What did colonists oppose writs of assistance?
a They thought it limited their access to land
b They thought it violated their rights
c They thought it unfairly taxed goods and services they produced
d They thought it gave Native Americans an advantage over trade
b They thought it violated their rights
The correct answer is b) They thought it violated their rights.
The correct answer is b) They thought it violated their rights.
To arrive at this answer, we need to understand the concept of writs of assistance during colonial times. Writs of assistance were legal documents that allowed British customs officials to search any property they believed might contain smuggled goods without having to provide a specific reason or obtain a search warrant.
The colonists opposed writs of assistance because they saw them as a violation of their rights. They believed that these writs gave British officials unlimited power to invade their privacy and search their homes, businesses, and personal belongings without any probable cause or due process. The colonists viewed this as a direct infringement on their rights to privacy and protection against unreasonable searches, which they felt were essential rights of all British subjects.
Therefore, the correct answer is b) They thought it violated their rights.