And we're talking about serious grievences. I don't suppose it's taught in this shit country so British people will only semi-jokingly talk about how these colonial American were ungrateful. But it started with the Stamp Act which required that some paper goods (newspapers, legal documents, playing cards, stuff like that) be printed on paper made in London that had a stamp on it. The stamp indicated that tax had to be paid on these items. AND THIS TAX HAD TO BE PAID IN BRITISH CURRENCY.
As if a heavily forested country having to import it's paper from across the ocean isn't absurd enough, they then have to pay the tax in a foreign currency. Colonial money is no good. It's like going to get a copy of the Sun and having to pay like $0.05 tax. Who in the UK is carrying around American currency? Nobody would buy newspapers if you had to do this. And in those days, newspapers were new and exciting. They were the internet of the late 18th century.
So the colonists weren't happy with that. There were incidents of attacking tax collectors and whatnot. Then the Boston Tea Party happened and total madness was imposed on the colonies.
The harbours of Massachusetts were blockaded and wouldn't be opened until they got the money back for the cost of the tea, the Massachusetts government was disolved and replaced with a government appointed by the king, royal officials (including the military) accused of crimes could be tried in England, and the military could live in your home.
The king could easily afford to eat the loss of that tea. But then he also disolves the govenment, lets British government officials be tried in England (making trials difficult to conduct and therefore easier to get acquitals), and some soldier can just come into my crappy flat and get comfortable? Nobody would stand for this shit.
But through all of this, the letters the various colonial government pen to the king are really anal rimming stuff about how loyal they are, how awesome the king is, and how they'd appreciate if the king could maybe consider repealing these laws.
Interestingly, they don't even acknowledge the British parliament. Their allegiance is clearly with the monarchy.
Even after there's open rebellion, they're still sending petitions saying that they don't want to be independent, they're proud to be British, the king is a jam up guy, and they just want these laws to be repealed.
It's not until the Declaration of Independence that you see even a hint of masculinity. And even there, they say that they still want to be friends. "Enemies in War, in Peace Friends". This is the same country with an all-powerful, unelected king who's enacting all kinds of tyrannical laws on you. "I hope we can still be friends." What a joke.
It's really no wonder that the king didn't respect the colonies. It's like a kid who never stands up for himself so gets picked on. I mean, what more did that king have to do to get a more sternly-worded document? He could have shit in the mouths of every one of these so-called "Founding Fathers" and they'd still exalt his greatness. "Your most loyal subjects request that your most gracious king consider maybe no longer crapping in our mouths if it's not too inconvenient."
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