The Sugar Act of 1764

Grenville's idea was to cut the molasses duty in half to induce the colonists to return to legal channels and thus raise more revenue. The law was passed in april 17 64 by a parliament who had no idea the colonists would even look sideways at it. Corrupt andor absentee customs inspectors were replaced by more diligent agents. Legal challenges were bumped over to admiralty courts, which worked on the basis of guilty until proven innocent. But what it really did was further slow and already sluggish american economy.