Violence and the forcefulness of the British also justified the American colonists’ decision to wage war and break away from Britain. The violent and forceful reactions from the British towards situations like the boycotting, confrontation, and the Boston Tea Party motivated the colonists even more to break away from the British. The violent and forceful tactics the British use to resolve a situation is not the best strategies because it can be used to promote anti-British propagandas. For example, is the Boston massacre. According to document three, a crowd of Boston boys and men started to violently confront the British soldiers. As a result, the soldiers were frightened and decided that they can defend themselves by firing into the crowd, …show more content…
which caused death and injuries. Due to the frightened soldiers’ deadly response to the confrontation, the event is named the Boston massacre to promote anti-British feelings. Although many people would say that the fault is Paul Revere’s, the soldier’s reaction did more damage on their reputation with the colonists. Another event that increased the antagonistic feelings towards the British are the Intolerable Acts. For instance, the Quartering Act forced the colonists to house and feed the British soldiers even if they were not willing to. This essentially kicked the colonists’ out of their own homes and made their daily lifestyle awkward and full of tension. The colonists became more impatient with the mistreatment they were experiencing. Since the British decided to impose unbigoted duties and violent actions, the colonists saw more fault in the British and had more reason in waging war and separating from Great Britain. Overall, the colonists’ actions were justified because the fault lies on the British.
They were fed up with the mistreatment they experienced, and how the tyrant King abused his power over the colonies. Due to the miscommunication between the colonies and Great Britain, both sides did not understand what each other thought about the laws and taxes. The colonists also saw fault in the taxation and applied acts because they were implemented for the sake of levying taxes on them, which they deemed to be unconstitutional. The colonists felt that the reason why the British did not understand the needs and wants of the American colonists is that they colonists did not have any representation in the British Parliament, which they saw as unfair. Violence towards each other further increased the tension and antagonism towards one another, The British are at fault because they were enforcing many things upon the colonies without their consent, opinion, and any consideration for them in order to inform them that they are in charge and more superior. The American colonists were also motivated to accomplish the Enlightenment ideals and they became increasingly exasperated with how they are being badly treated by the British. Eventually, they hit their breaking point and decided to fight for their freedom and not be slaves to the British any longer. Overall, waging war and breaking away from Great Britain was justified because of the tyranny of the British and the mistreatment the colonists
faced.
There were many reasons and events that led to the American Revolution, but it really all boils down to England being selfish. They wanted to make as much money as they possibly could off the new colonies, feeling a sense of entitlement, as they had provided funds and supplies to the settlers to make the trip in the first place. The British Parliament enacted laws and taxes that affected the economies and the lives of those in the new colonies, but for the benefit of England. The new Americans were not given the same rights under the Parliament as the British people, nor did they have a say in what the Parliamentary decisions. At one point the colonist had enough and began to protest and fight back, leading them down the American Road to Revolution. The Americans no longer wanted to be under Britain’s thumb, and looking for solutions, and knowledge to change that. This led them to a series of actions that began the American Revolution.
The number one reason that the colonists began protests, and boycotts, against the British was because they believed their natural rights as citizens were being violated. After the french and Indian War Great Britain was in massive debt. So the King began to tax the colonies. For example the heavy taxes in the colonies led to the Boston Massacre and to the Boston Tea Party. The British then adopted the policy of mercantilism.
It seemed that the more and more England tried to scare the people, the angrier they got. The tactics obviously didn't work, but instead pushed the colonists even further into. standing up against Britain. The British soldiers in America were told not to entice violence, and especially not to kill anybody. Accidents do happen, as well.
Before the Boston Massacre even occurred, tensions were high in the city of Boston between the Bostonians and the British. At this time people were just getting over the Stamp Act and were now angered by the new taxes also known as the Townshend Duties. This new tax caused Bostonians to become more aggressive causing the British to send more soldiers to impose the laws of Parliament and to restore order among the people. The arrival of more soldiers only caused more of an uproar between the people of Boston and the red coats. Bostonians went out of their way to harass British soldiers whenever they got the chance, but on March 5, 1770 both sides acted unacceptably resulting in the Boston Massacre (84-85).
By the time the colonists had settled into their new land they had established some order such as small governments to keep the colonies in line. The ocean separating England and the colonies made it difficult though for England to guide the colonists successfully the way they had wanted. The main thing the British tried was implementing taxes, but they also went so far as letting the colonies on their own for awhile and using military to keep them in place. On the other hand, the colonists saw that the British were stalling their attempts at self-governing so they worked together to disregard any British policies. By the eve of the Revolution, colonists had developed a sense of their identity and unity as Americans that was brought about by the British parliament. Exasperated by British efforts to hinder their growing self-reliance, colonists began pushing them away by doing various things such as rioting, boycotting, or voicing their opinions on paper.
