Why did the Americans start a revolution?

1. 58

   Snøwmanposted 11 years ago

   Why did the Americans start a revolution?
   
   I have some Ideas, but I want to read your opinions.
   
   The taxes the USA got from the British weren't that bad. They could have lived a normal life under British rule. Compared to what the Americans were doing to slaves and the native Americans, the British were very nice to the Americans.
   
   Were the Americans spoiled brats that can't handle a few taxes? Were they hypocrites for oppressing the slaves and native Americans, but they couldn't stand the British rule? Or is there a good reason why the Americans needed a revolution. Maybe something they saw that we didn't.

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2. 80

   Nesbyteposted 11 years ago

   "Taxation without representation" I believe is the phrase. They weren't represented in Parliament, but they did get taxed, which isn't really fair. On the other hand, British Regulars and the Royal Navy played a massive part in ensuring safety and security in the colonies - and if you employ your troops to protect people, it might be fair to ask them to help pay for the upkeep of those soldiers.

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3. 68

   Old-Empresarioposted 10 years ago

   The revolution began in New England, where the puritan population has always loathed the established Church of England and British rule in general. During the English Civil War of the 1600s, the New Englanders sided with the Parliamentary "Roundheads" against the Crown. The troubles of the 1770s did begin as a row between England and New England with one side protesting taxation and the other side occupying Massachusetts with a garrison of troops. But it was the lawyers and planters of the Enlightenment Era that stepped in and turned just another battle over taxation into a Revolution based on the rights of man. Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence clearly outlined the grievances the colonies had with Britain, which were very reasonable grievances. He presented a good case for declaring independence based on Enlightenment principles. Was this a way of spinning the Massachusetts revolt to the advantages of a few lawyers in the colonials?--possibly. But it is hard to argue with the points Jefferson made.

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