Some say that the Revolution was doomed to happen ever since people stepped foot on this continent, others argue that it would not have happened if it weren't for a set of issues that finally drove the colonists to revolt. These issues, in order of descending importance, were Parliamentary taxation, the restriction of civil liberties, the measures of the British military, and the legacy of colonial religious and political ideas.
The most important issue prompting Americans to rebel in 1776 is clearly Parliamentary taxation. This began early in colonial life with the system of mercantilism. The long and short of this system was an effort by the British to ensure a favorable balance of trade between Britain and the American colonies. There were numerous laws requiring all goods purchased by Americans to come directly from Britain regardless of where they were originally produced, while in Britain they were subjected to taxation which raised the price to the colonists.......
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