Taxation Without Representation

           The basis of the American Revolution

 

March 1775,Stamp Act was going in November of that year and colonists were starting to claim for their liberty. These Act consisted in that every printed material, these including newspapers, magazines, books, and even land deeds; had to bear a Royal Stamp that represented the imposing of a tax on the purchase of these materials. They were being taxed in the colonies without being represented. They thought that if they didn't have in Parliament someone who represents them then they should not tax them.

To understand these it is important to ask the following question: Why did the British imposed new taxes in the colonies?The 7 Year War, A.K.A. The Seven Year War, had favored England with more land. These meant more land to protect from French, Indian, and other invadors and the need to send soilders fpr this purpose. England was bankrupt, it had no money,because the war doubled the debt. Besides people in Parliament believed that the colonists had to pay the taxes because they were the ones receiving the benefits from the revenues and money had been invested on during and before the war on the colonies. In other words, people in Parliament believed that the colonies owed them money.

Colonist felt mad because Parliament was making them pay taxes without a say, not really for the fact of paying taxes itself. They would pay them but since they had no representation, in their heads Parliament did not have the right to make them pay the taxes. People in Parliament did not understand the protest of the colonists, because most of the population of England were commoners who couldnt vote and had to pay taxes, and they did so without complaining. The colonists just wanted at least one representative of theits to be sent to Parliament, and Parliament just wanted to go on with what they were levying just as they were doing. These conflict eventually resulted in The American Revolution.