What was the primary reason the Townsend Acts were introduced?

The Townsend Acts were introduced primarily to impose duties on imported goods, such as tea, glass, paper, and paint, imported to the American colonies. This approach aimed to raise revenue for Britain following the costly French and Indian War and to help pay for the salaries of British officials in the colonies, which the British government believed would make them less reliant on colonial assemblies.

The imposition of these duties was particularly contentious because it was seen as a way to assert British authority and control over colonial trade without direct representation, as the colonies had no representatives in Parliament. This taxation without representation became a significant rallying point for the colonists, ultimately contributing to growing dissent and the push for independence.

The other options, while related to the broader context of British colonial policy, do not capture the primary intent of the Townsend Acts as clearly as the correct answer does.