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Benjamin Franklin said at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, We must all hand together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately. There could have been many possible outcomes to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. One of the ways that it could have been avoided was if it was never fought at all, therefore Franklin would not have needed to worry about being killed. So what if the American Revolution was never fought? One of the ways the War could have been avoided is if the British Prime Minister, William Pitt, allowed a member of each colony to serve on the Parliament as active members, or even voting observers.
This would defeat taxation without representation, and ultimately diffuse the situation. Another plus of representation would be that Townshend Acts, the tax on goods the colonists imported from England, would never have occurred. A downside of Parliament representation in Parliament would be that those colonists would not be taken seriously and would be considered outsiders. If the War was never fought, the British would have had control over a large part of North America into the 1800 s. The Spanish would have controlled the central and southwestern regions (having acquiring the Louisiana Purchase), and the Russians would control the western portion of North America- from "Oregon" to Alaska. As you look at American History in this time period, and with the North American History being primarily British, the British's problems would become the Colony's problems.
A major war for Britain in the early 1800 s was the Napoleonic Wars. It would spill over into North America. As Napoleon would invade and conquer Spain, British troops would invade and capture Spanish New Orleans, as well as other points on the western bank of the Mississippi River. This would effectively begin the North American Napoleonic War. The British would eventually gain all of Spanish North America, and the skillful negotiations of the British Prime Minister with the Russian Empire would prevent a war over Oregon Territory, and would be purchased by Britain. By the end of the Napoleonic War, the British Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs would recommend to the Prime Minister that he should begin to let the North American Colonies go, and prepare them for independence.
The Prime Minister and his cabinet would agree, and would formally approach several North Americans about the idea. Britains Parliament would write up an act which would establish Continental Parliament, and an Articles of Government, a Constitution for North America. The governors of each Province, including Canada would select the delegate to the new Parliament. The Continental Parliament would adopt the North America Constitution Act to replace the Articles of Government. It would establish a House of Commons elected by the legislatures of the Provinces and an Upper House selected by the Governors of each Province from among the common folk as well as the elite (also from among prominent citizens and soldiers of the growing "Merchant class").
A governor-general with a twelve-year term (ineligible for re-appointment) would be appointed from the Upper House by a vote of the House of Commons to serve as the Executive power, their choice to be approved by the Parliament in London until the date of final separation. The British Parliament would then approve the North America Constitution Act, granting the North American Colonies Dominion status, and they become the Confederation of British North America. Upon formal petition of the Continental Parliament, Britain grants independence to the North American Confederation. Benjamin Franklin also said about the American Revolution, I cannot lament the impending calamities Britain and her Colonies are about to suffer, from great imprudence on both sides passion governs, and she never governs wisely anxiety begins to disturb my rest. Many people knew the war was not a popular outcome to Americas independence. There are many different scenarios and possible outcomes to the American Revolution, if it was not fought was just one of them.
Eventually, America would gain its independence, in my scenario, no lives would be lost, but unfortunately, time is of the essence and people cannot accurately predict the future.
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Research essay sample on British Prime Minister Declaration Of Independence
