ay be taken from them by taxes, or otherwise, without their own consent, and against their will, are in the miserable condition of slaves”(Dudley, 55). The term slave, in this sense, is a man who has no control over his possessions. Rather, he enjoys all at the will of his master. Liberty is the one of the greatest blessings that men relish, and slavery, perhaps, the most degrading act possibly bestowed upon a human being, especially during the pre-Revolutionary period. It would be fallacious to say that absolute liberty is compatible with any kind of government- men have been forced to submit to government and forego some part of their natural liberty by observing any just laws. The fact remains that the colonists were forced to adhere to unequal laws that treated them in a slave-like manner. Throughout the course of world history, many groups have been oppressed, and this oppression often led to revolt. It is human nature to fight persecution; persecution of the colonists ultimately led to rebellious thoughts and feelings. As the American settlements became mature provinces after 1700, they developed a more representative system of politics. Inspired by the Whigs of the Glorious Revolution, American representative assemblies were constructed (Henretta, 95). These assemblies were given the right to levy taxes and they demanded a position of constitutional equality with the royal governor. Although more elitist than democratic, the assemblies stood for the common good of the colonists, and they often disobeyed and overruled the king’s instructions (Henretta, 95). The assemblies aided in the expression of popular opinion which gradually undermined the authority of the British. The representative assemblies grew increasingly immune from British control. Although they were still tied to Britain, the colonies had become self-governed.The mild rule of the colonies grew to be known as “salutary neglect.”...
