Mainly due to taxation without representation, I believe I would have been a Patriot if I had lived during the Pre Revolutionary Era. Freedom from British rule was justified in that the Americans in the time period were not being treated fairly by the British Parliament. While I can understand the viewpoint that the British were originally responsible for colonizing the initial thirteen colonies and are therefore entitled to run the government as they saw fit, including taxing citizens, it is the fact that the citizens were not represented properly in these matters that would have led me to be side with the Patriots. I believe it was the 1765 Stamp Act that sent the Patriots over the edge and led to the formation of the Sons of Liberty, which I feel I would have joined to ensure proper representation and reformation in the legal system but in a non-violent way.
Response to #1
I agree with your statement about modern-day Americans being able to say one thing and then actually identify with another during the time period itself. I think your most interesting point was that the British violated American rights. Many people forget the 1689 Bill of Rights passed by the British Parliament that many of the Patriots felt was violated by the tax laws the British began to create in the 1760s.
Response to #2
I can definitely agree with you on the non-violent sentiment, which was proven effective if you look at it in the right way – while the Sons of Liberty and the Boston Tea Party were all factors leading to the Revolutionary War, which was obviously violent, the non-violent acts of the Patriots can be seen as necessary precursors to change in the colonies. So, really, it was as you said, their acts such as dumping tea into the harbor that were able to convey to the British government how dissatisfied they were with their situation.
