Position:Home>History> Grievances of the colonists in Am. Revolution.?

Marina is correct!.

In the 100 years prior to the revolt, the American economy had grown by 1000%, well surpassing England!. The birth rate too was 4 times that of England!. The colonies were actually supporting financially England, not the other way around as one would expect!.

Add to this, there were no laws or policies in effect from England, governing emigration to the colonies and the colonies were allowed no voice in government!. They were watched over by the House of Burgesses (locally) and by Parliament, but allowed no representative seat!.

There were no major roads connecting the major cities and infrastructure was extremely minimal at best!. Those who'd arrived early, were able to purchase and hold land with rights to waterways!. Those who had frontage on the waterways had means to transport goods to market, those who did not were at the mercy of those who did!. As more and more people arrived, prime real estate became more scarce!. The colonists called upon Parliament to remove the French from the continent!.

Among others, Ben Franklin was one who'd repeatedly petitioned Parliament to forcibly remove France from North America!. Each of these petitions was denied!. The Governor of Virginia assigned a young Lt!.Col!. George Washington to go and establish a settlement on the (French owned) Mississippi River!. While en route, Washington and his men came across a French fort and attacked it!. In past events, it was common practice for the English to simply return what had been taken to the French with an apology!. This time, it sparked instead, the French and Indian/Seven Year's War, an extremely costly war to be fought on two continents!.

After the British had defeated the French, they allowed the French to remain in North America and the crown then imposed the Proclamation of 1763, which forbid any English colonist from doing business (most specifically real estate transactions) with either the French or the Native Indians!. Nor were they allowed to enter the Ohio River Valley -- remember, the colonies along the eastern sea board were getting over crowded, and any English colonist already living in the ORV was required to give up their land holdings and move back to the east coast!. None of this set well with the colonists!.

The war having been fought because of the actions of the colonists, the crown (and Parliament), knowing the financial situation of America, looked to the colonies to pay for the war!. In their view, the colonists had started the war and were the ones to gain most benefit from it, therefor, they should be the ones to foot the bill!.

It is (at best) speculative, but the colonists may have been willing to pay that bill, had Parliament allowed them a seat and a local representative government!. This was denied them!. The colonists then, asked for an audience with the crown (putting them in higher standing than Parliament)!. This too was denied!. Instead, both the crown and Parliament began a crusade of increased taxes and more and more restrictions on the colonists!.

Until this time, those in the colonies had always viewed themselves as loyal subjects of the crown, in a word: "British!." The colonists too, had wrongly thought that they were helping build the empire (upon the land)!. Those in England did not want an empire upon the land, but instead, one built upon the waves with the world's largest and most powerful navy!. For the colonists, the paradigm had shifted and they'd missed that shift!.

Finally, if I maybe so bold!. A word on Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence -- because it plays in so well with that bit on the economy mentioned at the begining of the history lesson!. When Jefferson spoke of "Freedom" in that document, he was actually referring to money!. Those who have money are far more free and have a greater selection from which to choose than those who have little or none!. Those who have little or no money, are enslaved to their creditors!. The colonies were at last in a position to no longer be enslaved to England and so, were serving the King and Parliament due notice that they would no longer willingly pay the demanded taxes -- even if it meant war!.

Continuing that line of thought!. This country was founded on the idea that people can amass both wealth and land!. Washington himself had amassed some 220,000 acres and a small fortune!. This was an impossibility back in England, where only the aristocracy could gain land and wealth!. While it is recognized that a certain amount of "socailism" is necessary to provide an infrastructure: roads, sanitation, communication, education etc!., taking from those who plan and do well in life and then giving to those who have not should be a personal choice not something forced upon them by the government!. Government forced provisions by way of taxes (social programs) removes the consequence, accountability and responsibility for one's actions or inactions, goes directly contrary to the very teachings of Jefferson and his Delcaration of Independence!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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The MAIN grievance was TAXATION without REPRESENTATION in the British Parliament!.!.!. everything else was secondary!.!.!. the Colonists just wanted to be treated as FULL citizens!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Above has it mostly right, except they were not citizens they were subjects!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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