Was The American Revolution Justified Essay
| Subject: | 🗽 American History |
| Type: | Analytical Essay |
| Pages: | 3 |
| Word count: | 759 |
| Topics: | American Revolution, 🏛️ Justice |
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In the mid-1700s, thirteen American colonies began an uprising with the goal of achieving independence from Great Britain. The Americans had all grounds, motives and purposes to oppose the British. The decision to revolt against the British by starting a war against them was the sole option they possessed. Diplomatic steps that were made before that had no chance against the ruthless Britain. In this way, it was a valid argument that the Americans were justified to launch an uprising.
Americans had the prerogative to spark a revolution because the British were passing laws that deprived people of certain rights. Britain was not exercising its power in a way that worked for them and the American people. They took control of what people could and couldn’t trade with. The laws were an effective solution for the king, but not the best for the Americans. Therefore, the British took these rights away from their colony, and this resulted in the American Revolution.
In addition, the American Revolution was justified by the massacres committed by the Britons. Investigations prove Americans have absolutely changed their perception of Britain. The way the massacre was carried out indicates that it will be extremely challenging to gain American support again. It was performed in such a way that the Britons indiscriminately fired on the crowd, not just a specific area. It is apparent that the British troops intended to kill people, and this is evident in their organization. The British were perceived as murderers and this was a fundamental reason to justify the revolution.
The king maintained extensive power over the Americans and could do whatever he thought necessary to control them. In this case, he did not concern himself with the lives of the people and instead of implementing policies that would make them satisfied, his decisions were concentrated on making the government better. One of the ways the king obtained finance was by imposing heavy taxes on the Americans. Every time the king issued a tax law, it backfired on him and resulted in new rebellions. People became even more outraged, and this led to rebellion against the British.
Arguments that the Americans put forward against the British and their Counterclaims
One of the arguments of the Americans was that the royal legislation was oppressive to the people. Besides, the Americans argued the king enacted these laws without the agreement of the people, although they could have influenced them. Certain of these laws imposed unbearable taxes and also hindered free trade. The British, however, argued that all these laws were passed for the general benefit of the government and the people. Moreover, they claimed that they had the right to tax Americans like other colonies. Nevertheless, the government became too oppressive, which caused an outbreak of the revolt.
Americans also called into question the relationship between the local, colonial, elected bodies and the British Parliament, in which Americans were not represented. The Americans, for their part, asserted that only elected bodies had the constitutional right to impose taxes. In this particular situation, though, the King and the British Parliament, in which Americans were not represented, had the power to impose taxes. The British reasoned that even in England, most citizens did not vote for parliamentary representatives.
Likewise, they equally considered that all English citizens had a virtual representation in Parliament that reflected their views. This argument meant that the British Parliament claimed the right to impose taxes on Americans, even if they were not represented in it. As follows, this was unpleasant for Americans because they had been electing their parliamentarians for a long time.
How would the world perceive American colonists in modern times
In these times, colonialists would be considered oppressive and less democratic. Imposing charges on people who were not represented in the tax authority was a form of humiliation. Meanwhile, depriving people of the ability to elect their leaders and trade freely is objectively not democratic. To demonstrate that this is suppressed, the ongoing trend in the United States, as well as in the United Kingdom, is that the people are taxed by democratically established bodies and laws.
However, in America during the colonial period, this was not possible. Another instance is that the poor and the rich are taxed differently in these two countries. In the colonial era, expressly in America, all people were taxed alike, regardless of their social status. After all, in the contemporary world, essential and non-essential goods are taxed differently. Nevertheless, the American experience shows tea and paint were taxed equally, which was unjust.
Offered for reference purposes only.