American Independence Pros And Cons

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Alexis medina History
Primary analysis 1 May 26. 2018

In the late 1700s, although the colonists came from distinct backgrounds and were divided on the basis of class, gender, and ethnicity, they shared a lot of common grievances, strong concerns regarding the British tyranny, and beliefs about self-reliance and self-governance. The American Revolution marked the beginning of a society devoted to the notions of liberty, justice, and equality for everyone. Due to the various obstacles imposed by the British, these principles could not be fully realized and brought to life. Franklin formulated a list of arguments for how the colonists were prepared for independence and why they deserved …show more content…

One of the primary issues with the Stamp Act was that “there is not gold and silver enough in the Colonies to pay the stamp duty for a single year (page 105)” This originated from the interview between Benjamin Franklin and the House of Common. One might say that these taxes were too high and that the colonists were justified in their resentment for these kind of British policies. To make matters worse, obtaining outside gold and silver was prevented due to restraints the British set on colonial trade. The relationship between Britain and the colonists was described by Britain governing every export coming from the colonists and Britain possessing total control of the trade market. In addition, Franklin was basically arguing that the Stamp Act was an attempt to increase owed money by the colonies without the consent of their respective legislatures. This is a prime example of “no taxation without representation.” It is explained by Franklin that the intention of British authorities was to have internal tax extorted from the colonists. If the colonists refused to pay, then they would suffer from the severe consequences. Men like Samuel Adams in Boston formed groups to protest the stamp act. Adam was the leader of the group called Sons of Liberty . Sometimes this group and others used violence to resist new taxes . Therefore, the colonists were trapped and cornered in this matter of taxation. According …show more content…

They raised, paid, and clothed 25000 of their men during the previous war. He explains that the colonies’ consistent willingness and preparation will allow them to thrive and prosper on their own. Franklin points out, “They do not consider it as at all necessary for you to raise money on them by your taxes, because they are, and always have been, ready to raise money by taxes among themselves, and to grant large sums, equal to their abilities, upon requisition from the Crown (pg 109).” So, in other words , colonists were well-prepared to regulate taxes on their own. Given these reasons, the colonists are justified in breaking ties with

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