Stamp Act, Pollinators, and 250 American Landmarks

How the Stamp Act led to the American Revolution

On this day in 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act to fund British soldiers stationed in the colonies after the French and Indian War (watch history). The Act taxed most printed documents in the British colonies—everything from legal documents to magazines and playing cards, touching nearly everyone's daily life.

It was the first direct tax on American colonists and had to be paid in British sterling, a currency much harder to obtain for colonists (who had long paid taxes to colonial legislatures in local currency). Act violations were prosecuted in juryless Vice-Admiralty courts that could be held anywhere in the British Empire.

The Act broke decades of "salutary neglect," a mostly hands-off stance from Great Britain that had allowed the colonies to prosper. At the Stamp Act Congress that fall, representatives argued that as English subjects, they could not be directly taxed without representation in Parliament, and announced a boycott of British goods. Although the British repealed the act a year later, it dug in with the Declaratory Act, which asserted Parliament's right to legislate for (and tax) colonists.

The episode was a key stepping stone toward the American Revolution that unfolded a decade later.

... Read what else we learned about the revolution here.

Also, check out ... 

> Some of the comical, absurd ways colonists protested the Act. (Read)

> See what the stamp actually looked like. (View)

> The Act was meant to fund British troops—whose purpose was to protect from conflicts with Native American tribes. (Read)

> Read the resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress. (Read)

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Pollinators, explained

Pollinators are insects and animals that collect and carry pollen from one flowering plant to another, facilitating fertilization. Some scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food we eat—everything from almonds and blueberries to bananas and cocoa—exists because of pollinators like bees, birds, and bats.

These animals are lured by bright colors, fragrances, and sweet nectar into transporting pollen—which contains genetic material—from the male reproductive organs of one plant to the female organs of another. About 80% of flowering plants depend on this kind of animal pollination; the remaining 20% rely on wind to carry lightweight pollen grains through the air.

Pollinator populations have declined significantly in recent decades due to habitat loss resulting from agricultural expansion and urbanization, the use of pesticides, and climate change. The populations of some North American species of wild bees have decreased by 96% over the last two decades, putting pollinator-dependent food production at risk.

... Read our full explainer on Pollinators here.

Also, check out ... 

> See a guide of pollinator-friendly plants native to where you live. (Explore)

> Millions of honeybees are hauled across the US to help pollinate farms. (Read)

> Some mosquitos are pollinators. (Read)

> Did flowers or bees evolve first? (Watch)

How were the National Parks started?

America's National Park System includes roughly 85 million acres of US territory, equal to the size of Germany, set aside by federal law for preservation. There are 63 areas officially designated as national parks—including the Grand Canyon, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Acadia—and more than 400 additional smaller units (see map).
 

In 1872, Yellowstone was established as the first national park dedicated to public enjoyment and recreation, though its foundation also displaced several Native American tribes. By 1916, the growing system required the creation of the National Park Service to preserve its lands for future generations. Eventually, hunting and logging were banned in the parks, though regulated extractive activity is still permitted in national preserves. 
 

In 2024, visits to national parks generated an estimated $29B in local economic activity. Roughly 323 million people visited America's national parks in 2025, a decrease of 3% from the previous year that was attributed in part to a 43-day partial government shutdown, the longest in US history. Federal cost-cutting efforts in recent years have prompted debate over whether the agency can sustain its current operations, with permanent staff dropping by a quarter last year.

... Read our full write-up on the parks here.

Also, check out ... 

> Paintings by Thomas Moran inspired the creation of Yellowstone National Park. (Watch)

> Great Smoky Mountains continues to be the most popular national park. (Read)

> See a collection of Ansel Adams' portraits of the parks. (Browse)
> Not all public lands are part of the National Park System. (Watch)

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Best of the Week

We added 373 resources this week to our knowledge collective—share your favorite link or outlet with us to see it featured here next week!

Celebrate America's 250th with 250 American landmarks. (Explore)

The 45 exoplanets most likely to host alien life. (View)

How Béla Fleck brought the banjo to Carnegie Hall and African villages. (Listen) 

What it's like to play Julia Roberts' legs, Michael Douglas' hands, and Michael B. Jordan's body as a body double. (Read)

The best current theory says the moon came from a giant impact with Earth—but chemical analysis and physics simulations question this view. (Watch)

How the peach became Georgia's fruit. (Watch)

Visualizing the costs of the Iran war beyond oil. (Read)

Thanks to our readers who sent in the below links!

Find out what films have scenes after the credits (John from Texas). (Search)

Mapping every cruise ship—and its accident history—in real time (Diana). (Explore) 

Check your computer's time against the official US clock (John B.) (View)

Daily Digest gems from last week (you might have missed):

The odds of a perfect March Madness bracket are absurdly low. (Read)

Visualizing how men and women spend their day. (View)

Track global conflict with this updated, real-time dashboard. (Explore)

Historybook: Spanish National Assembly abolishes slavery in Puerto Rico (1873); First Stanley Cup championship played (1894); Legendary musical theater composer Andrew Lloyd Webber born (1948); Sports broadcaster Bob Costas born (1952); US Senate passes the Equal Rights Amendment—though it was never ratified (1972); Reese Witherspoon born (1976).