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Events leading to the American Revolution
During the late seventeen hundreds, many tumultuous events
resulted in Colonial opposition to Great Britain. The conditions of rights
of the colonists will slowly be changed as the constriction of the
parliament becomes more and more intolerable. During the Seven Years' War
England was not only alarmed by the colonists' insistence on trading with
the enemy, but also with Boston merchants hiring James Otis inorder to
protest the legality of the writs of assistance (general search warrants)
used to hunt out smuggled goods. "let the parliament lay what burthens
they please on us, we must, it is our duty to submit and patiently bear
them, till they will be pleased to relieve us....". This is a very strong
dictum, that in 1764, the colonists were of a submissive nature, and were
weakly pleading for self-autonomy. This small fire of anger will become a
huge conflagration as the rights are slowly rescinded.
On October 19, 1765 the Stamp Act Congress and Parliamentary
Taxation committee's passed some laws that attempted to strengthen the
grip of the English crown. "I.That his Majesty's subjects in these
colonies, owe the same allegiance to the Crown of Great Britain that is
owing from his subjects born within the realm, and all due subordination
to that august body, the Parliament of Great Britain." This statement can
be used as a summation of the entire document that the Stamp Act Congress
had initiated. The statement depicts the colonists has having to be
submissive and servile in the view of Great Britain, this policy angered
the colonists very much, and was another component of the transition of
the colonists' rights and liberties.
When the Declatory Act was passed in March of 1766, many colonies
were attempting to claim that they were "seceding" from England. "Whereas
several of the houses of representatives in his Majesty's colonies and
plantations in America, have of late, against law, or to the general
assemblies of the same, the sole and exclusive right of imposing duties
and taxes upon his Majesty's subjects in the said colonies....be it
declared ...., that the said colonies and plantations in America, have
been, are, and of right ought to be, subordinate unto, and dependent upon
the imperial Crown and Parliament of Great Britain;".
The Parliament of course denounced the attempt at independance and
still dogmatilcally passed the following law to show that the colonists
were still british subjects. Again, the colonists were infuriated and
later will resist the british imperialism on the colonies. "All before,
are calculated to regulate trade, and preserve prpromote a mutually
beneficial intercourse between the several constituent parts of the
empite"", yet those duties were always imposed with design to restrain the
commerce of one part". This statement by the colonist (John Dickinson),
shows that the sole rason for new taxes is just for the British gov't to
make money, at the expense of the economy of the colonies. Dickinson makes
a important distinction between the rights of the colonies and the
authority of the parliament. Dickinson's comments were ubiquitous among
the colonists, and thus infuriated them to rebellion, and the seizure of
basic democratic rights. "From necessity of the case, and a regard to the
mutual interest of both countries, we cheerfully consent to the operation
of such acts of the British parliament as are bona fide restrained to the
regulation of our external commerce, for the purpose of securing the
commercial advantages of the whole empire to the mother country , and the
commercial benefits of it's respective members excluding every idea of
taxation, internal or external, for raising a revenue on the subjects in
America without their consent ...."
The continental congress had presented it's colonial rights.
These rights enable the colonies to be more autonomous with exception to
those several states who are under the british control. One important
element of the document, is the idea of taxation without representation;
the said that raising taxes without consent was illegal and that the
commercial benefits of the colony should be shared within the colonies,
instead of England becoming more and more economically prosperous. The
whole idea of mercantilism was about to be crushed, due to this idea, of
self-autonomy with respect to colonial economics. "Ye that oppose
independence now, ye know not what ye do, ye are opening a door to eternal
tyranny....". This statement made by Thomas Paine shows the foreshadowing,
of what colonists would do. The British are trying to prevent independence,
and from doing so, they are being tyrannical. Again, the rights of the
colonists are being questioned and rebellion shortly will be forthcoming.
"That whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends,
it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute
new government, laying it's foundations on such principles and organizing
it's powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect
their safety and happiness.". What the declaration is really saying, is
that a society who has no or little rights (such as the colonies) should
be destroyed, thus separation from England. A new society would follow,
where the people of the society would have these rights necessary for
self-autonomy. The Declaration of Independence was a strong justification
for revolution. The Revolution follows the Declaration of Independence,
where a transition occurs. The transition has to do with the rights of the
colonists. The colonists acquire their rights through resistance to
British imperial conformity, by resisting certain policies detrimental to
the inalienable rights of a democracy. The transitional period was from
1760's to 1770's. This is a crucial period of time, because this is where
the center of power is transferred from the british government
(Parliament) to the colonial citizens. A major component to this center of
power was the rights of the colonists, the colonists gained their rights
through resistence to an imperial power. This transition is depicted
through the progression of time in the documents.
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