American Revolution Dbq Analysis

Colonists, during the time of the revolt, had struggled for ten years under parliamentary authority. Feeling, “Desolation, oppression, poverty, and servitude,” (C) colonists inferred that they were beneath consideration of Parliament and subjected to unjust control. Due to this oppression the people were unable to conduct business freely and felt as though they were, “Subjecting themselves and their posterity forever to Egyptian Taskmasters” (C). Practically slaves to the British Parliament, their slave masters, ordered the colonists to pay this and do that, with no consideration whatsoever to the benefit of the colonies. Everything executed by Parliament was done to strengthen the homeland, even at the colony’s expense.

Before emptying

the tea into the sea, the colonists discussed with the ship owner and governor on sending the tea back, but the governor refused and, “They could not send it back” (C). Colonists were angry that the British Parliament could impose any acts that they wish upon the American Colonies without the consent of the people that were governed by these laws. Feeling as though they were second rate British citizens, without their full rights, they knew that taxes were necessary but did not want some far off, “Supreme legislative power over America,” (D) strictly imposing taxes. Instead, the colonists wanted the rights to obtain assemblies and impose their own taxes by their own selected leaders.
For then years the colonists tried voicing their opinions about feeling unrepresented in Parliament, unfair taxation, and unjust ruling in the American Colonies.

Parliament imposed more Acts on the colonists the more they voiced their opinions. American colonists were not, “Ungrateful people,” (D) but rather felt that Parliament did not care about them and treated them more as slaves that British citizens. Exhausting all efforts to change the Acts of Parliament, the colonists had, “No other alternative but to destroy it [the tea] or let it be landed,” (C) so the destruction of the tea was, “Absolutely and indispensably” (C) necessary, as, “They could not send it back” (C). If they were to let the tea land, then they “Would be giving up the principle of Taxation by Parliamentary authority, against which the continent have [had] struggled for ten years” (C). So, as a, “Last effort of the Patriots,” (C) they with, “Dignity” (C) and boldness, committed the, “Most magnificent movement of all” (C). Colonists, not in the cloak of darkness, but rather in the, “Light as day, by the means of lamps and torches,” (B) worked together dumping the tea overboard and, “See[ing] that no damage was done except to the tea” (B). Running around and causing terror was not the Patriots objective and to demonstrate this they even, “Swept clean,” (B) the deck and did not meddle with anything, “But the teas on board” (B). Therefore this act of revolt did not happen overnight but rather

brewed over the course of a decade inside the hearts and minds of the colonists in a rational way. Controlled and specific, the colonists only wanted to send a message to Parliament.