Letter (colonist) to Britain Friend in 1776
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Letter to friend in England.
Dearest Friend of England,
1776
I know it is hard to believe we (the colonists) would be on the verge of a revolution against our own homeland. My father has explained to me the reasons we deserve independence from God, the King, and the British people. There are many things going on in the colonies to lead us to our current thoughts. The British people have imposed many Acts upon us colonists.
In the year 1767, British parliament passed Mr. Charles Townshend proposed taxations upon the colonies. These taxes were indirect taxes. The merchants were forced to pay the taxes directly. These taxes were applied to the importation of lead, paint, glass, and tea. The British have authorized the admiral fleets to punish those not abiding by the act. My father and many other colonists believe the naval personnel are trying people in an admiral court to take the money for personal gain not actual legal reasons. These acts have led many colonists like my father to resist the taxation. A farmer from Pennsylvania has circulated papers about the illegal ramification of the Townshend act.
We, the people of the colonies, are being taxed without representation within Parliament. The British government is proving to be one of corrupt policies. The people here are boycotting the purchases of British imports. The British government has sent troops into all the colonies. Troops are looking for work in our colonies at our factories. In Boston on March 5, 1770, there was considered to be a massacre. Three troops had attempted to get a job at a local rope factory. The boss assigned them to latrine clean-up. These soldiers took this as an insult and reacted. The soldiers were beat and thrown in the streets. That night those soldiers were stationed outside the British Customs House. A mob gathered around the troops and a bell was rung to wake the town. British soldiers started shooting at the mob. There were a total of 5 dead and 8 wounded. This massacre led the British government to repeal the Townsend Acts on all products but tea. This was so the colonists would see them trying to compromise but still feel like they were controlling them.
In 1775, the British passed another act that made the colonists angry. It was the Tea Act. This act stated that only the British East India Company could sell or transport tea. Members of parliament passed this act because many of them had stakes in the company. At the time the British India Company was going bankrupt. This act threatened all colonial businesses by creating a monopoly. In Boston, the colonists devised a plan to resist this act. Several colonists dressed as Indians to deceive the British. These colonists seized the imported tea and dumped it into the harbor. The colonists dubbed this “the tea party.” The British responded to these actions by creating four acts jointly called the Coercive Acts. These acts closed the Boston ports to all trade, increased power of Massachusetts governor, granted trials of royal officials in Massachusetts be tried elsewhere, and allowed the new governor rights to quarter his troops anywhere. These Coercive Acts only angered the colonists more. They have strengthened their non-importation of British goods. They have also begun the forming of local militia companies.
There have been many battles lately. The battle at Lexigon and Concord is one of first significance. British General Gage was ordered to arrest the leaders of resistance. Through reconnaissance General Gage was informed the city of Concord was storing arms and ammunition in a barn in preparations of a revolt.