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
After seven years of the fighting the French and Indian War, tensions had grown between Britain and its American colonies. In response to the substantial debt Britain was burdened with after the war, they began taxing the colonist with the intent of recuperating their losses. The colonist, who had not been given representation in the British parliament, felt the taxes were unfair. After more than a decade of increased restrictions and taxes, the prominent members of the colonial society were left with a decision to make: pay the taxes willingly or prepare for war ("Patrick Henry’s Speeches"). Although many colonists believed action against the British was necessary, only a few were willing to voice their opinions.
“Highly burdened by taxes themselves, the British were merely asking the colonies to bear the expense of their own administration and defense.” So, Britain needed money because they were helping them out but when they asked for it, the colonists protested. By doing this they were hurting Britain. Overall, they didn’t show any respect towards the King who had helped them out when they needed
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.
CONTEXT During the American Revolution, the colonists suffered from many things. The biggest challenge they faced was Great Britain. The colonists were receiving unfair treatment and taxation in order to pay off expenses that had accumulated for Britain. The colonists did not like this so they retaliated, but Britain only punished them worse in order to keep them in check. Many of the colonists did not want to pay taxes, however, there was a few that were still loyal to the motherland.
The poor Virginian tobacco-growers of the 1700s blame the pressing economic issues they faced within the realms of slavery and debt as their driving force behind the American Revolution and battle for independence. (Holton, 60) The conflict between the British Merchants and Virginian farmers wasn’t shy of bloodshed; the intense debt to the merchants that the farmers found themselves in stirred anger and thoughts of rebellion which were not easily appeased. (Holton, 42) The cause for their debt is caused by a culmination of lavish spending, the decisions of Parliament (such as the Navigation Acts), and slavery.
After the French and Indian war, Britain was in heavy debt and needed to acquire as much revenue as possible. Britain was so desperate for money, they did not care how they received the money and whose rights they violated in the process. Because of this unjust mindset, Britain was not merciful when creating ways to collect revenue. The British methods for acquiring money were purposeful but not just.
At a time when the British Monarchy was establishing itself as the cornerstone of the emerging and dynamic British Constitution, and all British subjects, including those in the North American Colonies, were subjects of the Crown, Price provided the theoretical foundation to justify, and even advocate, the actions of the colonists in severing their ties with Britain. This was a very dangerous thing to do, he was after all lending support to those who were seen by most people as treacherous. However, although he was heavily criticized and was, at one time, fearful of his life, Price resolutely supported the colonists believing that their cause was justified and that the British Government, and the King no less, were guilty of denying these
Thirdly, king George broke the laws he made and the American colonist wanted that to stop. This is why the American colonist were justified for their independence. The British took advantage of taxing the colonist. First, the British taxed the colonist after the French & Indian war.
At the dawn of the 1770s, American colonial resentment of the British Parliament in London had been steadily increasing for some time. Retaliating in 1766, Parliament issued the Declaratory Act which repealed most taxes except issued a reinforcement of Parliament’s supremacy. In a fascinating exchange, we see that the Parliament identifies and responds to the colonists main claim; Parliament had no right to directly tax colonists who had no representation in Parliament itself. By asserting Parliamentary supremacy while simultaneously repealing the Stamp Act and scaling back the Sugar Act, Parliament essentially established the hill it would die on, that being its legitimacy. With the stage set for colonial conflict in the 1770s, all but one
The American colonies represent the ideals of the mother country through their devotion to their own liberty and justice, and to monetary gain. Colonists use English arguments to justify their aversion to the increases in taxes and regulations after the French and Indian War, using the British argument that it is a nation’s autonomy that determines its freedom. Because the colonists are not represented in the English government and do not have a substantial voice, they have reason to believe that they are not equal to the British, as citizens. Because they are not true citizens, they are unaffected by increases in taxation and denounce the stifling acts. Also, the colonies, like their mother country, are attracted by the profits generated by
The American colonies established their resistance to the British royal crown, as the ministers of King George III began to impose new taxes trying to reduce debt that incurred during the French and Indian War, aka the Seven Years War (1754-1763). The American
Between 1763 and 1775, there were three ‘Imperial Crises’ which occurred between the British and the American colonists. The conflict that was produced during this period arose through an undefined balance of political and economic power between the two parties. In 1763, Britain had just concluded the French and Indian war and was left with an immense and almost crippling debt of around 140 million pounds sterling (“Turning Point In American History”). In Britain’s eyes, the most effective way to reduce this debt was increased taxes. Unfortunately, the people of England were already massively overtaxed, which meant the last option for the British was to tax the American colonists.
During the Colonial Era (1492-1763), colonists were justified in waging war against Great Britain; due to the inequitable Stamp Act, the insufferable British oppression, and the perceived tyranny of King George III, the king of Great Britain, however, the colonists were unjustified in some of their actions. In Colonial America, colonists were justified in waging war against Great Britain, because the Stamp Act was unfair and viewed as punishment. Because of the war, Britain had no other choice but to tax the colonists to pay for the debt. For example, according to document 2, the author states that the act was not only for trade but for “the single purpose of levying money.”
The Britain felt that it was only natural that the American colony would pay the mother country more for their protection after the Seven Years War with France. England was trying to relieve some tax burdens by increasing the tax on the colonies (xix). “that the main purpose of country’s overseas possessions were to serve the business interest of British merchants and manufacturers and to provide the mother country with raw materials” (xvii). However, such increase in demand, and pressure seemed unfair to the American colony despite the fact that they had been paying less tax compared to an English
Beginning in 1765, one principle the Americans believed was, “No taxation without representation.” The American colonial society rejected the right of the British Parliament to tax them without colonial representatives in the government. It did not matter what the motive of the tax was, it could not be enforced without the agreement of the colonists themselves. This argument about representation was not of huge significance to the English because according to their constitutional theory, members of Parliament did not represent individuals or particular geographical areas. Instead, each member represents the interests of the whole nation and empire.