The American Revolution

Representative government was used in the form of Town Hall meetings, where officials would be elected once a year. In Limitations of Government, John Cotton wrote that “It is therefore most wholesome for magistrates and officers in church and commonwealth never to affect more liberty and authority then will do them good; and the people good.”(Doc H). Cotton’s purpose in writing this was to show that in is beneficial to limit the power of the government in order to allow for the good of the people. Puritans believed that no one should become too powerful, otherwise they might try to undermine the power of god. While this system of government promoted the liberty of the commonwealth, certain Puritan ideas withheld these liberties from a majority of the people. Since religion was a focal point in New England, only churchgoers could participate in these elections. Yet due to the belief that women should be subservient to their husbands, those churchgoers had to be men. These restrictions, followed by the requirement that these men be free and white, left a tiny fraction of the population able to exercise the right to vote. This system of government was, however, revolutionary for it’s time, and made great strides from England's own Parliamentary system.

In 1764, the irritated Americans, who failed to persuade the British government to give their provincial assemblies the same intrinsic rights as the House of Commons in England, turned the tide of the debate on the meaning of representation. The Americans were angry at the British for taxing them without letting them have a representative of their own at the Parliament, who could stand for their political interests. Instead of seeking for a compromise, the British offered the Americans a ridiculing notion known as virtual representation in which the august body, that had no direct contact with the colonists, "virtually" represented its subjects' interests. At this critical point, Americans were not intending to step back.

In contrast to Britain, the colonists believed in direct representation which is representation in government by having someone from a certain region represent that area. British government or Parliament believed in virtual representation

Virtual Representation has been a topic of the colonial era for a great time. During this time the British gave the colonists’ no actual representation in parliament but claimed that they were “virtually

In being colonies of England, a country whose government is partially representative and partially monarchic, the American colonists struggled to create democratic societies because they were forced to accept the British laws and duties passed by the British government, however, they did succeed. Though at first, while the colonists were struggling to establish themselves in the colonies, they welcomed the support of their motherland. As time pass went on, however, the colonists were divided in opinions. Some colonists became loyalists, many felt patriotic to their colony and some remained undecidedly neutral. When the colonies realized how interconnected and alike they were, they decided to call for intercolonial congresses. Through these intercolonial assemblies whichever colonies chose to be represented were able to be. Therefore, the colonists in colonial America were governed by a government for and by

The American Revolution was undeniably the most pivotal time period in respect to United States History, but who was really to blame for initiating the conflict? While both the British politicians and American colonists shared the blame for the kindling of the revolution, one party was certainly more at fault than the other: the British. Through short-term causes of taxation and incommodious trade acts, and long-term causes of salutary neglect and involvement in the burdensome French & Indian War, the British politicians proved to ultimately be the most responsible for igniting the Revolutionary War.

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.

Colonists were practicing a democratic features in colonial america time because Great Britain is hundreds of miles away. Democracy in colonial America was in a work in progress with democratic and undemocratic features.

Britain believes that the best way for the colonies of america to be represented is through virtual representation. Virtual representation means that the representatives themselves are not necessarily from the region they are representing. Britain’s thinking process on this, and argument of why virtual is better than actual representation, is because with virtual they are able to have an expert on that region as the representative instead of someone who may be from that region but is less qualified. An example of virtual representation was the Stamp Act where the colonists had no say or control over it being passed. The Stamp Act was a direct tax on paper products. Other examples of

Even though the American colonists are their own entity, the British government still assumed control over the colonies. Situations such as the belief that the Parliament “had the right to impose taxes on the colonists” increased the distaste of the colonies to the British (Boundless). Though the Parliament had virtual representation, or “the members of Parliament spoke for the interests of all British subjects rather than for the interests of only the district that elected them” over the colonies, the colonies argued that since there is no direct representation, or “proposed form of representative democracy where each representative’s vote is weighted in proportion to the number of citizens who have chosen that candidate to represent them”

We, the Colonists, refuse taxation without representation. We have no voice in parliament as it’s too far away. Decisions should not be made without these colonies when the people who make these decisions have not experienced living there. They do not know our lifestyle so they should not be able to make decisions regarding it. We could never have a voice in parliament either, as an entire ocean separates us.

Undoubtedly, human beings by nature are ever so inclined to exert power over others, believing in their own minds that they “know best”. Although one could argue this point in either direction, one must have an open mind, maturity, and most all, a spirit of servanthood; only then, can a person be a respectable representative in any capacity, namely a United States representative. A vast array of character traits is necessary in politics, namely obedience, not just excellence. Obedience and excellence are not the same thing and carry different connotation in our society, these words have been interchanged as if to be synonyms. However, one clear understanding and unwavering belief of what Hamilton wrote in the Federalist paper 78 about representation

The article Rethinking Representation, written by Jane Mansbridge, explains how there are three different forms of representation apart from the traditional idea of “promissory” representation. Promissory representation is the traditional model of representation. It focuses on the idea that during a representative’s campaign they make promises to their constituents. During the representative’s time in office, these promises are either kept or not fulfilled. As Mansbridge notes, within the last 20 years there has been three new forms of representation, they are anticipatory, gyroscopic, and surrogate representation.

From 1607 to 1754, people’s views on governing themselves changed greatly. It began in 1607, with the settlement of Jamestown. They were a corporate colony, working for the Virginia Company, they were whole-heartedly British. The Great Awakening, the Enlightenment, and the Tradition of Neglect all introduced new ways for the American colonies to think of themselves as more independent. Although they still considered themselves part of the British Empire, by the end of this era they had discovered that they could make their own laws and constitutions that fit the way that their world worked as opposed to Great Britain.

In “Political Representation,” Shapiro et al. (2009) say that “political representation lies at the core of modern politics.” Representation is usually linked to the concept of democracy (Shapiro et al. 2009). The concept of representation is explicitly mentioned in the U.S. Constitution (U.S. Const. art. I, § 1, 2). However, the meaning and appropriate form of “representation” have been debated by political theorists and philosophers for centuries. The definition of representation one chooses to use is influenced by the form of representation one finds most appropriate. Given the different forms of representation, legislators can be responsive in different ways. Representation also operates at two different levels – the national and local