Why did America want freedom from the British?

America wanted freedom from the British for several years prior to 1776 when the 13 colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. Prior to the American Revolutionary War, people were coming to the thirteen colonies because they could not practice their religion freely. After several years, the people were living and having children in the 13 colonies.

However, Great Britain still owned them and made decisions for them. They started to tax the colonists who didn’t mind being taxed but they wanted to be able to represent the 13 colonies in Parliament so that they would have a say in the taxing. However, Britain did allow that. After having to pay severe taxes for years, the colonists decided to declare their freedom from British rule.

America wanted freedom from the British because they felt they were being governed unfairly and were subject to too many trade restrictions and taxes. Britain wanted to collect several different kinds of taxes from the colonists to help pay their expenses for the French and Indian War. These taxes included the Stamp Act and the Townsend Acts.

In 1774, the First Continental Congress, with representatives from most of the colonies, made several decisions. Perhaps the most important decision was to disobey the Coercive Acts. There were four laws the British wanted to impose to punish the Americans for the Boston Tea Party. A year later, the Second Continental Congress decided to form a Continental Army and the army was ready to fight for their rights.