The Neglect that Caused Freedom.

The English colonies tasted independence during the period where the British gave them "salutary neglect." This taste of freedom made the American Revolution inevitable, because the colonists had become accustomed to not being taxed. So, when the crown forced new taxes upon the colonies they reacted by protesting, fighting, and eventually writing the Declaration of Independence. The period of "salutary neglect" started a chain of events that led to a new nation.

"Salutary neglect" was the British crown, essentially, ignoring the American colonies. This neglect gave the colonies their first, and most important, taste of freedom. One of the freedoms that the colonists became most accustomed to was not having to pay taxes. So, the colonists reacted badly when the crown began taxing them.

Because they did not like being taxed, the colonists began to come together as one, and unify as a nation. With the rallying cry "no taxation without representation" they protested with strength.

Their main weapon being the nonimportation acts. The colonists, working together, did not buy, sell, or use British made goods. The colonists' strength as one forced the British to back down and remove the taxes. Once the taxes were removed the colonists returned to being content British citizens. However, this did not last long, for the British crown began to abuse its power.

This power abuse led to the convening of the Second Continental Congress, which led to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. However, creating a new nation was not the original intention of the Second Continental Congress, they had intended to draw up a lost of grievances and send them to the king and parliament in hopes that they would be resolved. However, their list of grievances fell upon deaf ears, and the Congress had no option but to draft the...