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Write an essay examining the major areas of disagreement between the American colonists and the British policymakers that developed during the period 1763 to 1776. The American colonists resisted taxation by the British Parliament in the 1760’s and 1770’s. This was set on the grounds that no man’s property could be legitimately taken from him without his own precise consent, either directly with the owner or even through his representatives. The slogan “No taxation without representation” came about and caused the colonists to rally behind it’s true meaning.
So can it be justified that a man’s property may be taken away from him just for the sole purpose of British Parliament rules? We cannot also forget that another key battle was brewing about over the colonists and Parliament.
We have also heard about the supporter’s of Parliament and their agreement in taxation without representation. Was this in fact true? During the 17th century the British people themselves went so far as to overthrow their monarch first in 1649 and again in 1688.
This was because of the fact that the king tried to rule without seeking the advice and consent of the nation’s own representative body, the House of Commons.
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These two growing problems led to the potential agreement that both American and Englishmen believed that private property could not be taken by the government without proper consent. Virtually all American and Englishmen did in fact believe that a form of government without the owner’s consent could not legitimately take private property.
For the English in the 17th century, “no one had more power than another” according to John Locke (1632-1704).
Locke also stated “All men may be restrained from invading others’ rights. ” God has given the world to all men in common, and he has also given them reason to make use of it to the best advantage of life and convenience. The surrounding earth was in fact given to men for the support and comfort of their being. Every man has a property in his own way, and nobody has any right to it but himself.
What makes the land a man’s property so that Parliament may not touch it? “A man has mixed his hand’s in the land and has labored with it, this joins it with him to be his own. ” (Civil Government, Locke-pg. 128) The argument was that a man was to have his title to it if he has labored in it. With the growth of the British colonies through the late 1600’s, there was a new view, no colonial right to self-government. Instead there was a Privilege in which the king could grant or take away as it pleased him.
Colonists, however, came to regard self-government, which they defined as being able to elect representatives to their assemblies, as an essential constitutional right. The English government had existed to establish order among men whose passions, if left unchecked, would create chaos or anarchy. Power flowed downward from the top of the social structure, from the king and the great nobility to lesser aristocracy down to the merchants, shopkeepers, farmers, and laborers. They were all subject to their authority.
For the Americans, power in the newly established area’s immediately drained into local units of governments-the towns the counties and the provincial legislatures-and power flowed from the bottom up as well as from England to America. “It is inseparably essential to the freedom of a people, and the undoubted right of Englishmen, that no taxes be imposed on them but with their own consent, given personally or by their representatives. ” (Declaration of the Stamp act Congress, pg. 170) The Americans established their own government.
Like the Englishmen in the early stages of the 17th century, the colonists had their own land to labor with and discover. The individuals who lived on the lands were entitled, according to the way of the newly established colonial government, to be able to have their rights to the land. They discovered the property and it was their right to work with it. Why would a government in a distant country such as England have the ability to control the land property of a man in the new colonies?
A question such as that one did cause the civilians of America to gather with their local leaders of their own established government. Men in both 17th century England and men from the 18th century Americas believed that a man working with his current land is of course entitled to it, therefore it is their own property and it cannot be taken by the government unless with proper consent. The Americans argued that Parliament had no authority to tax them because they were not represented in it.
The British replied that Parliament represented America as much as it represented Great Britain. The rights of the Parliament of Great Britain impose taxes of every kind on the colonies. It has always been admitted; but where there has been no Precedents to support the claim, it would still be incontestable, it was founded on the principles of our Constitution; the fact is, the inhabitants of the Colonies are represented in Parliament. The Inhabitants of the Colonies are represented in their respective Assemblies. So are the citizens of London in their Common Council.
The Powers in the Common Council are not equal to those in which the Assemblies in the Plantations enjoy, but still they are legislative powers to be exercised with their district. According to The Declaration of the Stamp Act Congress, the people of the colonies are not, and from their local circumstances cannot be, represented in the House of Commons in Great Britain, it also states that that only the representatives of the people of these colonies are persons chosen by themselves, and that no taxes ever have been or can be constitutionally imposed on them, but by their respective legislatures.
Both the American and the Englishman varied on their viewpoints on how a government should be handled, and at times we could see a glimpse of similarity. For the English, we saw a country that was in a severe state of transition. The English government tried repeatedly to gain control of well-needed land area and work. The high-class aristocracy continuously attempted to over-rule the lower-class citizenship by controlling land. Because of this they were in dire need.
As soon as the Americans developed their established colonies, they soon broke into their towns and counties. The land was vast and separated for convenience. The main reason why both the 17th century English the 18th century Americans went against Parliament rule was due to the fact that they worked hard to establish their land, and since England was in need for new areas, they thought that the higher-class society in which the Parliament was involved in could easily take the land. In fact, both the classes overcame and fought the battle to keep their respective land.
Areas of Disagreement between American Colonists and British. (2020, Jun 02). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/essay-examining-the-major-areas-of-disagreement-between-the-american-colonists-and-the-british-new-essay
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