JQ+September+23,+2009

Justify the actions of the American colonists in declaring and fighting for their independence.
 * __Question:__**

The American colonists in the New World during the 18th century were tired of England being their mother country. England imposed too many taxes and created too many acts that seemed to be irrelevant to the colonists. The colonists believed that their rights as "Englishmen" were being stripped away more and more as time went on. __The actions in declaring and fighting for their independence is understandable because of the hardships England made them face.__
 * __Answer:__**

The taxes that were imposed on the colonists were of extreme measure, according the the colonists. Different acts such as the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, the Townshend Act, and the Tea Act were all heavily looked down upon by colonists. The taxes that were put on sugar, paper documents, and tea were of no importance to the colonists because the money was not going to them, but to England. The "no taxation without representation" phenomenon became highly used in the colonial region. The colonists couldn't understand how such taxes could be forced upon them when they had no representation in Parliament. These taxes encouraged colonists to declare and fight for their independence.

The authority in which England had over the colonies was unacceptable in the minds of the colonists. The Declaratory Act, which gave Parliament power to make up any laws in the colonies was an outrage to the colonists. They were so angered by this act because they were completely controlled by King George III and had no say in their laws. The Coercive Acts affect Boston as a city, however it affects the population of the colonies as a whole because the colonists realize the extreme laws England has placed in Boston. Finally, the Quebec Act, that allows the French to reinhabit the Ohio River Valley, is the last straw for the American colonists. They are in disbelief that England could allow the French to regain the land that England had won because of the help from the colonists. Through these acts and taxes that were forced upon the colonists, it is understandable why the American colonists would want to declare and fight for their independence.