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conflagration as the rights are slowly rescinded.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 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.