Revolutionary War Causes 6-10 Perspective Comparison

Revolutionary War Causes 4-7 Perspective Comparison

4. Stamp Act (1765)- This act put a tax (in the form of a stamp) on newspapers, playing cards, and legal documents in the colonies. British Perspective- We are not making any money to pay for the war from our sugar sales because the colonists are boycotting the sugar and smuggling in foreign sugar. The people of our country should not pay entirely for the war that was fought to help the colonists. We want the colonists to pay this small tax so we can pay off the war debt. Colonist Perspective- This is entirely unfair. Not a single colonist votes in Parliament so this clearly violates our dear principle of No Taxation Without Representation. (This proved to be the colonists biggest argument.) We will boycott these items or torture and British agents who dare to collect the taxes from us. We will also send King George III a respectful letter requesting that he get rid of the taxes because we were not represented nor can we afford to pay them.

5. Declaratory Act (1766)- This act came immediately after King George III and Parliament decided to get rid of the Stamp Act. Under the Declaratory Act Britain said they had the right and power to tax the colonies. It was meant to warn the colonists against protests like they had over the Stamp Act. British Response- We are being very grateful in getting rid of the Stamp Act. We want the colonists to know however that because we are the parent country we have a right to tax the colonies as we see fit. The Declaratory Act gives us this power so therefore we do not want to hear the colonists complain about any more taxes that we are putting on them. Your argument about No taxation without representation is no longer justifiable. You don’t have to be represented because of the Declaratory Act. Colonist Response- This act is ridiculous! Britain does not have the power to tax us unless we are represented no matter what act they pass. This goes against our natural law of liberty. We still cry No Taxation Without Representation!

6. Townshend Act (1767)- This act was passed because the British still had no way of making money for the war debt since the Sugar Act didn’t work and the King and Parliament had taken away the Stamp Act. The Townshend Act put a tax on paper, glass, lead, tea, and paint. The law also allowed for British officials to search anywhere for smuggled goods. British Perspective- We have the right to tax the colonists and it is completely necessary because of our debt. We were nice to get rid of the Stamp Act since the colonists threw such a fit but we still need to make money so we are taxing these different items. We have to be able to search colonial houses because they are smuggling goods into the colonies without paying taxes. Colonist Perspective- This tax is worse than the Stamp Act! The items that are taxed are things we need where as the Stamp Act was on things we wanted. This is completely unfair.

7. Boston Massacre (1770)- Began when colonists grew angry at a small group of soldiers in Boston. The colonists threw snowballs and as the angry mob grew closer to the soldiers shots were fired. 5 colonists lay dead in the street. British Perspective- These soldiers fired in self-defense! The colonial mob was going to kill them. Yes they were throwing snowballs but these snowballs had rocks in them and soon the colonists were going to attack the soldiers. They had no choice but to fire in the crowd if they wanted to survive. Colonist Perspective- This is an absolute massacre! 5 of our people have been murdered by British soldiers. The colonists were throwing snowballs for God’s sake and the British soldiers responded by shooting bullets and killing 5 of us who were defenseless.