Declaration Of Independence Dbq Essay

909 Words4 Pages

During the mid-1700’s after “Seven Years War”, the British became submerged under a massive debt from fighting in one of the empire’s most expensive war. To absorb the impact of the war debt, Prime Minister of England George Grenville, shifted part of the war debt to Britain’s colonies. Throughout the mid-1700’s Britain imposed intolerable acts upon the colonies such as the sugar act, stamp act, tea act, coercive acts, so on and so forth. Though the colonies trying to fight for representation so taxes can be passed with a majority’s approval instead of members of parliament making colonists decisions, never declared a full on war with the mother country or even wanted to separate in the first place. In fact the colonies tried to even inaugurate …show more content…

In fact, almost a year after Lexington and Concord on July 4th, 1776 the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. One of the most important documents in American history states, “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown” (“DOI” doc. B). Too deep for the cause of independence, the Continental Congress rejected Parliament’s offer to resolve of all acts or taxes imposed on the colonies since 1763 and even grant representation for colonists as long as the ideology of the colonies being independent from Britain was no more. The British had offered everything the United Colonies asked for after the empires pitiful loss at Saratoga, though Lexington and Concord gave colonists an answer for a future with the mother …show more content…

The General assembly of NY even stated “The General assembly of this colony have no desire to derogate from the power of the Parliament of Great-Britain” (NY petition to HOC doc. C). Though colonists pushed up against the wall after an unlawful action from the British had no other choice but to raise an army to fight the British. The Continental Congress acted upon raising an army stating “That an armed force be raised sufficient to defeat such hostile designs, and preserve and defend the lives, liberties, and immunities of the Colonists: for the due” (Continental Congress doc. U). The Continental congress realized that after Lexington and Concord that options of resolve could not occur, though war for the fight of representation became the only foreseeable route towards success. Revolt represents the root word of revolution, which influences in some cases rioting or fighting in which fighting began at Lexington and Concord. The fight for colonists rights became declared as Congress stated “In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms” (Continental Congress doc.

Open Document