Causes Of The Revolutionary War Essay, Research Paper
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conflagration as the rights are slowly rescinded.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 th 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 autho
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.