The act was passed on June 29, 1776. The act was a series of laws which set new import taxes on British goods such as paint, paper, lead, glass, and tea, and also used revenues to maintain British troops. Charles Townshend introduced this series of laws. The act was to re-organize the colonial customs service and make it possible to collect taxes. Due to the Taxation on the goods, none of the items were produced locally and then was imported into the colonies. The colonists responded by refusing to buy the products.