DBQ Essay

“No Taxation without Representation” was an easy catch phrase that let revolutionists stir up the hearts of every colonist to fight the British. It was essential for motivating Americans to fight in the American Revolution and was a symbol for democracy by crying for representation of all the people to be heard.

            One key example of a primary source that employed the famed symbol of American Freedom is the Resolutions of The Stamp Act Congress which was written in 1765 to assert that the colonists were not and were unable to be properly represented in Britain therefor taxes placed on the colonists by Britain are unconstitutional because Americans had the right, the freedom, to  elect their own officials (as stated in their charters). Similarly, Daniel Dulany, a Maryland lawyer, claims in “Considerations on the Proriety of Imposing Taxes in the British Colonies” (1765) that taxes without consent for the purpose of revenue is not allowed. However, he did consent that taxes to regulate trade were constitutional. 

            Colonists were enraged with Britain for restricting their rights even though they considered themselves to be as much a British citizen as those living in London.  It only took a few motivational writers and speakers to spark the fire of the already tense emotions within the Revolutionists. These instigators were Joseph Warren and Thomas Paine. Joseph Warren, in his speech in 1772 asserted, through the use of logos, that the taxation was unconstitutional because in order to enforce such taxes Britain had to raise a standing army during a time of peace which is specifically illegal according to the constitution. Thomas Paine in his famous pamphlet, Common Sense (1776) also uses logos to prove that it is ridiculous for the colonists to subject themselves to a ruler whom lives on a small island far far away.

Reasons such as the ones in The Second Continental Congress’s The Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms were the grounds for a break from the British government. The colonists believed that the British were depriving them of their individual rights, which they believed every human being is endowed to have. In this line of thought, many African Americans who fought for America’s freedom believed that they also had these rights. However, they were not allowed to vote, but could be controlled by Congress. This rising issue was addressed in the petition “Petition of Seven Free Negroes to the Massachusetts Legislature in Protest of Taxation Without the Right to Vote”. On February 10^th, 1780, seven free African Americans fought against the Massachusetts legislature by accusing them of practicing the same taxation against the African American community that they fought for in the recently ended war for independence. This hypocritical act made by the Massachusetts state government allowed for the African Americans to utilize and show the colonists one of the fundamental principles of “no taxation without representation”, which is that its did not only apply to a specific race. The idea of no taxation without representation was for all of the colonists, whatever their race may be, to enjoy and prosper from. This principle was yet another reason why the colonists gathered their courage to fight for their liberties and a valuable reason why the famous quote is a symbol of democracy.

The colonists had to deal with Britain’s tyrannical rule for a very long time, until the unjustness of the rule became to harsh and the colonists put their foot down. As declared by the “Resolutions of the Stamp Act” and also by Daniel Dulany’s “Considerations on the Propriety of Imposing Taxes in the British Colonies”, the colonists were tired of the unconstitutional taxes placed on them. Patriots such as Joseph Warren and Thomas Paine used “No Taxation without Representation” to stir the blood of all of the colonists and unite them against the British. It inspired the colonists and gave them courage to take up arms against their totalitarian government.