The Rupture between Britain and its Colonies Essays -

The Rupture between Britain and its Colonies The Rupture between Britain and its Colonies Leading up to Americas independence there is what some historians believe to be the colonists first major split between Great Britain (Fowler 2011) which is seen through the reaction to the Stamp Act. The colonist reaction to direct taxes for the first time was not a good one and caused rifts in the colonies General Assemblies and throughout members of Parliament in Great Britain. The colonies sent some of Americas brightest minds to explain to Parliament why they would not pay the Stamp Act and Benjamin Franklin, being one of them, said they (colonists) will think them unconstitutional and unjust (Kennedy & Bailey 2006) when asked by Parliament what the colonist would say to their power to tax America. All of this reaction was peaceful in nature and called for opposition through peaceful means (boycotting goods) but Thomas Paine in his pamphlet calls for something different. Paine believes that every peaceful method has been tried and it has failed so he calls for a final separation (Kennedy &Bailey 2006). In conclusion, the rupture between Britain and its colonies was a result of long distance governing and its inability to understand the colonies needs and wants through monetary exploitation. Virginias Resolutions on the Stamp Act can be seen as the catalyst for the first open dialogue that opposes Great Britain and their actions. These resolutions were not all adopted but the framework they provided for our future constitution is undoubted. They not only opposed the Stamp Act for tax burden purposes but believed that they were declared and entitled to all privileges and humanities of natural born citizens (Fowler 2011) so this meant even though they were born in colonies they expected the rights entitled to all English citizens and English citizens were not included in the Stamp Act. Also, the resolutions stated the inhabitants of this colony, are not bound to yield obedience to any law or ordinance whatever, designed to impose any taxation whatsoever upon them, other than the laws or ordinances of the General Assembly (Fowler 2011). This is, I believe, the most important part of the resolutions because at the end of the document it states that any person who shall by sp eaking or writing assert or maintain that any person or persons, other than the General Assembly, have any right or power to impose or lay any taxation on the people here, shall be deemed an enemy to His Majestys colony (Fowler 2011). This could be viewed as the turning point for the colonies because the oldest and most established colony is taking a stand against the King saying that if you go through with this act you will be viewed as an enemy to the state. Benjamin Franklins trip to Parliament to testify against the Stamp Act is important in that it clearly states the colonies reasons for opposing the Stamp Act. Franklin points to a few reasons why the colonies oppose the tax, one reason being that there is not gold and silver enough in the colonies to pay the stamp duty for one year (Kennedy but a right to lay internal taxes was never supposed to be in Parliament, as we are not represented there (Kennedy & Bailey 2006). Here Franklin points to the belief that Great Britain has no right to tax the colonies because the colonies have no representation in Parliament and therefore have no say in what goes on in England. Thomas Paine in his pamphlet Common Sense calls for a more direct approach to Great Britains overstepping of its boundaries by calling for Americas independence from the crown. Paine says that America did not need Great Britain to flourish