American History

The United States under the British law had various grievances towards the British crown because it refused to address these matters which forced 13 colonies to move into action. They wrote to the British Crown about their grievances and the changes that they want.

Four major grievances that the colonies expressed in the document were primarily about what they perceived were violations of their right regarding matters of property, freedom, justice, and the right to rule themselves. The four primary grievances that these colonies felt were because of what they named the Intolerable acts they say were unjust, impolitic, and cruel, dangerous and destructive to the American State and the American people. These intolerable acts include the Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Quartering Act, The Administration of Justice Act, and the Quebec act.

The Boston Port Act closed of Boston Harbor to trade where violators of the act lost their ships and their respective cargoes because of confiscation. In the Massachusetts Government Act, the popularly elected leaders lost their positions and the right of the people to peaceably assemble was not further recognized. The Quartering Act provided that British soldiers be allowed to be housed in private households without compensation. The Administration of Justice act shows that public servants were given more authority since they could not be tried in Colonies which allowed them to use violence to the people. The Quebec act gave Quebec certain rights and privileges in their laws and in their religion which the Americans have seen as unfair since it provides special rights as well as endangering other British Colonies.

The constitution and the bill of rights of the United States addressed these problems especially those pertaining to the powers of the legislative branch as well as the I, III, IV, V and VII amendments. The constitution specifically enumerated the allowable practices that the legislative branch can do and it also provides specific limitations to it. Relevant power of the Legislative branch in this discussion is the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and with several states and not to prevent it. Relevant to this discussion is its limitation to not suspend Habeas Corpus as well as the prevention of Bill of attainder. The constitution also provides that no preferences shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one state to another.  This prevent s the Boston Act from happening again where it becomes a vital role for the legislature to think of the best interests of the government where they would not allow special treatment in cases of commerce and revenue. Also, The Constitution limits the power of the Legislative in order that it would not presume powers that are in the nature of a different branch of the government, specifically the Supreme Court. Though it allows the Legislative Branch to have tribunals, the legislative must still concede to the idea that the Supreme Court is superior when it comes to issues regarding the judiciary.

The bill of rights provides protection against the Administration of Justice act, The Massachusetts Government Act and the Quartering Act. The first amendment or the right to religion, speech, press, assemble and the petition the government for a redress of their grievances which will protect the people from the Massachusetts Government act. The Quartering act is addressed in the third amendment where it says that no soldier shall be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner. The fourth and fifth amendments addresses the problems that the Administration of Justice Act provides where it protects the people form unwarranted searches and seizures as well as protect the people by ensuring that everyone will not be convicted and punished without due process. .

The Americans during the British colonial era provides that they too have certain rights, by nature of the immutable laws of nature, the principles of the English Constitution, and the several Charters or compacts, have the rights. The Americans felt that those that they have termed intolerable acts, the source of their grievances, have violated these rights.