Essential+Question+4

 Once England got word of the New World, they sent colonists over and they settled in Jamestown. Things for these colonists only seemed to get worse over time, they were almost completely wiped out and they were on the verge of going back to England when England sent help. In the 18th century, England showed the colonists a strong sense of salutary neglect and their eventual stopping of this neglect led to the colonists seeking their independence. The American colonists declaring and fighting for their independence should have been completely accepted because of how Britain’s establishment of the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Act was so unjust.  The American colonists deserved to get their independence because Britain gave them the Sugar Act to have to live with. The Sugar Act of 1764 affected many of the colonies, but mainly Charlestown, South Carolina and Boston, Massachusetts. This act messed with the mentality of the colonists; they were angry that they could not have sugar for their tea and for to use as a general seasoning. This was not the only reason that the colonists were mad, they were also mad because of the tax and that they had no say in the taxation. This is where the colonists really started to question whether they had the same rights as the Englishmen or not. The Sugar Act was a perfect example of why the colonists should have had freedom. The Stamp Act was great proof that American colonists should have their independence. The Stamp Act of 1765 made every printed document have direct tax which is tax that falls primarily on the citizens. This direct tax only came from Britain and it eventually unified the colonists because they all wanted to unite and rebel to stop this taxation. Patrick Henry, who was originally from the Virginia House of Burgesses, said a very famous phrase pertaining to the Stamp Act: “Give me liberty, or give me death!” Henry was all about liberty and when the Stamp Act was created, he immediately started protesting against it. American colonists fought for their independence at an appropriate time because they were being controlled to a great extent and taken advantage of by multiple acts resembling the Stamp Act. Independence was rightfully fought for by the colonists because they were put through the Townshend Act. With the Townshend Act of 1767, the American colonists would work to attain raw materials, such as wood and cotton and they would send them to England. England would then manufacture these raw materials into needed items, like beds and clothing and they would sell them back to the colonists for a higher price. This was an excellent example of mercantilism because England, or the mother country, was essentially benefiting from trade. Colonists eventually refused to buy anything from England so that they could simply cut out the middleman and work for only themselves. The American Colonists rightfully went after their independence because the Townshend act was ruining profits for most of the colonists.