JiWhan Moon (8D) December 16, 2012 Essay Statement #1, Topic 1

Were the colonists right to be angered by the British rule?

How the American colonists were treated was a direct contradiction of both the

Magna Carta (1215) and the English Bill of Rights (1689). Although they sent numerous petitions and attempted to resolve problems peacefully, the Parliament and King George III constantly disregarded their requests. The vexation of the colonists by the unworthy British rule is justied because of both the restrictions to property and the raise in taxes. ! First, the British rule did not grant the colonists the right to settle where they

wished. The British government, also known as the Parliament issued the Proclamation of 1763 which banned colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. However, it was published in the Two Treatises on Government that people had the rights to life, liberty, and property (Locke, John - 1690). Locke argued that these rights could not be taken away, and were given from God. Yet, in this case, the colonists right to property was taken away by the Parliament, based on the British rule. Also, the Quartering Act of 1765 stated that the colonists had to quarter, or house the British troops. This was an absolute clash with the Magna Carta, which protected the right to private property. ! Another sufcient reason the colonists anger is justied is the raise in taxes. In

the French and Indian War, from 1754 to 1763, many colonists contributed and sacriced their lives for Britain. According to the Prentice Hall America, History of Our

Nation Textbook, Massachusetts alone lost more than 1500 men (Davidson, James). Nevertheless, all the insular British were thinking about was how to impose higher taxes, to pay for their large debt in the war. Therefore, they created numerous acts, such as the Sugar Act of 1764 and Stamp Act of 1765. However, it said in the English Bill of Rights (1689) That levying money for or to the use of the crown... without grant of Parliament... is illegal;... This shows that the British was very inconsistent with their believes. The Parliament, who once had thought they should not be charged taxes, was imposing tariffs on the colonists without permission. Also, according to Tea, Tax, and Trouble, the colonists thought it was unfair that they should be taxed, because they had no members in the Parliament to represent them (Johnson, David). Still, the Parliament ignored their complaints, and thought they should be punished for protesting. This challenged the 39th statement of the Magna Carta. ! For these two major reasons, it was unjust that the British rule used the rights of

the colonists to the British advantage. The British rule that showed insolence towards the colonists opinions gave an explanation for their anger.