Was the American Revolution Justifiable
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Was the American Revolution Justifiable?
While considered British subjects and Englishmen, the Americans were not treated the same, nor given the same rights. Americans believed that the King and Parliament were violating their rights of life, liberty, and happiness. Great Britain was of the mind that the colonies were to exist to support England economically, even from across a large ocean. While Great Britain felt that the taxes and laws were fair, they were severe, and harmed the economy of the colonies. Therefore, the Americans were justified in their revolt against the King and Great Britain.
The economic situation took a downturn in the colonies after the creation of the Sugar Act in 1764. This was the first act that stemmed the cry, “Taxation without representation.” The colonies had no one to stand up for their interests in Parliament. Why would the Americans want to stay loyal to Britain when they weren’t loyal to them? The economic situation in America took yet another downturn with the creation of the Currency Act. An act which banned the colonists from printing and issuing paper money as “legal tender” or money that they were required to accept for debts. (Give Me Liberty, “The American Revolution, pg. 180-183). The American merchants businesses were constantly being ruined and the colonial economy continued to struggle. The Stamp Act Congress condemned the Act itself in 1765 and stated that “the duties imposed by several late Acts of Parliament, from the peculiar circumstances of these colonies, will be extremely burthensome, and grievous...the payment of them absolutely impracticable” (Major Problems, “Stamp Act Congress Condemns the Stamp Act”, pg. 104-105). The American’s let the British know that their economy would suffer and then decided to quit buying British goods and the boycotts began causing tensions to rise on both sides.
Petition after petition went to Parliament. When they were ignored some were sent to the King and yet...
While considered British subjects and Englishmen, the Americans were not treated the same, nor given the same rights. Americans believed that the King and Parliament were violating their rights of life, liberty, and happiness. Great Britain was of the mind that the colonies were to exist to support England economically, even from across a large ocean. While Great Britain felt that the taxes and laws were fair, they were severe, and harmed the economy of the colonies. Therefore, the Americans were justified in their revolt against the King and Great Britain.
The economic situation took a downturn in the colonies after the creation of the Sugar Act in 1764. This was the first act that stemmed the cry, “Taxation without representation.” The colonies had no one to stand up for their interests in Parliament. Why would the Americans want to stay loyal to Britain when they weren’t loyal to them? The economic situation in America took yet another downturn with the creation of the Currency Act. An act which banned the colonists from printing and issuing paper money as “legal tender” or money that they were required to accept for debts. (Give Me Liberty, “The American Revolution, pg. 180-183). The American merchants businesses were constantly being ruined and the colonial economy continued to struggle. The Stamp Act Congress condemned the Act itself in 1765 and stated that “the duties imposed by several late Acts of Parliament, from the peculiar circumstances of these colonies, will be extremely burthensome, and grievous...the payment of them absolutely impracticable” (Major Problems, “Stamp Act Congress Condemns the Stamp Act”, pg. 104-105). The American’s let the British know that their economy would suffer and then decided to quit buying British goods and the boycotts began causing tensions to rise on both sides.
Petition after petition went to Parliament. When they were ignored some were sent to the King and yet...