Were the American Colonist justified in waging war, essays

Were the American Colonist justified in waging war, essays The following changes in European and English society produced a landless class. Primogeniture, caused children other than the oldest son to be left without land, money, or any inheritance whatsoever. The enclosure movement closed off all pastureland, reducing the amount of farmland. And the agricultural inventions reduced the need for laborors. Population was growing rapidly, and the political balance shifted by 1775 the ratio of colonist to englishmen was 3:1. Englands saluatary neglect toward the colonies, furthered the colonist dislike for them. England began to impose absurd taxes. The Sugar act, an act granting certain duties in the British colonies and plantations in America. The Quartering Act, colonist were required to provide soldiers with living quarters. Stamp Act, required the use of stamped paper for legal documents, diplomas etc. The reason taxes were so looked down upon was because the funds went solely to the British government. Meanwhile The Sons of Liberty were working sercretly to oppose these taxes and later Parlimentary revenue programs. The Intollerable Acts were acts that limited the citizens basic rights as Englishmen and violated English BIll of Rights. The Prohibitory Acts were designed to strike at the economic viability of the colonies and stated that they were staging a rebellion against English authority, also that they had raised an army and had illegally taken over the powers of government, finally that they had stopped trade with the mother country. Colonist were not allowed to print money.Merchantilism was also a disadvantage. Economic initiative was stifiled and colonies were restricted. English merchants gouged tobacco growers putting them in constant debt. English felt the colonies should help pay for their own defense. Leaders from rivalry colonies came together to step toward intercolonial unity. ...