The first in the series of Quartering acts passed by the British parliament. Also known as the American Mutiny Act, The Quartering Act of 1765 was passed on May 3rd, 1765 and required colonial assemblies to provide housing, food and drink to British troops stationed in their towns with the purpose of improving living conditions and decreasing the cost to the crown. This act was implemented by General Tomas Gage, the commander in chief of North America. Soldiers were to be housed in barracks or empty public buildings and not in private residences. It was the duty of local legislatures to fund the expenses.

Most colonial legislatures agreed to the new law even though the expense to fund the troops was seen as a tax. In January 1766 the New York assembly refused to raise the money. New York was the main port of arrival and departure of soldiers and the burden to finance housing was heavier on them than on any other assembly. Parliament passed the New York Suspending Act on July 1767 which suspended the assembly until they complied with the new law. The New York assembly decided to provide limited funding for housing and food.

The Quartering Act was scheduled to be modified every two years. In 1767 its provisions were modified slightly to include public houses and unoccupied homes. The only known violent conflict occurred in January 1770 in the Battle of Golden Hill when the New York legislature voted to fund the troops.

Related Information

Quartering Act of 1774

The modified law was part of a package of five acts known as the Coercive or Intolerable Acts of 1774.

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