Declaration Of Independence Dbq Essay

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” is stated by Martin Luther King, Jr. This powerful quote speaks for all thirteen colonies wanting to separate themselves from Great Britain. Fifty-six men were determined to fix multiple problems by introducing the fundamental ideas through a document. The belief that was brought to attention was all men are created free and equal and own the same inherent, natural rights. The Declaration of Independence presents ,through grievances, the abuses toward the colonies by the King. The cruel acts the citizens of the colonies experienced were truly horrific, some more than others. Grievances displaying the most harm ,in my mind, are the 24th, 25th and

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.

After the victory towards French in the Seven Years War, the political and social relationship of the colonists and Great Britain had shifted to a different direction. The colonists began to think of themselves as Americans. At that time, The British government felt that the colonies had become quite independence, and they wanted their colonies to start paying tax in order to help England pay the national debt. Not only were Americans forced to pay direct taxes, but they were also obliged to involve in strict regulatory acts such as Sugar Act and Currency Act. Sugar Act (1764) strongly affected American’s trading in which their oceanic vessels and cargos could be inspected by the British Navy and might be confiscated if the paper and the goods that being transported were in disagreement. Currency Act (1764) restricted colonial governments to print their own paper money. These two acts put some colonists in anger but they were not enough to result in civil disorder until the Stamp Act was passed. The reason that the colonists resisted government authority with the passage of the Stamp Act (1765) was because the Stamp Act collected taxes in all type of papers including newspapers, playing cards, licenses, and stamps. This outraged many colonists especially the educated and

The American Revolution was justified because the colonists were not being treaty fairy and equally by the British. And according to Jefferson, “people being oppressed have a moral obligation to rebel against their oppressors”. From the beginning, the colonists were not given the full rights as British men, just because they were not living in that country. The Navigation Acts passed by the Parliament to restrict colonial trade, and all of colonial trade with Europe had to go through England, overall they wanted to keep colonies in a position of economic dependency on Britain. And that was a serious damage in the colonial economies and people’s aspirations, it makes many colonists unhappy and smuggle goods to other country. And British

Massacres in the streets, abuse from English Parliament, and acts oppressing colonists; All of these were evident in events leading up to the American Revolution. The Revolutionary War was a display of colonist patriotism, and the reason for American independence today. Leading up to it, Britain tightened their hold on the colonies by restricting them and passing unfair laws and taxes. The American Revolution began after the colonists sent the Declaration of Independence to King George III in July, 1775, in which the colonies claimed independence from Britain. After the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, General Charles Cornwallis of the British army surrendered to the colonists, and they had officially gained independence. Though, were the colonists right to wage war and gain independence from Britain? Yes, they were justified in revolting against England because the acts were unfair, the British occupation in colonists territory, and the violation of rights taking place.

Beginning in 1764, Great Britain began passing acts to exert greater control over the American colonies. The Sugar Act was passed to increase duties on foreign sugar imported from the West Indies. A Currency Act was also passed to ban the colonies from issuing paper bills or bills of credit because of the belief that the colonial currency had devalued the British money. Further, in order to continue to support the British soldiers left in America after the war, Great Britain passed the Quartering Act in 1765. This ordered colonists to house and feed British soldiers if there was not enough room for them in the colonist’s homes. An important piece of legislation that really upset the colonists was the Stamp Act passed in 1765. This required stamps to be purchased or included on many different items and documents such as playing cards, legal papers, newspapers, and more. This was the first direct tax that Britain had imposed on the colonists. Events began to escalate with passage of the Townshend Acts in 1767. These taxes were created to help colonial officials become independent of the colonists by providing them with a source of income. This act led to clashes between British troops and colonists, causing the infamous Boston Massacre. These unjust requests and increasing tensions all led up to the colonist’s declaration as well as the Revolutionary War.

During the American Revolution, The British and the American colonists had many difficulties and challenges to overcome. Both sides had great disadvantages and advantages, but the in the end the colonists had the most advantages and won their independence from the British. Some of the most important reasons the colonists won was that they were fighting on their own continent and knew the land better than the British, they received help from other European countries such as France and they had a well-experienced General; George Washington.

