Colonial Era Representation: British vs. Colonists’ Views and Its Role in American Revolution

Explain the differences between British and colonial views on representation.

-British strongly believed that parliament represented everybody (virtual).-Colonial view that a body can’t represent them unless they choose there representative.

During the colonial era, British and colonial views on representation differed significantly. The British Parliament held the belief that as long as they represented all British subjects, then they were representing the colonies as well. However, the colonists held a different view. They believed that they were not represented in Parliament adequately and that the British had no right to tax them because they had no say in how their taxes were being used.

The colonists believed that they should have their representation in the British Parliament, which would ensure their rights and interests were protected in the government’s decision-making process. This would mean that the colonists could vote for their own representatives who would then have a voice in Parliament.

On the other hand, the British believed that the colonies were represented in Parliament through the members of Parliament who represented British interests. The British saw the colonists as an extension of themselves and not as individuals with their own distinct identity.

The colonists saw representation as a way to protect their rights, while the British saw representation as an extension of the British presence in the colonies. The disagreement over representation ultimately led to the American Revolution, which was grounded in the belief that colonists deserved to have an equal voice in government decisions.

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