American Colonists

American colonists mainly originated from England and considered themselves subjects of the English empire. However, acts of the Continental Congress began to question British authority, people of differing cultures freely mixed and the British government increased their taxation policies after the French and Indian War. Therefore, between 1750-1776 colonists increasingly moved away from being loyal to England and developed a uniquely American identity.The thirteen original colonies had spent many prosperous years under the English policy of salutary neglect. These years were characterized by limited British regulation over the colonies social and economic activities. However, after the French and Indian War, England emerged as the oppressor imposing taxes upon the Americans to pay for war debts and British troops in America. With these laws came a surge of colonial identity and unity, as the colonists sought to hold on to their liberties with every power they had. The colonists united to oppose such taxes as the Stamp Act through the Stamp Act Congress, the Tea Act through the Boston Tea Party and the Townshend Act through embargoes and nonimportation agreements. These examples illustrate the power of the colonies when they united against the British policies. The colonists slowly began to realize that without unification, they would die. With this knowledge, colonists began to cooperate with one another as observed in their aid to Boston after the passage of the Intolerable Acts. Through years of flourishing under salutary neglect, followed by the emergence of British oppression and the realization of the diversity of culture, Americans had achieved a new sense of unity and identity to some extent. However, there were colonists who desired to maintain ties with the British Empire.

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