Recurring Crisis

The French and Indian War, which lasted from 1754 to 1763, was the first time that the colonies in America came together to fight side by side for the same cause, and although this event made the communication and unity between the colonies stronger, the aftermath of the war drastically changed the relationship between Americans and England. England felt the need to tighten their hold on America as they couldn’t have them stop supplying them with the resources and profits they craved. Parliament, in order to pay back war debt, implemented taxes in the colonies. Even though Americans were loyal to England and greatly benefited from all their mother country gave them, the colonists believed England had no right to unjustly tax them and enforce multiple acts that made the colonists feel inferior, especially after they had been so accustomed to England’s salutary neglect. As more and more acts were introduced, Americans began to question the way England treated them and what liberty and freedom really meant. The recurring crisis and how the colonists reacted to them led to the American’s development of their own theory of independence. When the first act, which was called the Sugar Act, was passed and taxes were placed on coffee, tea, sugar, wine, and other imports, the colonists were shocked and outraged. Although they knew the war fought in America caused England, who was more than 3,000 miles away, to be in very heavy debt, colonists didn’t agree with England’s argument that they should have to pay off one-third of it. It was customary for the colonists to handle taxes and government issues locally, without the British becoming involved. So when this act was established, the colonists, mostly merchants and members of colonial assemblies, felt Parliament overstepped onto ground that the colonists were already taking care of. Eventually, after protests, the taxes were lowered and things resumed as practically normal. However, in March of 1765, Parliament returned to its old ways and passed the Stamp Act. This act established taxes on printed papers like newspapers, marriage licenses, and deeds. Due to the fact that this act affected a wider range of colonists, the amount and level of protests increased as well as how angry the colonists were. Throughout the colonies, many Americans boycotted British goods. Americans argued that since they were not represented in Parliament, England could not tax them. From that argument, the famous slogan “no taxation without representation” was born. England defended themselves by claiming that they had “virtual” representation, meaning that members in Parliament represented every British subject. Colonists did not agree with that idea, hence their newfound introduction of the word “representation” into their theory of independence. Along with representation, the colonists introduced “sovereignty” into their theory of independence due more acts implemented by Parliament. Although the Declaratory Act was partially ignored because of Parliament repealing the Stamp Act on the same day, this act that declared Parliament had power over the colonies in “all cases whatsoever” was the first time colonists began to question who should have more power- the government or the people. Along with the Declaratory Act, the Townshend Revenue Act and the Tea Act were established. The colonists rage and level of protest increased with every new act passed. Protests, boycotts, and assemblies occurred often. Writers even took to newspapers to petition and publically question England’s sovereignty. The letters and articles published became exceedingly popular, further showing that most colonists agreed that sovereignty was a major issue and a key figure in their theory of independence. Ultimately, the Coercive Acts, nicknamed the Intolerable Acts by the colonists, were the last straw and the push the colonists needed to set up the First Continental Congress. The formation of this congress added another word to their vocabulary: “constitution”. At the First Continental Congress, representatives from the colonies came together to discuss what should be done about the acts and how to react to them appropriately. Their long term goal was to reconstruct their relationship with their mother country and rebuild the balance of authority between them. The congress composed a list of grievances they wanted the king to address, in hopes of creating somewhat of a written guideline of what can and cannot happen in government and between the two nations. When their problems were not taken into consideration, or even addressed, the colonists saw no other option than to come together for a Second Continental Congress in which they declared independence from England. The need for these committees and the want for written standards caused the introduction of “constitution” being added to the colonists’ theory of independence and vocabulary. Although the colonists were loyal and faithful subjects to the crown, the debt England compounded and their need to tighten their control on the colonies, caused great tension between Americans and their mother country. The acts that were enforced to create revenue in order to resolve those debts caused Americans to question what aspects they thought a government should consist of. After multiple acts the colonists deemed as unfair and unnecessary and countless protests, assemblies, committees, and boycotts, the colonists created their own vocabulary on what they believe a well-rounded and just government in a country is meant to be. These main concepts were finally brought to attention and discussed after the colonies realized how England misused them. Representation, sovereignty, and the issue of written vs non-written constitutions served as the basis for American’s theory of independence and their expectations for future government.