Molasses Act

The Molasses Act of 1733 was a British law aimed at controlling trade in its American colonies. It taxed molasses—used in making rum—imported from non-British sources like the French Caribbean. The goal was to encourage colonial merchants to buy molasses from Britain, benefiting the British economy. However, colonists found the tax burdensome and often smuggled in cheaper molasses from elsewhere. This resentment contributed to tensions leading up to the American Revolution, as colonists disliked regulations that limited their economic freedom.