Final answer:
The English Bill of Rights failed to influence the king's dealings with the colonists because the king had absolute power and disregarded its principles, especially when imposing taxes and regulations without consent from the colonists' own representatives.
Step-by-step explanation:
The English Bill of Rights was a significant document that outlined the rights and privileges of English citizens, including colonists in the New World. The question at hand is: Why do you think the English Bill of Rights failed to influence the king's dealings with the colonists? The best answer would be d) The king had absolute power and disregarded the principles of the English Bill of Rights. Despite its importance, the English Bill of Rights did not prevent the king from imposing taxes and regulations on the colonists without their consent, which was their main grievance. The colonists claimed that without representation in Parliament, they should not be subject to its decisions, including taxes.
The conflicts between the mother country and the colonies escalated after the French and Indian War over taxation, trade regulation, and the rights of Englishmen under the British constitution. Although the colonists greatly valued self-government and believed the English Bill of Rights protected their liberties, the situation in the colonies was unique, and the concept of 'virtual representation' was not acceptable to them. This disconnect between the colonists' expectations of their rights and the British government's treatment of colonial affairs sowed the seeds for further conflict, eventually leading to the American Revolution.
It is also important to note that the British government did make some attempts at appeasing the colonists' resistance to certain policies.