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colonies.txt
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1996-04-08
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The colonies of America were being taxed to the extent
where people couldn't afford to buy products they used in their
everyday lives, such as sugar, tea, and most paper products. These taxes where
the result of the debt Great Britain had accumulated during the French and Indian
War.
The colonists felt that they where not being treated as they should and
came up with the idea to make there own government. The colonies wrote a
formal letter to the king of England requesting a separation from the English
empire . The king was outraged and denied their request. The colonies at that
point rebelled and declared war on England.
The Sons Of Liberty were public leaders who were not afraid to rebel
against Great Britan. These leaders became known as Patriots. In one incident,
the Sons Of Liberty and other Patriots dressed as Indians went to the harbor and
dumped all the tea taxed by England into the harbor. This outraged the King of
England who then called his British Army together and sent them to the colonies.
This was the beginning of the American revolution.
The colonist had every thing to gain in forming their own government :
1. The Profits they made from selling to other countries, other
than England, they would be able to spend on there own needs rather than
England's.
2. They would be able to choose there own Government and Officials to
represent each colony instead of having the King designate Officials.
3. They would be able to regulate how much money they would put
forward for trade, roads and other needs that the public needed that wasn't
provided by England.
4. They could control what they would tax and how much they would tax.
5. Have there own judicial system instead of Britain's monarch.e 6.
Able to VOTE.
Great Britain thought they had the right to tax the colonies any way they
pleased because the colonists wouldn't be there if it wasn't for Great Britain.
Britain's reasoning that it had a right to tax because:
1. Britain provided the colonies with protection.
2. Gave the colonies a steady source of trade.
3. Provided the colonies with a government.
Great Britain had alot to gain from the colonies l :
1. A source of raw materials to make goods and to sell to the citizens of
Britain and other countries.
2. A profitable trade came from the colonies and made British merchant
shops and outlets very rich. Ther merchants would give only a fraction of the
profit to the colonies.
Britain paid for the French and Indian War by:
1. Taxing the colonists for everything received from Britain.
2. Punishment for not paying the taxes was very severe.