Colonists Rights: A Summary And Analysis

Thomas Jefferson discusses the relationship between England and the United states in the pamphlet “ A summary of View of the Rights of British America”. This pamphlet goes on to discuss various situation between these individual countries .These documents highlight some of the many troubles with the two governments . I would like to discuss 4 different instances that arise and have a huge impact between these two states . Jefferson makes some very strong and valid arguments against the tyrannical king of England King George.

The years of 1763-1765 were truly defining moments for colonist of the colonies, soon to become the United States of America. ‘’War! War! This is the only way!” American Colonist shouted,as they took to the streets proclaiming defiance of British rule. “We as a people shall fight for our freedom and have victory.No more shall we continue to let others control our countries and give our money to a monarch who has no concern for our right’s, dedication that was put forth to help fight and respect us as loyal subjects.We must fight for our freedom!” When American colonist waged war it proved to be the only way for the colonies to become free from Britian. In turn, the colonist were justified in breaking away from England because of: The

The freedoms and opportunities enjoyed by the colonists after the American Revolution were not simply established as much as they were fought tooth and nail for. The colonists between the 15th and 18th century faced much turmoil in which they had to overcome in order to become the success they sought after. Many of these freedoms and opportunities came at a cost to other people and cultures as the colonists paved their way to a new society. To gain full benefits of their freedoms, the colonists would also have to explore new ideals to shape the way they run their lives in order to be true successes. These successions can be tied back to the first Native American treaties.

The American colonists were justified in waging war against britain because king george was being a tyrant and of unnecessary taxes.

Many people will tell you that American soldiers shouldn’t have disobeyed their “mother country”, Britain, just like a children should never disobey their mother. But people holding that opinion do not realize what Britain did to make the American colonists rebel. It all started in the 1750’s when Great Britain fought a war against the French and their Indian allies, called The French and Indian War. After the war, Britain began passing harsh laws for colonists to follow which made many very upset. Were the American colonists justified in waging war and breaking away from Britain? Americans were justified in declaring independence because British commanders made colonists open their homes to British soldiers, Britain passed harsh laws that

The imposition of taxes on the American Colonies by the British Government in the 1760s set in motion a series of action and reaction that led to a break between the components of the British Empire. Americans responded with much anger and public resistance to the Stamp Act in 1763. Much of this resistance was expressed in the colonies of Massachusetts and Virginia. In Massachusetts, the mobs not only threatened violence, but damaged and at times destroyed the property of officials who were involved in the Stamp Act’s implementation. Virginia on the other hand took legislative action denouncing the imposition of taxes on the Colonies by Parliament. It was Virginia’s example that was followed nine of her sister colonies when their legislatures made similar resolutions. These actions also lled to the formation of the Stamp Act Congress in October 1765 (Middlekauff, 2005). This Stamp Act Congress sent an appeal to Parliament and the King requesting the repeal of the Stamp Act with the justification that the costs associated with the act would prevent the colonies from purchasing British goods (Brown & Carp, 2014).

The American colonists left England, but felt that they were still under England’s jurisdiction. The Continental Congress passed acts that questioned English authority. Cultures began to mingle and taxation policies increased under the British government after the French and Indian War. This caused the colonist to stop being loyal to England between 1750 to 1776 in order to gain independence and their own identity. Many of the colonists wanted to gain independence from Britain, but there were also some loyalist in the colonies.

Have you ever been so enraged at someone or something that you just needed to get away? That is exactly how the colonists felt under the rule of the British government. The colonists were angered from all of the taxes and other acts the British parliament had placed on the colonies after the French and Indian War. But the worst part is, that they had no representation in the parliament, and they were ready to fight it. So, were the American colonists justified in waging war and breaking away from Britain?

The five acts referred to as the Coercive Acts or the Intolerable Acts were too oppressive for the mind of the colonists to endure. Observing the discipline issued by their mother country onto Massachusetts, the residents of all colonies began to fear the loss of their rights and liberties as a result of their protests. Britain had clearly gained control of Massachusetts for all the colonists to view. By changing the charter, suspending local government, establishing military rule, and allowing Catholic Quebec Colonist land, the Colonist were left to question what kind of autonomy was guaranteed. Even though these Acts only applying to Massachusetts, the other colonists assembled to take charge of their rights. Colonists did not take lightly

After 100 years of a lack of taxes or control in the colonies, the colonists though that they were moving into Locke’s state of nature. According to Locke, men desired a government to stop the independence in a state of nature. Thus, Locke believed, “Men would agree in a social compact to end the complete independence that existed in the state of nature and to form a society under supervision of government.”(Morgan,73) As Locke believed that men would strive to form a government, the colonists would desire a government. However, government existed in the colonies. As assemblies had been formed and voted on by the people, the colonists were not in a state of nature. Thus, the colonists had a supervising force. As these assemblies were under Parliament, Parliament supervised society. As colonists argued over taxation without representation, many colonists forgot to remember that as Locke believed everyone should have, they had representation. According to Morgan, “ The English and their colonists almost alone among the peoples of the world actually did enjoy the rights Locke believed all peoples were entitled to.”(74) As the colonists had a supervising force formed by themselves, the colonists were not in a state of nature, but rather in Locke’s supervised state. Since the colonists believed that the state of nature was imminent if they wanted to form a new government, the colonists believed in

The British did not use what little “fans” they did have to fight in the revolutionary war. The colonists immediately assumed that the war would be over quick with no problems they thought that the colonist would be no problem. What they did is they decided that they should capture Boston, it was a vital port for the colonists it would weaken the colonists, but after the battle of bunker hill they figured out that this strategy was no good. After the British lost the battle of Saratoga the colonist, who had no navy and untrained troops, started receiving help from foreign countries. It made them look more powerful and feared in the eyes of the British.

During the 1770’s Great Britain had made colonists feel as if they were tied down with the government. The king would make them change the way they live and as to how they work by restrictions of trade and often colonists would question their loyalty. Along comes the French and Indian war where the colonists had to settle on different lands due to the Proclamation of 1763 which caused them to settle back east. The ideas of American independence changed significantly from 1763 to 1783. In the beginning colonists had only thought of having representation once it came closer to 1783 colonists wanted full freedom from the British law.

American Revolution was a dispute between the mother countries and the colonies. The American colonists were more justified in their actions during the American Revolution. The British were very unfair with the colonists. American colonists had others ruling them. Colonists should’ve planned out an avenge against the British and could’ve gotten British government from a ruler to a colonist.

The Writs of Assistance had a huge impact on the citizens of the American Colonies and their rights. The Writs of Assistance took away the citizens right to privacy and allowing British officials to go into the citizen's homes, and search whenever the British desired, without a warrant. Also, Otis, who was a 35-year-old lawyer and later served as the king’s advocate general of the vice-admiralty court, had a famous phrase stating that a man’s house is supposed to be his place of privacy, and the writs were taking this privilege away. Therefore the Writs of Assistance impacted American history by taking away the rights of citizens and the citizen’s privacy.

Raising Revenue was the final piece of reform for the plan to pay off Britain's debt. George Grenville convinced Parliament to pass several acts in the 1760s. This was to stop the Crown's ability to interfere with the economy. (Schultz, 2013).These revenue acts signaled the end of salutary neglect. The sugar act was the first. This was a tax cut on the sugar and molasses that were brought into the colony from non-British colonies in the west indies. The sugar act did reduce the assessment on sugar, but it also increased the enforcement of tax collection. Other items that were taxed were indigo, pimento, spices, coffee, and some wines. This was a direct source of revenue for Britain.