Mark Gjesdal

[money money money]

I can understand the reasoning for the Thirteen Colonies to want to team up with Quebec and throw out the English. The English have seemed to be bullying the Thirteen Colonies in the form of taxes. One of the Americans greatest wishes was to have some control over their own government. This explains the letter from Middleton to the habitants of Quebec. The English repressed the Americans by raising taxes after the Colonial Wars. Americans agreed to pay the taxes under the condition that they will have a representative at Westminster. I don't understand why the English had to be so hard on the Americans, if money was wanted and money would be received if an American could sit in at Westminster and put in a few words here and there I don' see much harm in that at all. English would get their money, and Americans would have their representative.

[Mr. Delainey]

I think it was the principle of the thing, Mark. If the British were themselves to suggest the Americans be made part of the Westminster system...well, then, in that case I'm thinking because it was a "top-down" decision it would be more palatable to the Brits.

However, the fact that the push/pressure for reform came from below was viewed as basically political heresy by the British. You could look at this way: in a very conservative traditional home would the children or the father have most of the decision-making power? If you answer the children, then you're an American. If you answer the father, then you're understanding the issue form the British point-of-view.

The reality is the Americans were headed towards some form of independence anyhow. The British for their part were simply trying to maintain their "empire" and had no desire to help the Americans build a nation of their own.

Rule of thumb: king is always right.