Colonial Economy, Society and Labor · US History

The Molasses Act of 1733 was an attempt by the British to:

  1. Encourage the colonies to voluntarily stop drinking rum for moral and religious reasons.
  2. Tax the colonies to help pay for the rising costs of the French and Indian War.
  3. Subsidize and protect the growth of the sugar refining industry in New England.
  4. Force the colonists to buy sugar from British Caribbean islands rather than French ones.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: Force the colonists to buy sugar from British Caribbean islands rather than French ones.

By placing a high tax on molasses imported from non-British sources, Parliament sought to protect the interests of British West Indian planters. However, the law was widely ignored as colonial merchants turned to smuggling.

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