If Democracy Had A Birth Date

Taxes were not fair to the colonists. A tax is money that people pay to their government in return for service. One of the taxes is the sugar act. The sugar act taxed coffee and

Laws are created to maintain order and to allow people to live at peace with one and other. Laws also serve as a guarantee that people will be able to enjoy certain rights which are outlined in the laws created as well as protect the people from governmental bully. The Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights are both important documents which were written to outline laws that those in power must abide by in order to give rights to citizens. Both documents changed history. In this paper, I will compare and contrast both the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights-mainly the first ten amendments, in terms of who were making demands, what rights they were demanding, as well as who benefitted from those demands.

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.

Protests broke out all across the colonies, with revolts, boycotts, and even fights. British Parliament established the acts to raise revenue through trade taxes on the American colonies. The Sugar Act was established in 1764 to increase controls on non-British trading and taxed not only sugar but other materials such as; coffee, coconuts and different animals parts. The Stamp Act was established in 1765 to tax people for a royal stamp, it also taxed paper, shipping and legal documents, pamphlets, and many more. The act was not as large as other taxes, but it changed the way of Parliament authority, from trade to direct taxes on the colonies. The famous saying “no taxation without representation”,

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.

After the Peace of Paris, 1763, the British, after fifty years, felt at peace after several years of wars. However, they were also left with a tremendous amount of debts, which led them to enforce several policies, taxes and acts in the colonies, wrecking the colonial and the British relationship. The prime minister to George III, George Grenville, introduced a series of Acts to the colonists that issued a tax on certain supplies. After the proclamation of 1763 that restricted the colonist from traveling westward of the Appalachian Mountains. This angered the colonists greatly and they resisted by continuing to move westward, making the proclamation ineffective. Under Grenville’s program, the very first taxation on sugar was passed under the Sugar Act of 1764. It raised taxes on sugar and reduced taxes on molasses. This only affected few of the merchants,

“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.” (The Declaration of Independence, U.S. 1776, para. 2). The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in American history. The colonists said that Parliament and the king, George III, were violating the people’s natural rights. The colonies were on their own for such a long time that they got used to handling stuff their own way. Out of nowhere, the king and Parliament started giving the colonists taxes. From this taxing we got the saying “No taxation without representation.” Some of the taxes they gave the colonists were the Stamp Act, Sugar Act, and the Quartering Act. The Stamp Act was tax on every piece of paper and book published or used. The Sugar Act was a tax on sugar being imported and any food containing sugar. The Quartering Act was when the colonists were forced to house british soldiers, the soldiers were there to enforce the taxes being placed. All of these problems started the American Revolution.

The Magna Carta was an agreement between King John of England and his baron’s that limited his powers over the kingdom. Article 29 of the Magna Carta exemplifies the limitations of the king in favor of the people by stating, “No freeman is to be taken or imprisoned or disseised of his free tenement or of his liberties or free customs, or outlawed or exiled or in any way ruined, nor will we go against such a man or send against him save by lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land. To no-one will we sell or deny of delay right or justice” (Article 29 of the Magna Carta). The Magna Carta was an extraordinary step in history that has helped shape the forms of government that we practice today. This document laid the foundation of the democracies that were yet to come. The creation and implementation of the Magna Carta was a significant historical event that took place during the Middle Ages. Although it is one of few written documents that took place during this time period, it is surely one of the most important events in

On April 5, 1764, the Sugar Act was the first of many taxes to be placed upon the American colonies to help pay off Britain’s debt from the American Revolution. In the Sugar Act, products imported into the colonies were being taxed, such as coffee, textiles, and, of course, sugar. The colonists did not take too kindly to this, as the number of places that they could sell to was lowered, which led to the amount of money for them to buy things was decreasing, so their economy became weaker. And as they had less money to support themselves, the taxes were affecting them more than ever. In this way, the colonists became much more aware about how the British were treating them.

In an excerpt from the Second Continental Congress, the colonists questioned, “What is to defend us against so enormous, so unlimited a power?” (Document 5). They felt as though they were unprotected under British rule. King George of England acted as a tyrant, freely taxing the colonies for no good reason. John Dickinson, a leader who served in the Stamp Act Congress, stated, “Never did the British parliament, (until the passage of the Stamp Act) think of imposing duties in America for the purpose of raising revenue” (Document 2). After the Stamp Act, none of the taxes were justified; the colonies were being taxed simply to create income for Britain. With the unlimited control and absurd taxes, the colonists were bound to start a

The colonial economy, geography, and politics had all been subjected to unfair consequences. The acts that were passed served as a way for England to push the responsibility its debt and issues on the colonists. If the colonists’ grievances were appealed, the colonists may have never rebelled against their mother

Though the colonists were angered, they didn't yet protest until the Sugar Act. The Sugar Act was placed in 1764 and as the name implies, it had added many goods to the ‘taxed list’. This affected the colonists quite dearly for this tax was passed during a time of economic depression. It was an indirect tax, but the colonists were still well aware of its presence. Once 1765 arrived, two more laws had been pushed out by King George. This was The Quartering Act of 1765 and the Stamp Act. The Quartering Act declared that the colonists were to house British soldiers and provide for them. Though most of the colonies suffered this, New York was the main victim of this act. The Stamp Act gave a direct tax on newspapers, licences, legal documents, and other business papers. In response to these acts, James Otis, a man part of the Massachusetts legislature, and Patrick Henry, a man who sat in the Virginia House or Burgesses, came together to create The Stamp Act Congress.  Leaders from all nine colonies attended this meeting to

By 1765, at a Stamp Act Congress, all but four colonies were represented as the “Declaration of Rights and Grievances” was passed. They were determined to let Parliament know that they were equal to British citizens, that there would be no “taxation without representation,” and all efforts to stop tax on colonists would continue (Kennedy, etal 2011.) Although Lord Rockingham, the predecessor of Grenville, sought to repeal of the Stamp Act, this in no way meant Parliament was conceding their control. In fact, while the Stamp Act was repealed, another called the “Declaratory Act of 1766,” gave Parliament the authority to make laws binding the American Colonies, “in all cases whatsoever.” In 1767, George III passed the Townshend Acts to collect tax on glass, lead, paints, paper and, tea. Recognizing that tea was a favorite among the Americans, it ensured greater revenue the British government. Again, the colonists’ rights for representation were ignored and they started to boycott British goods and ultimately, smuggle tea. When the Quartering Act was passed, which specified that colonists were to give room and board to British troops, tension began to rise. For two years, the colonists tolerated British troops on their soil and their dissatisfaction with the British Parliament and King George III became evident through many violent riots, abusiveness of tax collectors and destruction of property. According to Kennedy, etal (2011), Parliament, continually met with

A Basis for Modern Law and Justice: The Magna Carta There are few documents that have actually changed the course of history. The Magna Carta is one of these. Written in 1215, this charter contained ideas that not only influenced the advancement of English law, but later served as the seeds of thought that led to the flowering of freedoms and rights in America. The doctrine of the Magna Carta was inspirational to our Founding Fathers in both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

During the early 1200’s, in England, arose the beginning of a new era of law and liberty. Well known as the Magna Carta, was signed by King John of England. As one of the most significant documents in history, it has been a major influence to many documents we have today. As time evolved so did the Magna Carta and arose distinct ideas that altered it for the better. For example, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, reasons why the U.S has such a successful democracy. On account of the Magna Carta today each and every American is protected under the constitution with rightful liberties. The Magna Carta certainly made an impact to history in 1215 and it continues to do so to society today. Modern Criminal justice continues to enforce the