History Research Paper Outline - Essay Example

How did lack or representation of America in the house of representatives in Britain, during the colonization era, influence socioeconomic forces which eventually led to collapse of British empire and the America Revolution? Lack of representation in the British parliament by the American led to tensions and anger between colonists and the British Empire which continued to rise with time. When these tensions were not addressed, people felt they were oppressed and this eventually led to the American Revolution (University of Massachusetts History Club 2).

During the period from 1762-1770, British government found itself in wars in Europe, West Indies, and Asia. This wars meant more money was required to service the British national debt(University of Massachusetts History Club 2).This led to heavy burden of taxes on British tax payers, including the colonies. British authorities began to issue a series of legislative acts which were intended to tax colonial residents (University of Massachusetts History Club 2). The acts were meant to help raise money to service the wars.

If there was representation by Americans in the British parliament, these acts might not have passed because the representatives would have argued, and perhaps convinced the British authorities otherwise (University of Massachusetts History Club 2).Because there was no representation, these acts led to socioeconomic forces that destroyed the British colonial empire and subsequently led to the American Revolution.The stamp act that was passed by the British parliament, whose primary intention was to raise money for military defenses of the colonies, contributed to rising tensions.

This revenue was to be achieved by ensuring the American population purchase stamps, which were a legal requirement for all official documents, licenses, and contracts (University of Massachusetts History Club 2). Newspapers were also included. This led to formation of the stamp act congress which was to be an act of defiance against the British measure (University of Massachusetts History Club 2).This congress, in their resolutions, declared and stated that they were entitled to the rights and liberties like all other British subjects.

The most important declaration was their assertion that there cannot be taxation without representation (University of Massachusetts History Club 2).They believed that the only bodies that can legally impose an internal tax were their legislatures. When this resolution was sent to the British legislature, it was rejected on the grounds that it was submitted by an unconstitutional assembly (University of Massachusetts History Club 2).In this colonial period and decades before the eruption of the American Revolution, new ideas of democracy started to emerge.

At this time the characteristics of the colonist as Americans began to emerge too as they pulled forces to harmonize efforts in a common cause(Yale Law School 2).More series of legislative acts which attempted to raise revenue for the British empire were received with protest. Parliament Acts like the sugar act of 1764, which required that all colonial merchants pay a tax per some amount of imported sugar and molasses, the Townshend Act of 1767 that introduced duties on common imports as opposed to taxing income, and the tea act of 1773 which gave East India Company exclusive right to sell tea in the colonies, thereby creating a monopoly fuelled this tensions (Yale Law School 2).

Colonists perceived this to be taxation (Yale Law School 2).Several petitions were also written to the British legislature to oppose these taxations. For instance, the Petition of the Virginia House of Burgesses to the House of Commons written in December 1764(Yale Law School 3).The petition was also to protest against the stamp act. The petition argued that, for the sake of British liberty, laws that impose taxes on the people should not be made without the consent of representatives chosen by the people this laws will affect (Yale Law School 3).

The petition further argued that the representatives are familiar with the circumstances of their fellow citizens and therefore should be involved (Yale Law School 3)Another petition was from the Massachusetts House of Representatives to the House of Commons dated November 3, 1764.The petition protested that the Acts of parliament being passed, especially the Acts on sugar and molasses, will bring burdens upon the populace of the colonies and plantations, and that these Acts would not have been passed if a full representation the colonies was in place in the British assembly (Yale Law School 3).

By 1770, the colonies in North America were ready economically and politically and had become part of the emerging self-governments that had dominated English politics (U.S. State Department 1).The disputes like taxation started to develop. The Americans wanted a modification of the taxes, and to be more self governed and represented in the British legislature (U.S. State Department).By the British Empire failing to address these concerns, tension accumulated that eventually ended in American RevolutionWorks Cited U.S. Department of State.

"Colonization of the United States." about.com. 28 04 2014 .University of Massachusetts History Club. "“No Taxation Without Representation”." stamp-act-history.com. 28 04 2014 .Yale Law School. "Petition from the Massachusetts House of Representatives to the House of Commons; November 3, 1764 ." 2008. http://avalon.law.yale.edu. 28 04 2014 .Yale Law School. "Petition of the Virginia House of Burgesses to the House of Commons: December 18, 1764 ." 2008. http://avalon.law.yale.edu. 28 04 2014 .