h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just a few observations:

1. For the most part the colonists regarded themselves as loyal British citizens. I've always found this difficult to grasp at such a distance, but it makes what they did all the more astonishing.
2. William Pitt (the Elder - Empire builder extraordinaire) was one of the Parliamentary opponents of the handling of the colonies (even though he was Prime Minister while some of the Acts were enacted!). He collapsed on the floor of the House of Lords in 1778 during a debate on the subject and died 4 days later. Admittedly, at the time, he was arguing against the withdrawal of troops from the colonies! The point still stands, he supported many of the colonists' grievanaces against the crown.
3. Though standing armies and the taxes to support them were abhorred by British citizens everywhere, the _English_ (not British, surely) Bill of Rights asserts that what James II had done was tyrannical because he had maintained a standing army 'without consent of Parliament'. So, I'm not sure you can use it to back up your point in the footnote.

1. I agree, and I think I've implied this, if not stated it overtly. But they only regarded themselves as such up to a point. They were loyal British subjects only so long as they felt Britain was loyal to them. When the king rejected the Olive Branch Petition is, I believe, the first instance that they began to consider themselves as outsiders to the British Empire.

3. I think I can still use it. Remember, the colonists did not believe that Parliament had any authority over them. Their local legislatures certainly never authorized British standing armies in Boston.