In 1776, the original thirteen colonies officially declared their independence from Great Britain after the American revolution. This fight for freedom was not an easy one however and was brought on by a chain of events following the French and Indian War in 1754. After fighting in the French and Indian War, Great Britain had greatly over-extended itself, causing a period of severe debt. To cope with this debt, Parliament started trying to generate revenue for the country; one way this was done was though the passing of acts. In 1764, under the order of George Grenville, Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time, the Sugar Act and the Currency Act were implemented. These two acts were consumption taxes on sugar and printing currency, respectively. Not too long after these acts were passed, the Stamp Act of 1765 occurred, requiring colonists to pay for an official seal to have their mail sent. After this act was passed, colonists were becoming angry that they were being taxed on nearly everything. This anger led to the

The American colonies were originally loyal to Britain. Early on, however, King George called for some actions that sparked feelings of revolution. The French-Indian War had left severe consequences for Britain such as debt. The colonists were angered by the taxes and unjust treatment they were given so they decided to declare war on the British to become independent. Although some argue that King George’s power protected them, the American colonies were justified in breaking away from their British forefather because of the tyrannical acts of King George and his levying of taxes on goods in the American colonies.

The american colonist went through more trouble than you would think. The colonists were fed up from all the acts the British were passing and the way they were taking advantage of the . The British were angered at the revolts and rebellions held against them. The Boston Massacre and Tea Party were two of the first things that upset the British . The colonists thought that the king was being unjust and unfair with them. This revolution was the first modern one. Were the american colonists justified in breaking away from Britain? The american colonist were justified in breaking away from Britain because of Lack of Land, Taxes, and lack of representation in parliament.

The Americans were justified for independence because of harsh british acts.”The British King made the colonist move to the east due to the New law of the proclamation of 1763”(Doc A).The King made the colonists move and they lost a lot of land that they owned and were forced to go east after the proclamation was made.This was just one of the many acts put on the soldiers.”The Quartering act made the colonist house soldiers”(Doc G).The king made them house soldiers with the quartering act and made the colonist mad with the unfairness.The Americans were treated poorly and with unfairness by the king.

They would falsify laws to justify their actions in their choice of punishment they saw fit for the civilians that broke a law. Multiple colonists fought back, however, the British were powerful, armed, and well taught in fighting techniques. The colonists felt their power was overbearing and they took away many rights that were given to the colonists, according to the Second Continental Congress in Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms “[The British declare] that parliament can “of right make laws to bind us in all cases whatsoever.” (Document 5) Not only were the British soldiers brutal but many deaths occurred because of

Question 2. That the colonists wanted more independence to be equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities and they were willing to fight for it. The colonists had enough and were taking matters into their own hands. The Colonists were willing to make forceful or violent efforts to get the equality and independence they wanted. Another common theme during all the protests were destruction of English property.

From 1763 to 1783, ideas about American independence evolved from wanting representation and say in government to wanting full independence from Britain. An idea is defined as a thought or concept present because of a conscious mental understanding, awareness, or activity. The idea of self-government, harsh British rule and law of nature arise during 1763-1772 due to enlightenment ideas and taxation by Britain, these ideas lead to change in the concept of American independence. By 1775, different factors have separated Patriots and Loyalists, again, evolving and influencing the idea of American independence. Patriotic and Loyalist separation was still present, but, by 1776, the American Revolution had again changed the concept of American independence.

As the colonies and England grew further apart the resentment of additional taxes and tariffs increased the distance between the two. England came up with the Tea Act, Sugar Act, and Stamp Act, all of which were designed to regain the money England felt was due. All tea imported to the colonies was hit with an additional tax covered by the Tea Act. The Sugar Act allowed British troops to enter, search, and seize any items that they desired without probably cause, this supposedly allowed them to control the flow of illegal and untaxed goods. The Stamp Act was a tax placed on all paper goods including those materials that could possibly be made into paper. These three taxes were collectively known as the Intolerable or Coercive Acts. Probably the tax that hit