GED Social Studies TestU.S. HistoryEasy
Which of the following was a primary reason for the American colonists' dissatisfaction with British rule leading up to the Revolutionary War?
- AThe British government encouraged colonial manufacturing and trade.
- BThe British government allowed colonists to settle freely west of the Appalachian Mountains.
- CThe British government imposed taxes without colonial consent.
- DThe British government provided too much representation for colonists in Parliament.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. The British government imposed taxes without colonial consent.
The imposition of taxes without colonial representation, often summarized as 'no taxation without representation,' was a central grievance that fueled the American Revolution. Colonists felt their rights as British subjects were being violated.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. British policies generally aimed to restrict, not encourage, colonial manufacturing that competed with British industries, as part of mercantilism.
- B. The Proclamation of 1763, issued by the British, actually prohibited colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, which was a source of colonial frustration.
- D. Colonists felt they had too little, not too much, representation in Parliament, leading to the 'no taxation without representation' cry.
No Taxation Without Representation
A slogan reflecting the colonists' primary grievance that they were being taxed by the British Parliament without having any elected representatives in that body.
- Central to colonial protests against the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts.
- Argued that taxation without consent was a violation of English rights.
- Fueled sentiment for independence from British rule.
Memory trick: Taxed without a say, led to a revolutionary day.