The American Revolution was costly and bloody war that granted the Americans the independence for which they fought. This 8-year-long revolutionary war from 1775 to 1783 is considered one of the greatest revolutions of all time in that the Americans had defeated the most powerful nation in the world at the time, Great Britain. The American Revolution is a critical event in the history of the United States and has been explored and evaluated by numerous historians of the 20th century. Whether or not the revolution is justifiable by the American colonists is a long, debatable subject. Some historians assume that the American Revolution is a result of colonial selfishness and ideology whereas some argue that "only oppression ... can justify …show more content…
Britain thought that the colonists should return to their proper role of enriching the mother country and abiding by its rules (DiBacco et al. 81). The writs of assistance were blank search warrants that allowed tax officials to seize smuggled goods at any time and place when found. James Otis who represented the colonist merchants stated that "this writ is against the fundamental principles of English law..."(DiBacco et al. 82) Otis also claimed that the writs of assistance were unconstitutional.
The Seven Year 's War caused more problems to the British which had to be solved . After the war 10,000 English soldiers remained to protect the frontier. Because the Parliament needed to raise funds for such expenses, the Stamp Act of 1765 was issued. It required that every sheet of legal document had to have a stamp on it showing that tax had been paid. Every copy of a liquor license, a land deed, a will, a newspaper, even playing cards were taxed. Moreover, those caught disobeying the law were to be tried in courts where there was no trial by jury. This act by the British was an attempt to cripple the colonists with taxes. The Stamp Act:
Meant that they had to go to a special stamp tax office to purchase the stamped paper. Not only that, the tax was to be paid in silver coin--a scarce commodity in the colonies. (DiBacco et al. 83)
Although this act was repealed in 1766, another oppressing act was
Even so, Britain still allowed the colonist to contribute less than 20%, not even the full amount, of the of maintaining colonial troops while Britain deals with the rest of the cost. The Stamp Act wasn't even asking for much of the colonist, just that they contribute some amount of money to repaying the debt or the maintaining of colonial troops stationed in the Americas. Furthermore, document A shows that the taxes are reasonable. The necessities (almanacs, deeds, pleadings, etc...) were less taxed than luxuries (dice, certificates, pack of cards, basically anything rich people usually receive/purchase). Moreover, the greater taxes are only imposed on the luxury/unnecessary items, while the taxes for necessities are
All the documents had to be formally printed in England and were distinguished by a special stamp. Then these pieces of paper had to be bought from a special agent at a price. This meant that the colonists had to pay taxes on every thing they bought from the British government. It was expected that this tax would raise 60,000 pounds annually. The colonists despised this and tried to buy as little as they could from England. After this act the colonists realised that the British government was revenue-raising. The colonists felt that the British Government should be helping to protect ones property not to take it. The colonists argued that they had no say or representation in the government and that is when the outcry started, “No taxation without representation!”
During the 7 Years War, the British were spending a lot of money to support their military, and they looked to fix this by adding more taxes for the colonists to pay. The colonists were already angry about their taxation situation, already dealing with the Sugar Act of 1764 and the Quartering Act of 1765. Then, Prime Minister George Grenville proposed the Stamp Tax in 1765 in order to raise revenue to support the military in their battle against the French. The Stamp Act mandated the use of stamped paper or the affixing of stamps certifying payment of tax. The majority of Americans became extremely agitated with this act as well as many others before and after the Stamp Act because they felt that their individual rights were being infringed
Following the many policies and taxes being passed in the new world came the American Revolution. It’s by far the sole most important war victory America has ever had. It marked not only freedom and independence from Britain, but it also was a victory for mankind and the age of new thoughts, ideals, and practices. The revolution also established a political structure for America that is still effective today. Great Britain outmatched America both militarily and financially but a combination of events happening in America’s favor precipitated one of the greatest victories in world history.
The American Revolution, one of the most significant events in our world’s history, has established a huge impact on not only life back in the eighteenth and nineteenth century but our society today. The Acts of Parliament highly benefited the British but did not afford those same rights to the colonists until the formal issuing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, in which colonial freedom was granted. The most controversial issue is which group caused it; a result of propaganda by the colonists. Multiple acts and protests contributed to this war, three influential ones being the Stamp Act, Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.
The American Revolution was far from being the first conflict to occur on the soil of the New World. There were multiple skirmishes, battles, and official wars fought in the territory that resulted in severe bloodshed before the idea of the American Revolution was even conceived. One of the most significant of these wars was the French and Indian War or as it was known in Europe, the Seven Years’ War. At its conclusion in 1763, the Treaty of Paris was signed. The English received a substantial amount of new land for the Empire (94). However, with the acquisition of new land and a significant amount of debt from the extensive war efforts, the British government had to reevaluate many of their policies (95-96). After the Treaty of Paris of 1763, the British were confident in their mastery of North America. However by attempting to tighten their control over their American colonies they initiated a series of poorly thought out programs and policies which resulted in a disastrous rebellion.
