Grenville's+Decision+Discussion

toc Discussion Post Prime Minister Grenville must find a way to pay for the debt Britain has incurred from the French & Indian War, as well as pay for the extra troops his country now needs to sustain in America. Based on the options you have available, (methods 1-3 listed down below), which choice would you have made to solve this problem? Give a detailed explanation of why. Use the facts and details from the handout to support your position.

Using the **"Discussion** " tab above, post your response. Your response MUST include a clear **argument, reasoning and evidence** in order to be given full credit.

After you have stated your point, consider for a moment what another person might argue against you and refute their statements. For example, "You say,....." "But...." "Because...." "Therefore...."

Grenville's Decision - First Name, Last Initial - Class Period
 * Homework Title:**

**Method One:**
Ask each American colony to give funds through their Assemblies to support the cost of troops.

Facts to Consider:

1. A somewhat uncertain method. Royal governors have always had a difficult time getting their salaries voted by the assemblies. Some American assemblies, such as Maryland’s have never given any money to support English troops even during the French and Indian War. Most contributed only partial support.

2. Probably inefficient. It would take a long time to have funds voted, collected and sent from each separate colony. Since there is no one assembly for all the colonies, Britain would have to deal with thirteen separate assemblies.

3. This method might cause quarrels among colonists over who was giving how much. How could one decide on a fair amount for each colony to give when they differ so in size and wealth?

**Method Two:**
By-pass the Colonial Assemblies completely by having Parliament pass a tax, to be paid by the people in the American colonies, on items used by everyone. Make the tax small enough so that it is not burdensome.

Facts to Consider:

1. Taxes on everyday items have long been paid in England. They brought in 290,000 pounds in 1760. This is considered a most acceptable way to raise money, and there is a precedent for it in England.

2. Taxes of this kind have been passed by some colonial assemblies themselves in the past.

3. Parliament has never before passed a tax directly on the American people. It has passed laws regulating trade and customs duties on imports and exports, but never a tax directly on the people. There might be some objection to this method, but Parliament is the supreme legislature. It has the power to make all laws, especially the power to raise taxes. Its jurisdiction must include the colonies.

4. Taxes on small items used by everyone, such as newspapers, legal documents or bills of sales, would not overburden any one person or group or colony. It would be a fair method and a fast way to raise money.

**Method Three:**
Increase taxes on the people of England.

Facts to consider:

1. Taxes in England are the highest in the empire. English people now pay about twenty-six times as much in taxes as Americans do. When taxes on cider were increased in England, opposition was so strong that riots broke out in the cider-making counties.

2. Since the troops are to be used for the protection of Americans, the people in England cannot shoulder this burden alone.

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