USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The writs of assistance were issued by the Court of Exchequer to help customs officials search for smuggled goods. These writs were called “writs of assistance” because they called upon sheriffs, other officials, and loyal subjects to “assist” the customs official in carrying out his duties.

Detailed explanation-2: -Writs of assistance were documents which served as a general search warrant, allowing customs officials to enter any ship or building that they suspected for any reason might hold smuggled goods.

Detailed explanation-3: -To enforce the Townshend Acts, British officials used writs of assistance. These allowed tax collectors to search for smuggled goods. Colonist hated the new laws because they took power away from colonial governments. The colonists responded to the Townshend Acts by once again boycotting many British goods.

Detailed explanation-4: -British officers used Writs of Assistance as ways to increase their power over the colonists. Though the writs were originally developed to combat smuggling in the colonies, British officers began to use the powers granted to them in the Writs of Assistance to exert more pressure on the colonists.

Detailed explanation-5: -Writs of assistance were general search warrants that British American courts began issuing to empower customs officials to combat smuggling.