American Colonists vs. British Government
The onset of the American Revolution and the independence of the American colonies was the accumulation of many years of increasing disagreements between the American colonies and the British government. Most of these began after the French and Indian War when the British began using more control and power over the American colonies. The restriction of civil liberties strongly impacted the daily lives of regular colonists. This caused them to personally feel the effects of British control. On a larger scale, the British political control, especially economic policies, highlighted the fact that America colonies had no direct political representation in Parliament and they could not protest or protect their own political interests. Some of the most significant disagreements between the American Colonists and the British are prevalent in the lack of representation and the restriction of civil liberties.
The most important factor that contributed to the disagreements between the American colonists and the British and led to the Revolutionary War was the lack of direct representation in Parliament of the American colonies. Despite having a sizeable population and contributing enormously to the British economy, the American colonies did not have a voice in Parliament and were not directly represented in any way in the British Government. This led to conflicts with the British government when Parliament issued new taxes on the American colonies. It was furthered by the Sugar Act, which taxed sugar products. The Stamp Act of 1765 followed close behind where the British levied duties directly on any legally stamped papers. This act angered the colonists because the colonists thought the British government had no right to an internal tax, which led to a colonial protest. The popular slogan, “No Taxation without Representation” shouted out by James Otis during these protests. This helped Americans to realize that they had no...