THE

HE improper and oppressive exercise of governmental power is tyranny. The setting aside of governmental authority is revolution. The one has often resulted from the other. We are now to consider an instance known in the world's history as THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

The policy of England toward her American colonies had long been a source of great dissatisfaction to the colonists. The governors sent to rule them were often tyrannical and, as often, dishonest. The laws made for their government took little consideration of their welfare, restricted their material advancement, and tended more and more to reduce them to a state of subserviency to the mother country.

NAVIGATION ACTS (1651) compelled the colonists to send

their products to England, and not to those markets of the world where better prices could be obtained. IMPORTATION ACTS (1733) placed heavy restrictions upon their commerce with the West Indies. American shipbuilding was discouraged, lest it should interfere with the interests of English shipowners. American manufactures were prohibited (1751), in order that the American market for English goods might not be affected. Even trade between colonies was limited as much as possible, so that each might deal directly with the mother country to the profit of English merchants.

Its

The colonists did not yield perfect submission to these measures of oppression. The passage of an unjust law would be followed by evasions. enforcement would engender much ill feeling. As long as the French foe assailed them from the north, the colonists felt a certain dependence upon Great Britain. But that danger being removed, they could now consider more closely their relations to the mother country. Moreover, a consciousness

Two Centers of Political Thought.

Two centers of political thought were slowly crystallizing-the one in Virginia and the other in Massachusetts. An enunciation of political principles was to emanate from each, the successful maintenance of which was to mark an era in the progress of the human race. From these centers was to blaze forth the genius of such men as Patrick Henry and James Otis, of Thomas Jefferson and the Adamses, of Pendleton, Carr, Randolph, Lee, Hancock and Mason. These were to lead. Long-standing dissatisfaction was to culminate in a crisis. A step in all solemnity was to be taken by the American people, from the condition of being governed to that of governing. A transfer of sovereignty was soon to be made; and the principles of self-government were to be given to the world.

of power was rapidly developing with the increase of population. Success in the Indian and Inter-Colonial Wars had inspired selfconfidence. The conditions of colonial life had from the first fostered a love of liberty. The spirit of American independence was of slow and natural growth, and the time was near at hand when oppression could no longer be submitted

JAMES OTIS.

James Otis and Writs of Assistance.

To better enforce the provisions of the Navigation and the Importation Acts authority was granted to colonial courts to issue WRITS OF ASSISTANCE (1701). These writs were official search warrants, empowering officers of the king to search private dwellings. Their issuance was eloquently opposed by JAMES OTIS in Massachusetts, and their execution was resisted at Boston and Salem. The public mind was greatly aroused. The eloquence of Otis made a deep impression. The question soon began to shape itself: "OUGHT AMER ICANS SUBMIT ΤΟ LAWS IN THE MAKING OF WHICH THEY HAVE NO SHARE?"

The people of England were represented in the law-making body known as the HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT. The people of America were represented in law-making bodies of their own-the Colonial Assemblies. Those who took an advanced position upon political subjects maintained that the laws of each were only operative upon those who were represented in it.

to; when a discrimination between the Englishmen of America and the Englishmen of England could no longer go unquestioned; when the principles that underlie English civil liberty would have to be combated for upon Amer

ican soil.

QUESTIONS.

What is tyranny? Revolution? What grievances had the American colonies against England? What were Navigation Acts? Importation

Acts? What restrictions and prohibitions were placed on the colonies? What rendered the colonies less dependent upon England? What was rapidly developing? What effect had The condition of colonial life? What time was near at hand? What do you know of the two colonial centers of political thought? What were writs of assistance? By whom were they opposed? What question shaped itself in the public mind?

success in war on the colonists?

CHAPTER II

Unjust Taxation.

The lower house of Parliament is known as the House of Commons, and constitutes that portion of England's lawmaking body more directly representative of the people. The principle had already been established fundamentally in their government, that the people of England could not be taxed without their own consent; this consent is expressed by their representatives in the House of Commons.

Being Englishmen and free, the colonists had come to firmly believe that they, too, could not be taxed without