“When I know that the colonies in general owe little or nothing to any care of ours, and that they are not squeezed into this happy form by the constraints of watchful and suspicious government, but that, through a wise and salutary neglect, a generous nature has been suffered to take her own way to perfection; when I reflect upon these effects, when I see how profitable they have been to us, I feel all the pride of power sink, and all presumption in the wisdom of human contrivances melt and die away within me.” – Edmund Burke in a speech before the House of Commons, March 22, 1775
This speech would be MOST important in understanding
A the American victory at Lexington and Concord.
B the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolution.
C the British insistence that the colonies should remain part of Britain
D the feeling that led people in the American colonies to want independence.
The correct answer is D the feeling that led people in the American colonies to want independence.
In this excerpt, Edmund Burke reflects on the benefits that the colonies have experienced due to a lack of strict British control and governance. He acknowledges that the colonies have thrived through a “wise and salutary neglect,” which suggests that many colonists valued their autonomy and the prosperity that came from it. This sentiment helps to explain the growing desire for independence among the colonies, as they recognized their capability to thrive without heavy oversight from Britain.