The United States celebrates its 250th birthday this year. Two and a half centuries ago, a declaration of independence was issued by a group of white settlers in thirteen colonies against their mother country, Britain, which ruled that part of the world. The date was 4 July 1776, and the place was Philadelphia, which became the new nation's first capital before the seat of government moved to Washington.
That declaration was preceded by the outbreak of the American Revolution against Britain in 1775. Britain's King George III declared the rebels to be insurgents in a state of sedition, meaning they could lawfully be put to death for high treason against the British Crown. The Americans, however, paid no heed to the threats and proceeded to issue their Declaration of Independence through those later known as the Founding Fathers.
The dispute between the colonies and Britain centred on the taxes the colonising power levied on its colonies. The American position was that the British Parliament had no right to impose taxes on the colonies as long as they had no share in decision-making. The phrase