Ouachita Baptist University Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita Honors Theses Carl Goodson Honors Program 2011 British Perspective on the Colonial Rebellion Kayla Smith Ouachita Baptist University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/honors_theses Part of the European History Commons, Military History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Smith, Kayla, "British Perspective on the Colonial Rebellion" (2011). Honors Theses. 75. https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/honors_theses/75 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Carl Goodson Honors Program at Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Great Britain and her colonies began their disagreements leading up to the American Revolution over the idea of taxation and representation in Parliament. A new form of taxation came with the passage of Sugar Act in March, 1764. This form aimed at raising revenue to pay for part ofthe cost of Britain's colonial expenses in North America. All previous taxation on the colonies had only been used to regulate commerce. The British judged the colonists should be taxed to help pay for the cost of the French war that had been fought in their defense and protection. 1 The previous method of voluntary taxation was unpredictable, unequal, and could take months to gather. Because it was voluntary, states like Pennsylvania and Massachusetts tended to give much more than states like Maryland and New Jersey.2 Colonies avoided paying this new tax by smuggling in sugar from other countries.