The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved

July 30, 1764

James Otis publishes The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved, setting out a detailed argument against recent acts of Parliament. He challenges taxation without representation and questions the reach of parliamentary authority over the colonies.

Otis grounds his claims in natural rights and the traditions of English law, giving familiar language to concerns that have been building.

Other Moments