The right that colonists cherished above all under the British form of government was the right to representation. They believed that as British citizens, they were entitled to have a voice in the making of laws and policies that affected them. The phrase "no taxation without representation" became a rallying cry for the American colonists, as they believed it was unjust for them to be taxed by a government in which they had no direct say. This desire for representation ultimately played a significant role in the American Revolution and the eventual establishment of an independent nation.
The right that colonists cherished above all under the British form of government was the right to be governed by consent. This principle, known as "consent of the governed," meant that the colonial citizens believed they should have a say in the laws and regulations that governed their lives. They felt that they should have representation in the British Parliament, even though they were thousands of miles away from Britain. The slogan "no taxation without representation" became a rallying cry for their cause, expressing the colonists' belief that they should not be subjected to taxes imposed by a government in which they had no voice. This right was enshrined in the Magna Carta and other English legal traditions, and the colonists saw it as a fundamental aspect of their liberties.