The Boston Massacre came about because the British troops came into town and tried to enforce the Townshend Act, which placed a tax on tea, paper, glass and some other products from England (History.com). The people of Boston hated this idea and rapidly started to rebel. At this point people believed that the British were the first to start the confrontation, but they were wrong. The colonists started the riot. The colonists started throwing things at the soldiers, such as snowballs, sticks and rocks (Rebecca Beatrice Brooks).
I am writing to express my opinion about the events that occurred March 5, 1770 in Boston. I feel the blame rests entirely on the colonists. I have three main pieces of evidence to support my view.
The Boston Massacre discusses the most important events that turned the colonial sentiment against the" King George III and the British acts and taxes." The showdown between the British and the local people was not simply a war of words "blood was shed over the class of ideals." Davidson, James Wheeler. Experience History: Who was to blame for the Boston Massacre? 1st Ed Vol .1.McGraw-Hill, 2011.150-153 print.
The Boston Massacre was a fundamental event at the beginning of the American Revolution. The massacre became part of anti-British propaganda for Boston activists and fed American fears of the English military in both the North and South. The Boston Massacre was the first “battle” in the Revolutionary War. Although it wasn’t until five years after the Boston Massacre that the Revolutionary War officially began, the Boston Massacre was a forecast of the violent storm to come.
The Boston Massacre of 1770 was an act where soldiers killed 5 colonists that were part of the crowd that was rising up against the soldiers. Some believe that the Boston Massacre was pure murder, but others know better, and I know that it was simply just an act of self-defense. According to Exhibits B, E, and H the colonists were the ones who started up this riot that took place at 9 pm, and became physically aggressive towards the soldiers. This means that not only is this riot not the soldiers fault. There is a scientific term called Herd Behavior. Herd Behavior is when a riot or crowd is together and a person suggests/ does something and the all of a sudden that is what everyone is doing. So according to Exhibit C, a colonist hit Captain
The so-called "Boston Massacre", was not a massacre at all. At approximately 9:00 p.m. on March 5, 1770, an angry and rowdy mob of over fifty colonists gathered to induce a fight with only eight British soldiers, innocently standing guard as instructed in front of the Custom House. Unarmed? Absolutely not. The gang of colonists began hurling verbal assaults, ice chunks, rocks, and clubs at the severely outnumbered and frightened British, who warned the colonists to stop the violent outburst and disperse. Instead, the colonists increased the violence and continued to provoke the soldiers, even going so far as to dare the soldiers to fire their weapons into the crowd Even in a city where the British soldiers were absolutely despised, NONE were found guilty of murder. In fact,
Throughout history, events are sparked by something, which causes emotions to rise and tensions to come to a breaking point. The Boston Massacre was no exception; America was feeling the pressure of the British and was ready to break away from the rule. However, this separation between these two parties would not come without bloodshed on both sides. The British did not feel the American had the right to separate them from under British rule, but the Americans were tired of their taxes and rules being placed upon them and wanted to succeed from their political tyrants. The Boston Massacre would be the vocal point in what would be recognized, as the Revolutionary War in American history and the first place lives would be lost for the cost of liberty. Even though the lives were lost that day, eight British soldiers were mendaciously accused of murder when it was clearly self-defense. People who are placed in a situation where their lives are threatened have the right to defend themselves. History does not have the right to accuse any one event those history may have considered the enemy guilty when they are fighting for their lives.
One act of tyranny by the British was the Boston Massacre. The colonists did not like that British soldiers were stationed in Boston. They were there to enforce the Townshend Acts and they could search the colonists house at any time for any reason. The colonists did not like that. The British soldiers also took the jobs of the colonists. The colonists responded to this by a rebellion. They were gathered around a group of soldiers. “…a fistfight broke out over jobs.” (Danzer 206) They were yelling and fighting. “Instantly three or four of the soldiers fired and then three more fired in the same confusion.” (Sheffield Stanford edu) The soldiers ended up shooting and killing five colonists. This was one act of tyranny, the Boston Massacre.
The English colonies in what is now the United States of America started off (after quite a rough start) as a burgeoning commercial enterprise, something to be used to grow the wealth of the crown as well as compete against England’s European rivals, France and Spain, in the rush to grab territory in the so called ‘New World’. After much expected conflict with Spain, France, and even the population of natives, England found itself in a perilous position: disorder and inefficiency in the colonies. In order to maintain order and end corruption, the crown placed troops in the colonies, specifically the city of Boston, where the infamous Boston Massacre took place. Though we may never know the exact truths of what took place on the night of the massacre, it is clear that after the event took place it was exaggerated and used as a propaganda by revolutionaries such as Paul Revere in order to incite anger and rebellion throughout the colonies.
The main reason for the severance of the colonies from Britain was the lack of equality in parliament and the disregard for colonial needs. Whether it be forcing someone to pay for a war they did not fight or want, limiting one’s need for land, or piling on the taxes, all of these factors played a part in the dissolving of British-colonial ties. The colonists were only human and had the human reaction of defiance to injustice. If the colonists had not of had the audacity that they did, today’s America would be a very different place. Breaking away from Britain was the greatest thing the colonists could have possible done.