Question 2: Choose 3 different actions by the British government on the colonists and explain why colonists were opposed to them even though they were British subjects.

Answer 1

1) Imposition of Taxes: The British government imposed a series of taxes on the colonists, such as the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Townshend Acts. These taxes were primarily aimed at generating revenue for the British empire and regulating colonial trade. However, the colonists opposed these taxes because they felt that they were being taxed without their consent as they were not represented in the British Parliament. They believed in the concept of "no taxation without representation," arguing that only their elected representatives in colonial assemblies should have the power to levy taxes.

2) Quartering Act: The Quartering Act of 1765 required colonists to provide lodging, food, and supplies to British troops stationed in the colonies. This act was aimed at reducing the financial burden on the British army and maintaining the empire's military presence. However, colonists opposed the act as an infringement on their rights and liberties. They objected to the presence of the British army in the colonies during peacetime, viewing it as a form of military occupation and a violation of their privacy.

3) Intolerable Acts: The Intolerable Acts were a series of punitive measures enacted by the British government in response to the Boston Tea Party. These acts included the Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, and Quartering Act. The colonists were opposed to these acts because they severely curtailed colonial self-government and civil liberties. The Massachusetts Government Act, for example, effectively dissolved the colonial government and placed it under direct British control. The colonists saw these acts as oppressive and punitive, undermining their rights and further diminishing their say in their own governance.

In summary, the colonists opposed these actions by the British government because they believed that their rights as British subjects were being violated. They argued for representation in the decisions that affected them, and for the preservation of their own local self-government and individual liberties. The actions taken by the British government were viewed as impositions that infringed upon their rights and limited their ability to govern themselves.