Was the American Revolution justified?

Two arguments can be made on behalf of Founders on this issue. The first argument is the sort of thing Claremont advocates would like because they’re into the Locke = Founders view. Locke translated Just War Criteria into Revolutionary Criteria which are mentioned in the Declaration itself.

Just War →Revolutionary Criteria

Proper Authority	The Majority of Colonists is represented by elected representatives in the 2nd Continental Congress
Just Cause	Repeated abuses e.g. body of the Declaration lists over 20 infractions committed by George III
Last Resort	Exhaust all legal appeals e.g. The Declaration of Rights and Grievances & Olive Branch Petition
Right Intention	Can’t replace something w/ nothing e.g. Articles of Confederation and eventually the Constitution
Appeal to Heaven	God judges the revolt e.g. the concluding paragraph of the Declaration says God will judge them for what they are about to do.

The Burkean/Kirkian argument is the founders fought for the “chartered rights of Englishmen” i.e. they fought for the CIVIL, not natural (Lockean), rights of the Glorious Revolution. The Founders, like Parliament in 1688, were conserving their legal rights against a revolutionary king, George III/James II. Thus the American Revolution, like the Glorious Revolution, was “prevented, not made” to quote Edmund Burke.

	Glorious Revolution	American Revolution
Old Ways	Chartered rights of Englishmen/Declaration of Rights Trial by jury Right against self-incrimination No search or seizure w/out warrant No excessive bail Right to bear arms	US Bill of Rights 6th amendment 4th amendment 8th amendment 2nd amendment
Innovation	James II wanted -standing army -toleration*	George III’s taxation without representation

While the English have some decent arguments for their side, these two arguments make the Founders case pretty reasonable.