Answer in detail

“Taxation without Representation” led to the outbreak of American War of Independence – Explain

The colonists who demanded independence from the British rallied around the war cry- “No Taxation without Representation”. The following points trace the origin of this idea and why the taxes were seen as unjust:

a) The British fought the Seven Years War with France from 1756-63. This war was fought to establish control over American colonies, and the British won. However, the war drained the English coffers substantially. Hence, the British lawmakers decided to impose heavy import duties and a myriad of taxes on the Americans to pay for the war.

b) Americans, however, had no representation in the British Parliament. The various acts that were passed to tax the Americans had been vetted without American consent. They had no say in the import duties imposed upon them. These included:

1. The Sugar Act, 1764 (prohibited import of rum and taxed molasses and other sugar products)

2. The Quartering Act (forced the American colonies to pay for British troops in America)

3. The Stamps Act (printed material could only be produced on paper made in England and embossed with London’s seal)

4. Townshend Acts (heavy import duties on paper, coffee, tea etc.)

c) The Townshend Acts were the breaking point for the merchants. Heavily taxed and crippled, the Boston merchants protested all-out against the Townshend Acts of 1767. The British saw the protestors as dangerous, and hence sent the military to control the situation. The military opened fire on a group of protestors in March 1770, which came to be known as the Boston Massacre.

d)Following the fallout from the Boston Massacre, the government withdrew the Townshend Acts, but kept a tax on tea. This angered the traders and merchants, who climbed aboard a tea shipment dressed as Native Americans. They threw the tea containers off the ship and into the water, being cheered on by a supportive crowd. This was called the Boston Tea Party.

e) The Boston Tea Party was the nail in the coffin for the British authorities. It prompted the British to go for a head-on war with the rebellious colonies and led to the American War of Independence.