Were The British Colonists Justified In Declaring Their Independence

The British government was not looking for the best of the people. They were only thinking about what they wanted; the government was not interested in what the people wanted so they decided to make decisions on their own, which resulted in changes that form the United States today. Because of this, they were justified in rebelling and declaring independence.

Has anyone heard about how the colonist fought against the British? Most definitely you sure did, but have you come to think why the colonist fought them? Well, because of the fact that the Colonist was being under the control of Britain and no longer wanted to be, under anyone's control. So, the Colonist were justified to revolt against the British. I believe they were justified to revolt because, British violated the Colonist rights, the British impacted the Colonists' economic opportunity, and the Colonists' life and liberty was impacted.

Many Americans and British have different opinions on what went on and who was right in the American Revolution. Americans thought they were right and so did the British. The American Revolution went on from 1775 to 1783. The very first battle, Lexington and Concord, was “a shot heard around the world.” Coming back to our opinions, were the American colonists justified to break off of Britain? The American colonists were justified by taxation, no representation, and the lack of land they owned.

Many of the reasons the American colonies believed they were justified in their rebellion from England lay in trade and taxes. When George III inherited the throne at the end of the Seven Years’ War England’s debt had risen to 145 million pounds and his chief minister believed that the American colonies needed to help shoulder the debt. (Nash, et al., 2007., p. 134) In attempting to collect these taxes from the colonies to relieve the mounting debt Parliament passed a range of acts, which led to discontent among the colonists as many of them restricted trade, their political maneuverability and left many believing they infringed upon their “right to be taxed only by their own consent.” (Nash, et al., 2007., p. 135) The Stamp and Townshend Acts

The British Parliament stockpiled numerous taxes onto the colonies of America, such as the well-known Stamp Act of 1765. Alas two groups were formed that stood out, being the rebels and the loyalists. The rebels vowed for independence, their numbers growing stronger and stronger through the Quartering Act and such. On the other hand, the loyalists wanted to keep their trust in Great Britain. They both had their own opinions of the king and Parliament and were justified in their own eyes, but both groups were also unjustified in the point of view of both beholders.

Overall, the colonists were trying to have a very minimal amount of interaction with Great Britain. As Patrick Henry said in 1775 “Give me liberty or give me death” (Document 5). Some colonists were so unhappy with the British that they were willing to fight for their freedom. Their reactions ultimately lead to the American Revolution and, from that,

Most of the levied taxes and implemented laws are believed that they were unconstitutional and that Great Britain did not consider their opinions. As the tension between the British and the American colonists grows, the colonists become more fearful of the British’s rule. According to document five, the British has a huge advantage over the colonists because it states that they have the authority to make laws that the colonists must abide by at all costs. The colonists believe that there are only two choices to defend them - the colonists- from the enormous power: “choosing an unconditional submission to the tyranny of irritated [British officials], or resistance by force” (Document five). According to document four, the colonists were that they will become slaves to the British.

One time the British passed a law that allowed the british soldiers to forcefully live in the colonists’ home! The colonies started out to benefit Great Britain, but after one war and lots of laws, the colonies were going to be part of a revolution. What was the American Revolution about? Economic Rights or Civil Liberties? On one hand the British instilled unfair regulations on trade and goods. On the other hand the British deprived the colonists of even the most basic of rights. The American Revolution was more about Civil Liberties because there are three main arguments that support it: Taxation without Representation, the Quartering Act, and the Intolerable (Coercive) Acts. These actions that the British did justified the colonists’ revolution.

However, the engagements of England were not fully unjustified. While the colonists took advantage of the protection and steady flow of commerce that England provided them with, they were participating in tax evasion which is a criminal offense even in our own society today. The colonists were complacent and unappreciative and that was partly the English government’s fault. The English unintentionally conditioned the colonists to maintain certain expectations, and when those expectations failed to match with reality the colonists became confused and angry. Put simply, the colonists were akin to spoiled petulant children, and the English were incompetent and incapable of properly employing their power over the

“[The British declare] that parliament can ‘of right make laws to bind us all in cases whatsoever’” (Dickinson and Jefferson, Document 5). Another reason why American colonists were justified in waging war on the British is because of the growing acts of British violence against the colonists. “Order quickly broke down, and the frightened soldiers fired into the crowd.

The American revolution was absolutely justified. A great way to justify any actions, is to take a look at the results that arose from those actions. America dignified freedom to the people that colonized it. When Great Britain attempted to suppress the colonists freedoms the colonialists only reacted. Thomas Jefferson said it best. When any form of Government becomes destructive of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness it is the people’s right to alter or abolish it.

The colonists were justified in their rebellion, but not really right to say that England's actions were wrong.

The people of America (colonists) were tired of being controlled by England. They wanted to be free and independent. They believed that they were able to control themselves and be their own country. They wanted England to let go of their control and to view them as independent and their own country.

The british were a force to reckon with, they were the top of the food chain, raining for one-hundred years, destroying powerful nations. A group of farmers, a brewer, and some people who wanted change didn’t seem like they would be any match to the British. A group of people fighting for a cause they believe in is stronger than people fighting for a king. The British brought their own demise by putting tighter and tighter control that led to a revolution in colonial America.

Settling in the New World provided both the American settlers and the British government with many opportunities. For the colonists, North America provided an opportunity to improve their lives and escape religious persecution. For the British, settlers in North America provided access to raw materials and new markets in which to sell finished goods. This mercantilist relationship continued for several years, until the colonists began to question Parliament’s right to treat them differently than other British citizens. Taxes were imposed on the colonists as a means of helping to pay the debt Britain had incurred fighting the French.