Independent from England Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Independent from England - Essay Example Primarily, the colonists believed that the existing laws of Great Britain were very much incompatible with and far removed from the needs of the people of the colonial United States. In the Declaration of Independence, it was stated, "He (the king) has refused his Assent to Laws the most wholesome and necessary for the public good" (Ushistory.org, 2007). In all respects, the king was perceived as a promoter of the abnormal tax system, stepping on the backs of the industrious colonists to earn money for Great Britain. As a counter to this, the colonists realized that an autonomous taxation structure, once used for the well being of the people, in support of the local economy, would prohibit Great Britain from taking resources far away from the American colonists, resulting in the consumption suffering greatly in an as yet stronger Great Britain. Secondly, a belief that the king continued to maintain a strong military presence in early America, essentially made the colonists feel as though they were constantly under the threat of military action by the British Army. This perception of the threat is evidently the inspiration behind the passage stating, "He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature" (Ushistory.org). While the colonists continued to work on building the foundation of a successful economy for America, Britain did indeed maintain a close military watch over them to ensure that no revolution was brewing and to constantly remind them that the empire could suppress any such revolution. Finally, undue pressure was exerted on the colonists to limit and even suspend their trade of various goods with other nations. With a motive of ensuring that any proceeds from trade of American produce be directly routed to the King of Britain rather than locally distributed among the colonists, the export of certain domestic products such as tobacco to nations willing to