Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Moral Foundation for the American Struggle for Independence


Largely beginning in 1763, American colonists were repeatedly burdened by unfair treatment from the hands of Great Britan. Some of these burdens, including taxation without representation, having armed troops stationed at all times among the colonists, and ignored petitions for reform in these and other areas of grievances.

            In 1764 King George III passed the Sugar Act which increased taxes on imported goods to the colonies. This was done to aid in paying debts covering expences associated with the French and Indian war. However, the act was passed without any word acknowledged from the colonies. Essentially, the colonists were taxed without representation. This infringed on their rights as Englishmen as well as their rights as men.

            The colonists believed as we do, that all men have certain rights given by God. Because those rights are given by God, no man, prince or pauper, may take those from another. They are unalienable rights.

            So, once King George began down this road of tyranny and inflicting abuse after abuse, ignoring these basic rights of the colonists, it became time for the colonists to defend their rights at the expence of fighting against the government which was initiating abuse.

            No man is justified in treating another man as a slave or property. As King George passed the tea act, with the purpose of creating more revenue for great britan, he was doing just that. After the colonists refused to buy tea from the East India Tea Co., and when the ships with tea refused to set sail until the tax was paid, the colonists were being treated as slaves. Their right to choose for themselves which goods to buy was being decided for them.

            Most of the colonists rights were being treated this way. The colonists were told they could not find settlement any further west. Their right to property and to seek to build their own estate was struck.