The American Revolution was partly a rebellion against Britain’s failure to
A uphold colonial traditions of self-government
B grant colonists the “rights of Englishmen”
C allow colonies to have representative assemblies
D extend its absolute monarchy to the colonies
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is A. uphold colonial traditions of self-government.
The American Revolution was fueled by a variety of factors, one of which was the British government’s increasing interference with colonial self-government. Before the Revolution, the American colonies enjoyed a certain level of autonomy and self-rule, which had been established over many years. The British had allowed local assemblies, such as the Virginia House of Burgesses, to govern their colonies with relative independence. However, in the 18th century, especially after the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the British began imposing stricter control over the colonies.
The British government passed a series of acts, including the Stamp Act (1765), the Townshend Acts (1767), and the Intolerable Acts (1774), which directly affected the colonies’ ability to govern themselves. These laws were seen as infringements on the colonial traditions of self-governance, especially since the colonies had no representation in Parliament when these taxes and policies were enacted. This led to the rallying cry of “no taxation without representation.”
Furthermore, British attempts to directly control colonial affairs, such as the imposition of royal governors who had more power than the locally elected assemblies, increased colonial resentment. Colonists felt that they had the right to make decisions about their own governance and feared that Britain was attempting to take away that right.
While other factors, such as the desire for the “rights of Englishmen” and representation, played a role, the core issue for many was the British government’s disregard for the traditions of self-rule that had long existed in the colonies. This growing frustration with British interference was one of the driving forces behind the American Revolution.