In the course of millennia, history presents us with facts of civilizations declaring war in an attempt for conquering new lands, expanding empires and the fate of the defeated. Peoples of defeated lands often found themselves subjugated by the victorious, and, at times, their culture, beliefs and traditions were repressed or destroyed through assimilation. However, in the case of the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years’ War), Great Britain was successful in its efforts to better France, a centuries long adversary, and greatly diminish the French presence in the America. Unfortunately, the victory resulted in a great financial burden for Great Britain. Not only were the coiffeurs of the country emptied, but Great Britain had outstanding debts to other countries. To remedy this situation, Great Britain determined that the American Colonies should be taxed as an instrument in dissolving the country’s debt. The American colonists, especially in the North, took great exception with this decision. This arbitrary, and ultimately Draconian, course of action would result in punitive …show more content…
Samuel Johnson, “Taxation No Tyranny”, portrayed the objections of the American Colonies as belligerent “zealots of anarchy, who have denied, to the parliament of Britain the right of taxing the American colonies…” (Johnson par 1). Johnson’s arguments verged on debasement of the people dwelling in the colonies. Furthermore, Johnson presents a definition of what a tax is, much in the manner of explaining an idea or concept to a perceived audience of people with lower intellect. Johnson argues that America was more than able to pay taxes. He acknowledges that the Americans have not denied that they fall under the liability of taxes to the mother country. However, he goes admonishes the very questioning and petitions for relief of taxation. Johnson declares that any such actions deny all powers of “sovereignty” (Johnson par
After America’s Declaration of Independence asserted in 1776, were radical notions for those who had grown up in a society that was ruled but a king and that enthusiastically embraced the idea of aristocracy. “The first step in Grenville’s new program was the Revenue Act (1764), popularly known as the Sugar Act” (Keene, Page 98). But, this Act violated two longheld beliefs. Also, required colonists to purchase special stamps for everything from newspapers to playing cards.
For example, The Stamp Act of 1765 was created to help pay for the British government’s debts from the war. This act created taxes on “every printed document in the colonies: newspapers, almanacs, pamphlets, deeds, wills, licenses” (The Unfinished Nation 93). The patriots were angry that the Act was created without the permission “of the colonies assemblies” (The Unfinished Nation 93). Also, the patriots argued that King George III “has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War” (The Declaration of Independence). As a loyalist, the British government had the right and control to tax the colonies as they pleased.
Before the Seven Years’ War, the French had landed on the Indians’ land (which was owned by Great Britain) and hoped for peace and collaboration. France lived a good lifestyle and their Protestant religion was a success. Great Britain and its colonies closer than ever and their American Militia did most of the safety procedures that took care of Great Britain’s colonies. Great Britain’s colonies had to pay taxes for their future empire near the seas.
At first, the American colonies were happy to be control by the Great Britain, The British Parliament didn’t bother the colonists very much. However, after the French Indian War, The Great Britain need money to repay a huge debt. The British Parliament said the purpose of the Great Britain to fought the war is to protect the American Colonies from French, so the American Colonies should help to pay the debt for the war. For this reason, the British Parliament has been passing laws to place taxes on the American colonies. However, most American colonists didn’t agree to help the Britain to repay the debt.
The colonists were not only angry because of the taxes. They had no power to represent to British that they did not like the taxes. They adapted a saying (“No taxation without representation”) to say that the British can not tax without
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
In debate Darla Davis discusses the Taxes imposed on the American Colonists by Parliament. First not everyone in parliament believe that taxation of the colonies was right thing to do. According to Darla’s Article, Will Pitt and Edmund Burke, were two members of the parliament that under stood why the colonist were opposing the tax. Colonist were opposing men felt that the opposition from the colonists concerning the taxes existed, because the colonist had been practically ignored by England since having been established.
Throughout the 1700’s, the thirteen colonies faced a great deal of injustice that led them to fight for their independence from the British. Before the war, the British parliament had begun taxing the colonists in order to pay off their own personal war debt. The Stamp Act, Townshend Act, and Tea Act were all taxes imposed on the colonists. Despite of their social class, gender or race, all the colonists came together to protests and rebel against the unfair taxes. Eventually, this combined resistance led to the shared motivation of colonists to separate from the British and become independent.
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
Britain had built up a great debt and the colonies were a financial burden to run, to try and resolve their problems the British instituted various measures
The French and Indian War, or the Seven Years War, began in 1754, as a result of conflict over territory and trade in North America. As both countries conquered the new land, letting their civilians settle there as colonists with the sole purpose of providing money for their homeland, they encountered the Ohio Valley; land that was assured to contribute to each of their imperialist motives. During the war where French troops allied with the native Americans against Britain, the laws given to the British colonies were left unmonitored, and the colonists evaded the strict taxation and rules against trading with other countries. However, when the war ended in 1763, resulting in a British victory, Britain was left a multitude of problems. This included the great national debt of approximately 122 million British pounds.
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.
“The history of present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations [unlawful seizures], all having in direct object the establishments of an absolute Tyranny over these States. ”(Document E). The British taxed just about anything they could; like tea, paper, legal documents, and stamps “Committees are appointed into the characters and conduct of every tradesman, to prevent them selling tea or buying British manufactures. ”(Document I) The British were taxing the American colonists to pay what Britain lost in the French and Indian war.
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.”
Britain was cutting of and taxing the colonists an improper amount. The intolerable acts are what sparked the colonist’s resentment towards Britain, with biased taxes and unfair regulations. Patrick Henry’s empowering rhetoric in his “Speech to the Virginia Convention” uses an abundance of pathos to persuade and emotionally charge the colonists