleviate the national debt incurred during the French and Indian War by imposing these taxes on the colonies. The Sugar Act aimed to reduce smuggling and generate income by halving the tax on molasses, making it more likely for colonists to comply with the regulation rather than smuggling. The Stamp Act was intended to generate revenue within the colonies themselves by taxing a wide array of paper goods.
Prime Minister Grenville saw these acts as an assertion of British authority over colonial policy. However, the colonists viewed these laws, especially the Stamp Act, as an infringement on their rights, as they had no representation in Parliament to consent to these taxes. Subsequent acts like the Townshend Duties expanded this taxation further, placing taxes on goods such as tea, glass, and paper, leading to colonial unrest and boycotts.