The Four Acts

Posted by Ariana in act, america, george, grenville, massachusetts, quartering, revolution, stamp, sugar, taxes

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After Grenville came up with his idea of reinforcing the already existing taxation law, the parliament took his words into consideration and turned their eyes to some other laws that needed to be placed again.

Still in 1764, the Sugar Act was one of the first laws to be reinforced by the British parliament. This law, as its name states, laid taxes on sugar by lowering duties on molasses, a thick syrup produced during the refining of sugar.

Because Grenville was well aware of how the colonist merchants had been smuggling foreign products by paying the officials that guarded the port trade, he replaced these men for others who would report any out-of-the-ordinary movements done by the colonists in the trading areas. For those merchants who insisted in smuggling non-British products, breaking the recently enforced law, awaited jail and severe punishments.

A year later, during 1765, another unpopular law was reinforced by the parliament, the Quartering Act. If you may remember from my previous post, Britain was sending more soldiers to the new country, well, this law forced the colonists to take the soldiers into their homes and provide them a bed, clothes, food, etc. No property in the colonies was safe from the military invasion.

In the same year, the Massachusetts Government Act put the colony under the power of an appointed governor of the British crown, causing the closure of the elected assembly and town meetings. Colonists were losing the right to govern themselves.

Then, in March 1765, the parliament passed another bill to raise money. This law was called the Stamp Act. This new act forced the colonists to pay taxes on every printed material, all of which had to be stamped by an official. This was the law the parliament imposed the most. As it is to be expected, the colonists were anything but happy about what they were being forced to do, and of course, they weren’t going to be quiet about it.

George Grenville's Plan

Posted by Ariana in america, george, grenville, revolution, tax

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The seven year war, or most commonly known as the French and Indian war or the first World War, left Europe in a very decaying economical situation. This of course made it difficult for the British to invest money on the colonies since they could barely subsist without having to take care of more population outside their home land.

Having the population in America in a constant growth, the British had to import more products and raw material to the new country. Also, because during the seven year war the colonists had gained more lands, they were now spreading into them triggering a bigger need for land protection a.k.a. they needed more soldiers and watchmen. All of this was being paid, in its majority, by the Britain. Having to spend so much money in a country so far away from them, the parliament found that such act could not be fatherly tolerated; they thought the Colonists should and could pay more money.

During 1764, since colonial merchants had been gaining money from trade, often smuggling products from other sources other than the British ships or bribing the port officials for them to keep their mouths shut and remain silent about the things that were going on at ports, the British prime minister George Grenville decided to raise money by collecting it from the colonists. in other words, he wanted to reinforce the law that stated that all colonists should pay a little extra money for the things they bought, money that would be taken as British property and used to provide them products, materials and protection. Grenville wanted to make the colonists pay taxes.

Brittish Government As A Model

Posted by Ariana in america, colonial, colonies, government, historical, history, model, revolution, states, united

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We will begin our journey with how the governments of both, the colonists and the British, were functioning in this chapter of history.

As we may know, the British liberties in this moment were including the processes of common law or else, a law administration of justice according to rules and principles. Such laws included the trial by jury and the freedom of press, thing that by that time were deeply cherished, and highly enjoyed by people. The opportunity of having a voice has always been extremely important.

On the other hand, the colonies were craving a much more important law to them… breaking free of the chains that taxations can often imprison us with, and if so was the case that taxes were to be charged, they wanted them to be imposed by, and only by the personalities that they had personally elected through suffrage.

Nevertheless, colonial government followed the British model. This model was divided into two branches, one of which was divided into two houses.

• Executive: reserved the power for the Monarch almost in its totality.


• Legislative: which was in other words called the parliament or congress like we commonly call it nowadays. Devided into two houses:

1. House of Lords: the people that could have not only a seat but a voice in this part of the legislative branch had to inherit his place in the house.


2. House of Commons: in this second house could be elected only by the men who owned properties a.k.a. men who pay taxes.

Back in the colonies, all but Pennsylvania were using the pre-established model of having two legislative houses. But here in America, even though people were still respecting the Legislative division, there was a slight change in the Houses’ requisites for their members. The houses were:

1. Elected Assembly: This as it name states, formed their group of members through popular elections.


2. Council of Prominent Colonists: Whose members were appointed for life, elected by the governor.
   

Greetings!!

Posted by Ariana in america, delCampo, history, revolution, states, united

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Hello!
Welcome to my blog. My name is Ariana Elvir. I'm a proud student of Del Campo International School. School in which I take of the outstanding classes of my teacher Ms. Touche who teaches US History.

This blog is product of an asignment requested by my teacher. I will be posting everything i've learned about the American Revolution. From the people who became relevant to such event to the most important things occuring. Information, biografies, pictures, videos... everything you want to know will be just here.

Stay tuned for the best of the American Revolution!!