How Did The Thirteen Colonies Lead To Independence

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Many different factors lead to the independence of the thirteen colonies. Britain was a strong country during this time, and it loved to use the colonies for its benefit. For example, the colonists were taxed often, even on the smallest products. Britain also taxed without warning the colonists. This was called “taxation without representation”. This infuriated the colonists. Britain had a strong leash on the colonies. The colonies could not take it anymore therefore, they declared their independence. One reason that the thirteen colonies wanted independence was because of how little they had to do with their own government. The colonies had to obey the King and the laws of Britain. The colonies were upset because they thought they had the …show more content…
Parliament never gave any authority to the colonies. Another reason is because Parliament taxed the colonies too often for things so small. Britain had debt from the French and Indian war that they needed to pay off, so they made the colonists pay for it themselves. This made them feel like they were only useful when Britain needed something. People would smuggle molasses along the coastline and this irritated the British, as a result, Parliament enacted the “Sugar Act”. It taxed the colonists for sugar to prevent them from smuggling. The colonists resented heavily. The sugar tax was the first tax levied onto the Americans, and it raged the colonists. The Stamp Act was passed for the colonies to pay for anything they published, for example, newspapers, customs papers and marriage licenses. The taxes were often very high too. The tax for the Stamp Act was 26 shillings, or 25 cents today. The tax was very unenforceable, and the colonists refused to follow it. The Virginia House of Burgesses declared the Stamp Act to be illegal and unconstitutional. Parliament eventually revoked it. The colonists were very thankful, and wanted peace with the mother country. The