The economic elements of Revolutionary America had a big impact on the relationship between America and Britain. Britain was in a huge amount of debt after the French and Indian War. They were in a hurry to quickly gain money to pay the debt off. As a result, they started taxing the colonies. The first Act that was created was the Revenue Act, or Sugar Act. This Act taxed sugar and other goods coming into the colonies (Keene, 100). It also increased penalties for smuggling and created new ways for enforcing compliance of these new laws. The Americans were very upset with this Act because it violated two of their beliefs. They believed they could not be taxed without their knowing and that it was their right to have a trial by jury. This Act
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This newfound independence gave the colonists the most important right of all: the right to govern themselves. The Continental Congress directed all the states to create new constitutions (Keene, 122). There were many different views of what a constitutional government should consist of so this was sort of a time of experimentation. Within their first year of independence many of the thirteen colonies, or states, had created and applied their new written constitutions. A few of the states’ constitutions like Virginia and Massachusetts were treated as models for the other states. The Virginia Declaration of Rights declared that life, liberty, and property were basic rights and that “all men are by nature equally free and independent” (Keene, 122). These early declaration of rights made clear the limits of authority before the actual creation of the structure of government (Keene, 122). The Massachusetts Constitution is the oldest continuously functioning written constitution in the world (Keene, 124). The Massachusetts Constitution was special. A special convention was put together to draft the Constitution and afterward it was sent to the people for ratification. This Constitution applied a system of checks and balances, it was the first to do so. This would make the separation of powers a very possible feat because they would be able to check each other. Another important feat in this time of experimentation was the Articles of Confederation, the constitution that was created for the new United States of America (Keene, 124). These Articles did not create a government but a “firm league of friendship” among the states (Keene, 125). It stated that each state basically was independent and free. This may not have created a very strong government, but it was a start. The states were creating something. They were
This newfound independence gave the colonists the most important right of all: the right to govern themselves. The Continental Congress directed all the states to create new constitutions (Keene, 122). There were many different views of what a constitutional government should consist of so this was sort of a time of experimentation. Within their first year of independence many of the thirteen colonies, or states, had created and applied their new written constitutions. A few of the states’ constitutions like Virginia and Massachusetts were treated as models for the other states. The Virginia Declaration of Rights declared that life, liberty, and property were basic rights and that “all men are by nature equally free and independent” (Keene, 122). These early declaration of rights made clear the limits of authority before the actual creation of the structure of government (Keene, 122). The Massachusetts Constitution is the oldest continuously functioning written constitution in the world (Keene, 124). The Massachusetts Constitution was special. A special convention was put together to draft the Constitution and afterward it was sent to the people for ratification. This Constitution applied a system of checks and balances, it was the first to do so. This would make the separation of powers a very possible feat because they would be able to check each other. Another important feat in this time of experimentation was the Articles of Confederation, the constitution that was created for the new United States of America (Keene, 124). These Articles did not create a government but a “firm league of friendship” among the states (Keene, 125). It stated that each state basically was independent and free. This may not have created a very strong government, but it was a start. The states were creating something. They were