The Boston Liberty Tree 



IN the year 1765 there was a great deal of un- 

 rest in the colonies. The Americans complained 

 of being treated unfairly by the English. This 

 had been the case for a long, long time. 



The English thought it fair to make the Ameri- 

 cans pay heavy taxes, as their ancestors had done 

 before they left England. But the Americans 

 were unwilling to pay taxes without receiving 

 any benefits thereby or being given any voice in 

 the government of the colonies. They protested 

 that "taxation without representation is unjust. 

 If we pay English taxes, we must have English 

 rights." But these the king of England refused 

 to grant to them. 



Sometimes some of the Americans held meet- 

 ings. There the patriots came to talk over what 

 they might do to help themselves. At first they 

 did not think of rebellion. They wanted only 

 to be treated fairly and given their rights. But 

 justice was refused by England. 



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