Essay/Term paper: Britain and the early colonies

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Humanities Essays

Britain had a new policy when it came to it's colonies. All

they had to do was inforce the laws they already had, not

make new ones. George Greenville, Britains Prime Minister

from 1763 to 1765, didn't realize this. To raise money for

Britain after the expensive French and Indian war, they

decided to tighten control on the colonies The Proclamation

of 1763 was the first of five laws passed to accomplish this

new goal. This "proclamation" reserved lands west of the

Appalachian Mtns. for use of the Indians. The frontiersmen

were the first to get angry at the new land law because they

wanted to settle in the unexplored west. Then in 1764 the

British parliament passed the Colonial Currency Act. This

act took away the right of any colony to issue its own paper

money. This lead to increased poverty and hardship after the

French and Indian war. The people opposed it because if

more money was in circulation the economy would of been

better. The Sugar Act in 1764, put a tax on sugar, molasses,

wines, and other foreign products. This upset one Samuel

Adams. After having lived in the colonies some years and

being a successful merchant, He felt that the law was

particularly unfair for merchants, as they were the most

taxed. This also increased fear among the colonists that they

would lose the right to determine taxes among their own

colonies. Later in the next year of 1765, the Stamp Act was

decreed. Special stamps were now required on newspapers,

playing cards, business papers, and other legal documents.

This law hurt the common man, but most the wealthy. John

Adams, a well respected Virginian, wrote a partition to the

king of Britain to repeal the act. Daniel Dulainy led protest

with the people using effigies and all. They were afraid that

there would be an increase of external taxes and the colonies

would lose the right of thier own taxation. The Quartering

Act in 1765, colonists had to give British troops places to

live, some supplies, and part of their salaries. The New York

assembly opposed this because it was an infringement on the

rights of "British Citizens" and represented a removal of

colonial self government. It is now apparent with these new

laws the citizens of the 13 colonies felt violated and used.

They did not feel they were properly represented in

parliament nor that the king should have any right to oppose

restrictions on them each time a new law was passed, more

resentment and anger would increase thus was born the

American Revolution.