Events leading to the American Rev

Essay submitted by Unknown

During the late seventeen hundreds, many tumultuous events resulted in Colonial

opposition to Great Britain. The conditions of rights of the colonists will slowly be

changed as the constriction of the parliament becomes more and more intolerable.

During the Seven Years' War England was not only alarmed by the colonists' insistence

on trading with the enemy, but also with Boston merchants hiring James Otis inorder to

protest the legality of the writs of assistance (general search warrants) used to hunt

out smuggled goods. "let the parliament lay what burthens they please on us, we must,

it is our duty to submit and patiently bear them, till they will be pleased to relieve

us....". This is a very strong dictum, that in 1764, the colonists were of a submissive

nature, and were weakly pleading for self-autonomy. This small fire of anger will

become a huge conflagration as the rights are slowly rescinded.

On October 19, 1765 the Stamp Act Congress and Parliamentary Taxation committee's

passed some laws that attempted to strengthen the grip of the English crown. "I.That

his Majesty's subjects in these colonies, owe the same allegiance to the Crown of Great

Britain that is owing from his subjects born within the realm, and all due subordination

to that august body, the Parliament of Great Britain." This statement can be used as a

summation of the entire document that the Stamp Act Congress had initiated. The

statement depicts the colonists has having to be submissive and servile in the view of

Great Britain, this policy angered the colonists very much, and was another component

of the transition of the colonists' rights and liberties.

When the Declatory Act was passed in March of 1766, many colonies were attempting

to claim that they were "seceding" from England.

"Whereas several of the houses of representatives in his Majesty's colonies and

plantations in America, have of late, against law, or to the general assemblies of the

same, the sole and exclusive right of imposing duties and taxes upon his Majesty's

subjects in the said colonies....be it declared ...., that the said colonies and plantations

in America, have been, are, and of right ought to be, subordinate unto, and dependent

upon the imperial Crown and Parliament of Great Britain;". The Parliament of course

denounced the attempt at independance and still dogmatilcally passed the following law

to show that the colonists were still british subjects. Again, the colonists were

infuriated and later will resist the british imperialism on the colonies.

"All before, are calculated to regulate trade, and preserve prpromote a mutually

beneficial intercourse between the several constituent parts of the empite"", yet those

duties were always imposed with design to restrain the commerce of one part". This

statement by the colonist (John Dickinson), shows that th sole rason for new taxes is

just for the British gov't to make money, at the expense of the economy of the

colonies. Dickinson makes a important distinction between the rights of the colonies

and the authority of the parliament. Dickinson's comments were ubiquitous among the

colonists, and thus infuriated them to rebellion, and the seizure of basic democratic

rights.

"From necessity of the case, and a regard to the mutual interest of both countries, we

cheerfully consent to the operation of such acts of the British parliament as are bona

fide restrained to the regulation of our external commerce, for the purpose of securing

the commercial advantages of the whole empire to the mother country , and the

commercial benefits of it's respective members excluding every idea of taxation, internal

or external, for raising a revenue on the subjects in America without their consent ...."

The continental congress had presented it's colonial rights. These rights enable the

colonies to be more autonomous with exception to those several states who are under

the british control. One important element of the document, is the idea of taxation

without representation; the said that raising taxes without consent was illegal and that

the commercial benefits of the colony should be shared within the colonies, instead of

England becoming more and more economically prosperous. The whole idea of

mercantilism was about to be crushed, due to this idea, of self-autonomy with respect

to colonial economics.

"Ye that oppose independence now, ye know not what ye do, ye are opening a door to

eternal tyranny....". This statement made by Thomas Paine shows the foreshadowing,

of what colonists would do. The British are trying to prevent independence, and from

doing so, they are being tyrannical. Again, the rights of the colonists are being

questioned and rebellion shortly will be forthcoming.

"That whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the

right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying it's

foundations on such principles and organizing it's powers in such form, as to them shall

seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.". What the declaration is really

saying, is that a society who has no or little rights (such as the colonies) should be

destroyed, thus separation from England. A new society would follow, where the people

of the society would have these rights necessary for self-autonomy. The Declaration of

Independence was a strong justification for revolution. The Revolution follows the

Declaration of Independence, where a transition occurs. The transition has to do with

the rights of the colonists. The colonists acquire their rights through resistance to

british imperial conformity, by resisting certain policies detrimental to the inalienable

rights of a democracy. The transitional period was from 1760's to 1770's. This is a

crucial period of time, because this is where the center of power is transferred from the

british government (Parliament) to the colonial citizens. A major component to this

center of power was the rights of the colonists, the colonists gained their rights

through resistence to an imperial power. This transition is depicted through the

progression of time in the documents.