The Boston Massacre - Essay Example

September 17, Question One During the early to mid 1700’s Americans could find few reasons to declare their independence from England. England offered Americans opportunities such as trade, commerce and military stability. However, things soon changed. Many events that occurred after 1750, led to increased conflict and eventually impendence from England. Beginning with the treaty of 1763, England found itself with an enormous amount of debit (Brinkley, 120). This debit forced England to become more involved in the colonies activities. Colonists including Benjamin Franklin and William Pitt argued that the colonies were financially stable to support the population and did not need the support of England. However, the appointed prime minister in America George Grenville did not share the same opinion of other colonists and demanded America would be loyal to England. One of the major changes in England during this time period was the appointment of King George III. King George III was a young and inexperienced king who has been referred to as immature (Brinkley, 122). King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763, which forbid Americans to travel past a set line which was drawn along the Appalachian Mountains. This act was instated to limit fur trading in American further allowing England to control trade and commerce in America. However, this act failed to achieve its goal as Americans continued to trade with Indians. In retaliation England passed The Sugar Act of 1764. This act was meant to eliminate sugar trade between the colonies and the French and Spanish. To further enforce a dependence on England King George III passed The Currency Act of 1764 (Brinkley 123). This act prevented the colonies from issuing money and to retire all money that was being circulated. In order to increase taxes England issued the Stamp Act of 1765. This act taxed all printed documents in the colonies. Although these acts succeeded in decreasing England’s debits these acts further created conflicts between England and the colonies. For the time many Americans learned to live with England’s policies. During this period many Americans were still experiencing anxieties about the economic depression that occurred in the 1760’s. However, many American’s were beginning to get irritated with England’s policies. These Americans strengthened the argument for the independence of the colonies. The Quartering Act of 1765 further irritated the colonists by forcing them to quarter British troops in America (Brinkley, 125). In response nine colonies petitioned the king stating that the colonies could not be rightfully taxed by England through these acts (Brinkley, 123). In response of the new prime minister of Greenville (Marquis of Rockingham) King George III repealed the Stamp Act (1766). However, the colonists were still irritated with the Quartering Act of 1765 and responded by defying the Kings orders. In dealing with the defiance King George III passed the Townshend Act of 1767. This act taxed goods that had been imported from England (Brinkley, 126). In response to this act colonists began trading with the indignant people in order to successfully boycott the acts set in place. Tensions grew between the colonists and England. On March 5th 1770, a fight ensued between the quartered soldiers and the colonists leaving five colonists dead. The colonists referred to this event as The Boston Massacre. Although the soldiers were prosecuted, many believed that The Boston Massacre was a planned event by England. To honor the one year anniversary of this event Samuel Adams organized a colonial protest. In 1772, Samuel Adams organized and headed the committee of correspondence. From this organization the slogan “No taxation without representation” was born (Brinkley, 127). Colonists believed that King George III was obtaining too much power. In response to this belief colonists demanded representation in all future acts that entailed taxation. The defiance continued as colonists sank the Gaspee. This act further demonstrated the colonist’s beliefs that taxation needed representation. In response to this defiance the tea act was passed in 1773, in order to salvage profits from an English company on the urge of bankruptcy. In response the Boston Tea Party was born. To further deify English acts the colonists began boycotting the sales of tea. This boycott included sinking British ships as an act of defiance. In response King George III closed the port located in Boston in hopes of limiting defiance and the potential for the colonists to govern themselves. In response to this event activist groups including the sons of liberty began increasing defiance. To further control the colonists the Coercive Acts were passed (also known as the intolerable acts). However, the Coercive Acts were met with further defiance and the notion of independence from England was further enacted. The colonists began organizing and preparing for war against England (Brinkley 127). Before organizing the war, colonists made one last attempt to remain loyal to England. This attempt was evident in the colonists appeal to England to allow them to tax their own goods upon the demand of England. In response Lord North of England issued the Conciliatory Propositions. However, this documentation issued from Lord North did not reach American territory until after the first shots of the revolutionary war had been