The American War for Independence, Treason or Justified Rebellion.docx

Critique of the American War for Independence
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As the Americans celebrate the revolutionary war, the debate still rages on whether it was
an act of treason or that of justified rebellion. It is argued by historians that the founding fathers
knew that they were committing an act of treason.
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Perhaps, this is why the five delegates were
tasked with drafting the Declaration of Independence, which included the statements of
grievances of the colonists. Although, there have been judicious contentions from both sides of
the argument, the historical facts detailed in this essay point towards the claim that the
revolutionary war was an act of treason.
The Justification Argument
In the view of the American patriots, the British parliament was intent on reducing the
growth of the colonies. Further, it aimed to protect its economic interests at the expense of the
colonists. Westward expansion was restricted by royal officials. They levied taxes without the
consent of the colonists that, in the American perspective, were not justified in the representation
that the colonists had in Britain.
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There was also the presence of a large British standing army in
the colonies, which increased the colonists’ unease with the British influence over their freedom.
The colonists were concerned about the fact that the British Crown had expanded its
imperial bureaucracy in the colonies. The West was made to be a preserve for Indians and French
Catholics. It infringed upon the liberties granted to them as British citizens, freedom of speech,