The American declaration of independence was not a spontaneous act but rather a result of an incompetent rule on behalf of the British government. After suffering substantial losses from the war with the French, the Parliament had to find a way to house and pay for their soldiers and develop monetary policies to increase the volume of their financial resources. Strengthening control over the colonies and taxing them was seen as a viable solution, but it led to the revolution.
As the relationships of the King with American Indians intensified, the British government had to find measures to keep all parties satisfied. In 1763, the Crown passed a law that restricted British colonies from occupying lands west of the Appalachian Mountains (“The Colonies Move Toward Open Rebellion, 1773-1774”). This legislation rendered many land grants worthless, which angered colonists. Furthermore, the Parliament demanded that individuals that had already settled west of Appalachia return to the east (“Parliamentary Taxation of Colonies”). The proclamation failed, however, because the British power was overrun by the colonists’ desire for more favorable farmland. Colonies had already become autonomous enough to deny the demands of the British government (“The Declaration of Independence, 1776”). Westward expansion continued despite being considered illegal by the Crown and the American Indians. The Declaration of Independence reverted the royal proclamation, but some tribes continued to view the expansion as unlawful.
After the French and Indian war ended, the British government was faced with the problem of financing overseas soldiers’ housing and meals. The King did not have enough money after seven years of armed struggles with France (“Parliamentary Taxation of Colonies”). The Parliament devised a solution to the issue by delegating the responsibility of accommodating and feeding soldiers to colonists. The King encompassed the decision within the Quartering Act, which was not welcomed by American settlers (“Parliamentary Taxation of Colonies”). They believed they did not need the services of these soldiers because the war was finished (“Declaration of Independence”). Also, some colonies did not like the fact they were being commanded rather than being asked. The combination of such negative reactions to the Quartering Act contributed to colonists’ distress about being governed by the British Crown.
Suffering from the need to pay for its war debts, the British government imposed several taxes on colonies. The Declaration of Independence explicitly states that colonists had no right to tax them (“Declaration of Independence”). In 1765, the Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which required all legal documents to contain a special paid stamp (“Parliamentary Taxation of Colonies”). International trade was also considered an area that could be taxed. In 1767, the British government devised a series of unreasonable measures that elevated the frustration of colonists. Known as the Townsend Acts, these pieces of legislation imposed taxes on a variety of imported goods (“Parliamentary Taxation of Colonies”). The reaction was adverse, and, in some areas, it culminated with resistance. Among the most notable events was the Boston Tea Party when several individuals dressed as Indians discharged British tea from ships.
The Proclamation of 1763, the Quartering Act, and the excess taxation were the three primary reasons why colonists had to declare their independence from Britain. Americans sought westward expansion in search of more favorable farmlands and did not want to house British soldiers at their own expense. Unreasonable taxes elevated the anger of the colonists and led to the war, which was concluded with the declaration of independence.
Works Cited
“Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” National Archives, 2020. Web.
“Parliamentary Taxation of Colonies, International Trade, and the American Revolution, 1763-1775.” Office of the Historian, Web.
“The Colonies Move Toward Open Rebellion, 1773-1774.” Library of Congress. Web.
“The Declaration of Independence, 1776.” Office of the Historian, Web.