discharged. The colonists attempted to maintain loyalties to England for many years. However, the numerous Acts passed by King George III set the stage for the revolutionary war. In response to these acts colonists attempts for representation were denied (Brinkley, 129). These acts influenced boycotts and other acts of defiance. America finally won the right to govern itself as the revolutionary war ended the colonies loyalties to England and gave birth to America. Question Two The American republic had similarities both similarities and differences in comparison to the American Revolution. After winning independence from England the Articles of Confederation failed to unite the colonies as a nation. The Articles of Confederation failed to provide America with political and economic stabilities. One of the main fears experienced by the writers of the Articles of Confederation was giving American government too much power (Brinkley, 146) . Fresh out of a war with England and America being a new country the writers of The Articles of Confederation sought to prevent a similar situation in regards to the revolutionary war from ever occurring. Approximately three years after winning the Revolutionary War Shay’s rebellion occurred. Shay’s rebellion is similar to the acts of defiance experienced by the colonists before the Revolutionary War. Shay’s rebellion refers to the when “thousands of Massachusetts citizens took arms against their new state government” (“From the Revolution to the Constitution,” 1). The difference between the events leading to the Revolutionary War and Shay’s rebellion is that England was controlling America. However, The Articles of Confederation failed to establish a national government and gain the main power to the states. Although the Articles of Confederation did not seek to create further conflicts for the newly born America, the new government failed to establish the ideals and goals established during the revolutionary war (Brinkley, 152). These acts of defiance left the writers of the Articles of Confederation with the realization that drastic changes in the form of government in American needed to be instated. These ideals were further modified in the United States Constitution. The writers of the Articles of Confederation came to the realization that a weak central government would not be effective in running the new country. The United States Constitution gave power to the central government but allowed states to govern themselves within the federally enacted laws. For example, states were given the right to tax themselves. However, individuals have to pay both federal and state taxes. The notion of states fully governing themselves was abandoned in the United States Constitution. The Virginia Plan focused on the notion that smaller states should have equal power in voting as bigger states (Brinkley, 155). This plan was the basis of the two house of congress (senate and the house). Further debate instilled over how to count slaves into the population. However, the issue was settled as slaves were ruled as property and not people. With that basis slaves would not be counted in the general population (Brinkley, 157). From this perspective the writers of the Constitution utilized similar theoretical frameworks in regard to slavery as England did in attempting to control the colonists. These theoretical frameworks which allowed slaves to be counted as property eventually led to the United States Civil War. The Declaration of Independence is the document used that gave the colonists their freedom from England and birthed America. The United States Constitution is the document in which provides the framework in which America is governed. The first ten amendments of the United States Constitution are called the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights grants American citizens with their basic freedoms (Brinkley, 159). The Bill of Rights can be compared to The Declaration of Independence in the sense that both documents give American citizens basic freedoms. Prior to the Revolutionary War, England enacted many measures to prevent the colonists from attaining basic freedoms. The United States Constitution addresses these freedoms in the same sense that the Declaration of Independence freed the colonists from British rule. The changes enacted in regards to The Articles of Confederations can be viewed as new found freedom from British rule. The writers of the Articles of Confederations were attempting to set in place freedom for individuals from the government. These freedoms include the right to be represented. However, The Articles of Confederation caused similar effects in regards to defiance as did the Acts passed by King George III prior to the Declaration of Independence. The writers of The United States Constitution based this document off of the Articles in Confederation in regards to the successes and failures established by the original form of government (Brinkley, 155). Some changes were enacted in order to properly united The United States of America as a nation. However, both documents focus on freedoms of the individual. These freedoms are best represented in the events prior to the Revolutionary War in what the colonist sought to achieve. References Brinkley, Alan. American History: A Survey. New York: The Mc-Graw -Hill Companies, 2007. Print. "Shays Rebellion." From Revolution to Constitution. N.p., n.d.. (17 Sep 2010)., Web. Read More