Colonist Rebelling British Taxes

The British needed the colonies in order to raise money to pay off the debt they accumulated by fighting against the French during the Seven Years War. They could tax the colonists in order to increase their tax revenue, instead of only relying on people who lived in England.

The British had undisputed control of the continent and had very strong thriving economies in the colonies. They also had very large war debts as a result of defending the colonies during the war. This led to the British conclusion for colonies to start paying more taxes in order to pay off these war debts and start making a profit for Britain. On the other hand, the colonies wanted things to stay the way they were. They saw the principle of foreign taxation as leading to a time when Britain would tax the colonies dry and make life there miserable. This led to the fight that eventually led to revolution and independence.

Huge debts were owed to Great Britain for supplying the colonists with military support and supplies. To pay the dues, there was the establishment of the Stamp Act, the taxation on domestic goods and services. A tax on domestic merchandise brought even more anger to the colonists. The Sugar Act, the Townshed Duties and the Tea Act were also all introduced with the same fundamentals: applying tax on goods whether it be directly or indirectly, domestic or international. “British commercial regulations imposed a paltry economic burden on Americans, who enjoyed a rapid economic growth and a standard of living higher than their European counterparts” (McGaughy). Each act resulted in irritated colonists. Some even retaliated by tarring and feathering certain English tax enforcers living in the colonies.

There were several acts that were passed without the consideration of the colonists that would force them to pay a ridiculous amount of taxes to the British mainland. One of these acts was named the Stamp Act, which was enacted in 1765, forced the colonists to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper that they used. This would include legal documents, license, commercial contracts and newspapers in the tax. This tax mostly effected the wealthier and influential of the colonists and would force them to unite in opposition. There were several other acts that would be passed that would force the colonists to pay undue taxes to the British, such as the Quartering Act and the Tea

For a long time after the original 13 colonies where establish they were ruled by England and it’s crown. Since who started settling the colonies were in fact people that came from England, that came with implications like taxation without representation. They could not vote on any parts of legislation, but they owe taxes on the crown made in the colonies. Citizens from the 13 colonies knew that they needed freedom from England to be able to have their own government and have a better economical country. Since England determined whom they could trade with it was hard for them to obtain goods from other countries it almost work like a monopoly. The 13 colonies needed to be independent to stop paying taxes to England and be able to trade around the world and most important to have their own government and stop being part of

The American colonies were justified in their response to the taxes King George III and Parliament applied on the colonist as Britain allowed this new world to form its own reality and sense of independence by refusing to financially support the colonies and ignoring the large gap that developed over time between the colonies and Britain.

When Great Britain controlled the colonies, the Colonists could not live the life they wanted to. They had low paying jobs, were not treated well by the king and his soldiers, and on top of that Britain posted extra taxes on goods. The colonists were already poor from low pay jobs, so taxes just added

When the thirteen colonies were created, the colonies depended greatly on England in order to survive and make something out of this new land. England not only helped them economically but also in time of war against the French during The French and Indian War. It meant that England had to spend extra money helping out the colonies and also with any necessary equipment required to fight in the war. Back home, England had been fighting a war for around 100 years already, so helping out the colonies just added more to their expenses. England wanted to earn some of the money they had wasted, so England decided to raise and put new taxes on the colonies. The colonials thought some of these taxes were outrageous and began getting furious at England. This was one reason for the tension that grew between the colonies and England. Other reasons like the Boston Massacre, in which British soldiers shot and killed 5 colonials, and the Intolerable Acts, led to more anger and tension between these two. All this things eventually led to the colonies declaring war on England. I believe the most significant cause to why the colonies declared war on England was because of the

The American Revolution was the uprising of the existing thirteen American colonies to gain independence from Britain in the mid 1700’s. The American colonists began questioning Britain’s authority as early as the French and Indian War. During the French Indian War, the colonies wanted to defend themselves against the French in North America. They asked King George for permission to raise armies in order defend themselves. Although their reason to raise an army was sincere, George II was suspicious of the intentions of the colonial government and disapproved their petition. After the French Indian War, Britain decided to raise money by taxing the American Colonists for reparations. Taxes such as the Stamp and Tea Acts created controversy

This was because the English government was unfairly raising taxes on everything; it became difficult for the colonists to purchase anything due to the high taxes. Although the taxes were unjust, the colonists did what they could to survive.

I personally think that the Tea Act was justified and unjustified because no one should have to pay taxes unless they are represented, but at the same time, they did end up destroying someone else’s property. There could have been other actions that could have been taken for the Tea Act. But if they were to do something else instead of what they did end up doing, it wouldn’t have had to have the consequences that happened after. On May 10, 1773, parliament passed the Tea Act, which granted the British East India Company control on the sale of Tea in the American colonies.

On December 16th, 1773, the Sons of Liberty dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. This was a reaction to the new tea tax placed on the colonists. 3 other ports peacefully had the shipments of tea return to Great Britain. Due to heavy populations of Patriots in the areas of Charleston, New York, and Philadelphia ports. The colonists were not justified in the doing of this reaction, because they wasted a portion of Great Britain’s money, tried to frame Native Americans, and finally they committed treason against England.

“No ‘scutage’ or ‘aid’ may be levied in our kingdom without its general consent.” They weren’t being represented fairly, this is also referred as “no taxation without representation”. Britain needed more money, because the French and Indian war caused debt so they took it from the colonists by by-passing them and going directly to parliament to tax them. This angered the colonists which led them to rebel against the king. The colonists were being taxed on tea, so in 1773 the colonists dumped gallons of tea into the Boston Harbor.

When England helped with the 7 years war they had to make up the money. When countries have to make up money, they have to tax their citizens. There is no other way to do it. On top of that, the colonist did not know the other half of what the citizens who lived in England were being taxed. Upwards of 30% more sales tax was placed on the citizens of England who lived there than the citizens in the colonies.

The British had control of the thirteen colonies for many years prior to the French and Indian War. After the war Britain took sole possession of the thirteen colonies. The French and Indian War had put Britain in debt so they began taxing the colonists. Britain also began to enforce laws made by the King of England. This led to the phrase "no taxation without representation". The colonists had no other choices but to try and settle their differences with Britain or attempt to break away.