Many colonists were angered because of high taxes England chose to enforce on them. These taxes were a result of the British participation and victory in the French and Indian war. However, what made the colonists even more angry was the fact that they were being taxed without representation in England’s Parliament. The colonists thought that, in order to be taxed by the British, they should have representation in it. They saw it as unfair to be taxed by a government they had no say in. As Patrick Henry said in his speech made to the Virginia House of Burgesses, “We can under law be taxed only by our own representatives...The Stamp Act is against the law. We must not obey it…” (Doc. 1). Since many colonists thought this taxation broke the law, some of them chose to protest by going to the House of Burgesses, boycotting imports, or simply not paying it in response. This response is justified; if
In 1764, the British Ministry stated that they were initiating a tax requiring the colonist to pay for the stationing of British troops. This act, which got its name from how it was carried out, placed a stamp on items such as Newspapers, Legal Documents, diplomas, etc. George Grenville stated that, “If they are not subject to this burden of tax, they are not entitled to the privilege of
The Stamp Act was an important act introduced by the British Prime Minister George Grenville that was then passed in March 1765 by the British Parliament. The purpose was to raise money for national debt of Britain after the Seven Years War and Parliament needed means to help fund expensive costs of keeping troops inside the colonies. The act levied a tax on legal documents, almanacs, newspapers, and nearly every other form of paper used in the colonies. The British Government felt that the colonies were the primary reason of the military presence and should pay a portion of the expense. The American colonies did not take kindly to this matter.
The American Revolution (1775-1783) was a war between England and the colonies which were settled earlier by the English. There were many factors and events that led to the American Revolution. The Revolution was mainly an economic rebellion that was fueled by taxation without representation following the French and Indian War. The English Parliament was more often than not considered cruel and unfair by the colonists. With conflicts over trade, taxes and government representation, the colonies were at a starting line of a revolution that would later transform into the basis of the United States of America.
The American Revolution, which occurred approximately from 1765 to 1786, is also known as the American Revolutionary War and the U.S. War of Independence, for good reason. The conflict rose from rising tensions amid the people of Great Britain’s thirteen American colonies and the colonial government, which represented the British crown. Clashes between Britain’s troops and colonial militiamen in Lexington and Concord in April 1775 kicked off the armed conflict, and by the following summer, the rebels were waging a full-scale war for their independence. The American Revolution had tremendous consequences, and was not simply a victory of arms on the battlefield, but also a feat of economic and political ideals, and vital societal changes. This huge period of history set into motion greater changes in American life and created a country, demonstrating just how this revolutionary age in time more than earned its name. This battle of independence waged by the American colonies against Britain influenced political ideas and revolutions around the globe, as a young, largely divided nation won its freedom from the greatest military force of its time.
To help pay off their debt, England scheduled the initiation of the Stamp Act, which placed a tax on fifty different documents, on November 1, 1765 (Gale Par. 2; Brindell 13). This act was to put a tax “upon every paper commonly called a pamphlet and upon every newspaper” (Copeland 193). Because the Stamp Act was an internal tax, which meant this tax law was only enforced in America, this made the colonists even
The Stamp Act was a law that placed a tax on all printed paper they used. Ship’s papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, playing cards, sermons, and other publications were taxed. Each taxed item had a small stamp placed on them signifying that taxes had been placed on them. Benjamin Franklin told the English Parliament that the colonies are taxed heavily to support the civil and military establishments of the country, and to discharge the heavy debt contracted in the recent war. Benjamin Franklin told Parliament there is not enough gold and silver to pay the stamp duty for even a year. Benjamin Franklin tried to explain how the colonies raised, and paid for the seven years’ and French and Indian War, spending millions on the military and equipment. Franklin stood his ground and spoke his mind while talking to Parliament about the
These stamps were required on bills of sale for trade items, and on various types of commercial and legal documents, anything from playing cards to diplomas to marriage licenses. Grenville claimed that the Stamp act was needed in order to help defray the cost of keeping British troops stationed in the colonies in order to protect them. To the colonists this was an invalid answer, because the French were out of North America, and they no longer needed protection. Instead, this Act was viewed as a tax solely to make money for England: "A right to impose an internal tax on the colonies, without their consent for the single purpose of revenue, is denied..." (Document B). Also, anyone that disobeyed these laws was tried in the admiralty courts, were juries were not allows, and you were guilty until proven innocent. In response, the colonists formed the Stamp Act Congress, in which the members drew up a statement of the rights and grievances of the colonists to send to the king, however it was ignored by England. Instead, they started a steady boycott of British goods. It is after this that the colonists realized that they were being used by England, and began their cry of "no taxation without representation!" Parliament had thought that it was making easy money off of the colonies; instead it had started the fire of rebellion burning, and the Stamp Act was soon repealed.
The American Revolution was a war fought between Great Britain and the American colonies over independence from 1775 to 1783 which resulted in a fundamental change in American politics, society, and economics. The American Revolution began as a result of Great Britain taxing the colonies to cover the debts accumulated through the French and Indian War. While the majority of the colonies stayed loyal to their ‘Mother Land’, some of the colonist felt resentment toward England. Some colonist felt that England had no right to tax the colonies, while they had no representation in parliament. This created a divide within in the colonies between those who were in favor of independence-Patriots, and those who were still loyal to the Crown-