I think that they were justified in their rebellion against the British empire because of the worry of unjust taxation without representation. The stamp act imposed taxes on printed materials, "in 1765, Britiain stepped up its efforts to raise revenue from American colonies" lesson 2.1 page 5. The intolerable acts of 1774 restricted the colonists self governance as well as civil liberties, "In 1774, Parliment passed four laws collectively known as the coercive acts." lesson 2.1 page 12.

Question

add onto this . Where did the colonists lack representation though? And what were the Intolerable Acts?

Answer 1

The colonists lacked representation primarily in the British Parliament, where decisions affecting their lives and governance were being made without their input. The sentiment of "no taxation without representation" stemmed from the fact that the colonies had no elected officials in Parliament to voice their concerns or influence legislation that directly impacted them. This lack of representation became increasingly problematic as the British government imposed taxes and regulations, such as the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts, which were seen as an overreach of authority by a distant government that was not attuned to the needs and desires of colonial citizens.

The Intolerable Acts, also known as the Coercive Acts, were a series of punitive measures enacted by the British Parliament in 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party and other acts of colonial defiance. These laws aimed to assert British control over the colonies and to punish Massachusetts for its rebellion. The four main acts included:

1. The Boston Port Act - This act closed the port of Boston until the colonists paid for the tea that was destroyed during the Boston Tea Party, severely crippling the economy of the city.

2. The Massachusetts Government Act - This legislation altered the Massachusetts Charter, limiting town meetings and granting more power to the royal governor, effectively undermining the colonists' self-governance.

3. The Administration of Justice Act - This allowed royal officials accused of crimes in the colonies to be tried in Britain rather than in the colonies, which colonists believed would lead to biased outcomes favoring the officials.

4. The Quartering Act (expanded version) - This required colonists to house and supply British troops stationed in the colonies, further seen as an infringement on their rights and privacy.

These Acts provoked widespread resentment and led to greater unity among the colonies, as they viewed these impositions not just as taxation issues, but as violations of their rights and liberties. The reaction to the Intolerable Acts was crucial in galvanizing colonial resistance and ultimately contributed to the formation of the First Continental Congress in 1774, where the colonies began to organize and seek collective action against British rule.