Jefferson grounded colonial resistance on natural equality and legislative consent in 1774.

Evidence

“Not only the principles of common sense, but the common feelings of human nature must be surrendered up, before his majesty’s subjects here can be persuaded to believe that they hold their political existence at the will of a British parliament,” Jefferson wrote. “Can any one reason be assigned why 160,000 electors in the island of Great Britain should give law to four millions in the states of America, every individual of whom is equal to every individual of them in virtue, in understanding, and in bodily strength?” To this rhetorical question, he replied, “Were this to be admitted, instead of being a free people, as we have hitherto supposed, and mean to continue, ourselves, we should suddenly be found the slaves, not of one, but of 160,000 tyrants.” Only colonial legislatures could pass laws governing colonists, Jefferson asserted, and the king “has no right to land a single armed man on our shores; and those whom he sends here are liable to our laws.” — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 40

Categorization

• XREF: Jefferson’s early equation of parliamentary taxation with slavery prefigures the Declaration’s famous equality and consent language — core to examining how founders articulated justice, equality, and freedom as first principles. — connects to: Jefferson’s 1774 Summary View sought reconciliation under a common monarch, not independence. — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 41; Early colonial resistance sought rights within empire, not independence — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 33; Virginia’s Declaration of Rights grounded revolution in popular sovereignty and natural rights. — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 198
• DEFINE: Jefferson is defining legitimate rule as grounded in the moral equality of individuals and government by consent, where loss of self-rule is framed as slavery.
• ADDENDUM: Jefferson’s slavery-based rhetoric of political dependence resonates with the coercion-concealed-as-care dynamic discussed in the sacrifice article.

Broader Connections

• Jefferson’s 1774 Summary View sought reconciliation under a common monarch, not independence. #qualifies (0.85) — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 41
• Virginia’s Declaration of Rights grounded revolution in popular sovereignty and natural rights. #corroborates (0.85) — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 198
• Early colonial resistance sought rights within empire, not independence #exemplifies (0.80) — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 33