Read the complaint about the British government from the Declaration of Independence. Then answer the question that follows.
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us whatsoever.
Which action led to this complaint?
• The British disbanded elected colonial governments.
• The British imposed a tax on colonial agricultural goods.
• The British maintained a large standing army in the colonies.
• The British banned settlement in certain regions of the colonies.
The action that led to this complaint was "The British disbanded elected colonial governments."
The action that led to this complaint in the Declaration of Independence is: The British suspended our own Legislatures, and declared themselves invested with power to legislate for us whatsoever.
To answer this question, you can start by identifying keywords and contextual information provided in the complaint from the Declaration of Independence. The specific complaint states, "For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us whatsoever."
This complaint refers to the British government's action of suspending the colonial legislatures and claiming the authority to legislate on behalf of the colonies.
Now, let's go through each answer choice to determine which action led to this complaint:
1. The British disbanded elected colonial governments: While this is an action related to the suspension of legislatures, it does not directly capture the claim of the British declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for the colonies. So, this option is not the correct answer.
2. The British imposed a tax on colonial agricultural goods: Although taxes were a reason for discontent among the colonists, this particular complaint mentioned in the question is not specifically related to tax imposition. Therefore, this option is not the correct answer.
3. The British maintained a large standing army in the colonies: While the presence of a large standing army was a concern for the colonists, the complaint in question refers specifically to the suspension of legislatures and the British government assuming full legislative power. Therefore, this option is not the correct answer.
4. The British banned settlement in certain regions of the colonies: There is no mention of banning settlement in certain regions of the colonies in the given complaint. Therefore, this option is not the correct answer.
By process of elimination, we can conclude that the correct action that led to this complaint is:
• The British suspended the legislatures and declared themselves invested with power to legislate for the colonies whatsoever.