Final answer:
The presence of British soldiers in the American colonies was problematic due to the Quartering Act, which forced colonists to house and feed troops, signifying British dominance and causing economic hardship. The issue led to resistance and was cited in the Declaration of Independence as a grievance. Similar dynamics were seen in India, where broken promises post-World War I fueled an independence movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The issue with having so many British soldiers "protecting" American colonies stemmed from a cluster of grievances. One of the main complaints was articulated in the Quartering Act of 1765, which required colonists to house and feed British troops. This imposition was seen as a direct affront to the colonists' liberties and an example of British overreach.
The presence of these soldiers also symbolized unchecked British power, which rubbed against the colonists' increasing desire for autonomy. Moreover, the soldiers took on local work, such as dockworking, which threatened the livelihoods of the colonists and added to the economic strain caused by having to quarter the British troops.
Impact on the American Colonies
The Quartering Act came at a time when the British Empire was heavily in debt from warfare expenses and sought ways to make the colonies bear part of the financial burden.
The Act not only added to fiscal pressures but also incentivized resistance, as seen in New York where the local assembly refused to comply with the act. This resistance signified a broader colonial unrest that culminated in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, where the Quartering Act was mentioned as one of the grievances.
Furthermore, the British army's practices, such as the harsh discipline imposed on its own soldiers and their need to mobilize seasonally, shaped the colonists' perception of British military men and made their presence even more unwelcome. In India, the promise of self-rule post-World War I was thwarted, sparking the independence movement against British colonial rule.