American colonists argued that they were part of an increasingly corrupt and autocratic empire in which their traditional liberties were threatened. The American Revolution was precipitated, in part, by a series of laws passed between 1763 and 1775 that regulated trade and taxes. This legislation caused tensions between colonists and imperial officials, who made it clear that the British Parliament would not address American complaints that the new laws were onerous. During the second half of the eighteenth century, tension arose between the British government and its transatlantic colonies. To maintain the peace of 1763, the British government stationed troops on the frontiers of the colonies. It argued that because the troops were protecting
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This caused a major conflict between Britain and the colonies over Parliament’s right to tax. The Stamp Act imposed a tax on all paper used for official documents – newspapers, pamphlets, court documents, licenses, wills, ships’ cargo lists, and required an affixed stamp as proof that the tax had been paid. The Stamp Act was created for the sole purpose of raising money. The Stamp Act had led Americans to ask fundamental questions about the relationship between their local, colonial, legislatures, which were elected bodies, and the British Parliament, in which Americans had no elected representation. Many colonists began to assert that only an elected legislative body held legitimate powers of taxation. The colonists failed to understand the difference between external and internal taxes. They saw the Townshend Duties as raising revenue in America without the taxpayer’s consent. The American Revolution completely changed the social and political landscape of this country and the world. The American Revolution has a definite effect on people in modern day culture. The United States might not exist it if were not for the American Revolution. The colonists were becoming increasingly incensed by the demands made and taxes by Great Britain,
This caused a major conflict between Britain and the colonies over Parliament’s right to tax. The Stamp Act imposed a tax on all paper used for official documents – newspapers, pamphlets, court documents, licenses, wills, ships’ cargo lists, and required an affixed stamp as proof that the tax had been paid. The Stamp Act was created for the sole purpose of raising money. The Stamp Act had led Americans to ask fundamental questions about the relationship between their local, colonial, legislatures, which were elected bodies, and the British Parliament, in which Americans had no elected representation. Many colonists began to assert that only an elected legislative body held legitimate powers of taxation. The colonists failed to understand the difference between external and internal taxes. They saw the Townshend Duties as raising revenue in America without the taxpayer’s consent. The American Revolution completely changed the social and political landscape of this country and the world. The American Revolution has a definite effect on people in modern day culture. The United States might not exist it if were not for the American Revolution. The colonists were becoming increasingly incensed by the demands made and taxes by Great Britain,