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Difficulty: MediumThe American War of Independence

In the 1760s, the British government attempted to raise money by imposing new taxes on its thirteen North American colonies. What was the primary reason the colonists opposed these taxes, leading to the slogan 'no taxation without representation'?

  1. They believed that since they had no representatives in the British Parliament, the government had no right to tax them.Answer
  2. B
    They were protesting against the British government's decision to abolish the slave trade throughout the empire.
  3. C
    They believed the tax revenue was being diverted to fund the naval defense during the Battle of Trafalgar.
  4. D
    They argued that the taxes unfairly targeted the new factories and steam engines of the Industrial Revolution.

Answer

The colonists opposed the taxes because they believed the British Parliament lacked the authority to tax them without having colonial representatives in that Parliament.
The American colonists resisted the new taxes because they were not allowed to elect members to the British Parliament in London. They maintained that only their own colonial assemblies had the legal right to tax them, a stance summarized by the famous phrase 'no taxation without representation'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the historical period and the specific conflict mentioned in the question.
The period is the 1760s, involving the thirteen North American colonies and the British government.
This sets the stage for the pre-revolutionary tensions.
2
Analyze the meaning of the slogan 'no taxation without representation'.
The slogan expresses the principle that a government cannot legitimately tax a population unless that population has elected representatives in the governing body.
This identifies the central political argument used by the colonists.
3
Select the option that matches this political principle.
The correct option explains the lack of representatives in the British Parliament.
It directly correlates with the historical 'representation' grievance.

Key Concept

The principle of consent and representation in taxation as a cause of the American War of Independence.

Practice More

Review the outcome of the 1783 Treaty of Paris and how it affected the borders of British North America, particularly Canada.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

The American War of Independence

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