What was it about the Stamp Act specifically and the way the colonists responded to it that paved the way for the American Revolution? What was so empowering about those events?

The Stamp Act was a British Parliament act, signed into law in 1765, that targeted specifically the American Colonies.

Explanation:

It established an obligation for the American Colonies to only use British-made paper in certain documents such as legal notes, magazines, newspapers, and even playing cards. These documents were then subject to an excise tax called "the stamp tax".

The American colonists opposed the tax because they believed that they should not be taxed without their consent, and they also believed that they should not be taxed without enjoying representation in the British Parliament ("no taxation without representation"). This tax irritated many, and was one of the leading causes to the American Revolution.