American Revolution: Examining the Colonists' Justification

This assignment examines the American Revolution, specifically focusing on whether the colonists were justified in their rebellion against the British government. It argues that the colonists were not justified, emphasizing their obligation to pay taxes to the British government, especially considering the financial strain from the French and Indian War. The assignment highlights the British government's need for revenue from the American colonies and the challenges of collecting taxes due to smuggling and corruption. It references the historical context, including the impact of the war and the actions of the colonists.

No, the American colonists were not justified in rebelling against the British government.
The American colonists were British citizens and have the obligation of paying the British
government tax for the trades in the American colonies. The British government relied on the
income from these colonies to make up for the debts incurred in the French and Indian War
(American History, 2019). Additionally, the purpose of trade in American colonies were
mainly with the intent of enriching the Great Britain. The government wanted the profits to
come to the British government. However, this was not happening, as there were a lot of
loops in the system of reporting profits to the government sitting in Great Britain. American
colonists found it easier to smuggle prohibited and illicit goods into the American land. They
used to trade with pirates, foreign nations, or smugglers. The profits from these trades were
not passed to the British government (Americanyawp.com, 2019). Further, it was fairly easy
for the American colonists to bride the Customs officials for any illicit trade and to release
the convicted pirates. Thus, as a resort to increase the revenues coming from the American
colonies, the government had to impose taxes on the goods going from the Britain to these
American colonies.
References –
Americanyawp.com. (2019). 4. Colonial Society | THE AMERICAN YAWP. [online]
Available at: http://www.americanyawp.com/text/04-colonial-society/ [Accessed 27 Mar.
2019].
American History. (2019). Effects Of The War. [online] Available at:
http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/essays/before-1800/french-and-indian-wars/effects-of-the-war.php
[Accessed 27 Mar. 2019].