The Taxes In Britain Colonies Because Of Financial Crisis
America was not always as free and liberal as it is today. Great Britain had ruled the united states for around 150 years. The first British colony that was established in the united was in Jamestown in 1607. Ever since then the British started having more and more control over the united states and everything was changing. But Americans were not going to keep quite as they revolted against the system and finally achieved independence from them in 1783. Americans always wanted freedom and liberty, thus making them rebel against the Great Britain.
Briefly after the French and Indian war ended, the British parliament found themselves in a financial crisis, thus making them introduce taxes to the united states so they can benefit from them and make way more money from them. The main reasoning behind the American revolution was because of the absurd amount of taxes that the British parliament invoked on the American colonies. The most noted taxes were known as the stamp act. The stamp act was basically direct tax on everything that was printed on paper. Therefore, making Great Britain profit so much from the united states and take a reasonable amount of money from them. As soon as this happened violence erupted against British officials and it was causing chaos. As Americans were either very wealthy or poor at that time and age, this caused a lot of problems in the society. For example, if the united states put taxes a larger tax on vegetables, this would make everyone go crazy and go riots as we need fruits and vegetables in our daily lives.
The stamp act was revoked a year after its initiation, but in return the British parliament introduced the declaratory act. The declaratory act was basically a way that the British parliament had complete control over the American legislature. Basically, this means that the British could control all the rules that Americans had to abide to. As soon as the declaratory act was introduced, Americans were still focused on how happy they were that the stamp act was invoked and did not notice the seriousness of the situation. An author of an article had this to say, “Although this would become a focal point of much political argumentation in the near future, for the moment a hopeful sense of gratitude has prevailed” (McGill 103). This in my eyes was something terrible that happened to the united states as it gave even more control to the British and left the Americans feeling a bit like slaves in a way because they did not have any word on what they can and cannot do in their own country.
Another type of tax is known as the sugar act. The sugar act was a tax on sugar related items and as we discussed above, the profit goes to Great Britain. Americans at this time were infuriated and decided to go on protests in the streets so they can remove this taxation. Eventually, the sugar act was repealed in 1766. Taking this into consideration, America as the free country it is and always will be, had every right to rebel against the system because they were being treated as servants in a way. Britain was taking away their money and making profit off them in every possible way they can.
One of the least known taxes was known to be as the Townshend acts. The Townshend acts was a direct tax passed by the British parliament, where there would be taxes on tea, glass, paper, paint, and lead that were imported to the colonies. Thus, making Americans angry again as the British were gaining so much money from them in any means necessary. as soon as the Townshend acts was implied in the colonies, Americans agreed to boycott any British goods from entering the united states. This was a great reaction from the Americans as you can start to see they had enough of what was going on and how the British were taking advantage of them.
Once the British introduced the tax on tea, the Americans destroyed boats that had tea on them that were on sail to the united states. When this happened, the British were fuming and thus introduced the intolerable acts. The intolerable acts were the way that the British said enough is enough. For example, the British introduced a law that closed the port to Boston until Americans came up with the money to pay for the tea they destroyed. The British thought by doing this that they would put a red line on the Americans and make them stop rebelling, this was a huge mistake as it only made them even more angry. Moreover, the British were just showing to the Americans what they can do and what power is in their possession, but we all know Americans never stay quite when they see that they are being treated in a wrongful way.
In conclusion, Americans were justified in every single way to rebel against Great Britain. They had no control over there own country, had money stolen from them in the way of taxes, and had no saying on what rules be implemented in their own country. Taking this all into consideration, Americans went through hell and back to become what they are today, and that is the greatest country on earth.
