What rights should the colonists enjoy and what is the source of these

rights?

Option 1

Britain is our main source of revenue and is invariably the source of our rights. Many colonists are talking about the social contract of John Locke. The British in England do not have rights according to this social contract. If these people are speaking about equal rights with Britain, how can this "social contract" be included in these rights? All our trade and economy is routed through Britain. If we do not choose to accept the rights that the Motherland gives us, how could we possibly survive?

Option 2

The colonies should be able to enjoy the right to retain existing powers and regulate internal affairs. They should also enjoy the right to pass laws for the colonies as a whole. These rights would come from a British-American council with a representative from each of the thirteen colonies and a president appointed by the king.

Option 3

The colonists just want to have the rights that their fellow Englishmen have back in the motherland.  They feel that they are under the same crown, so they should have the same rights, yet in no way do the colonists want to be independent from the Motherland.  The source of these rights would be the Motherland.  They have the power to do what they want, and so far they have chosen to take away some of the rights that the colonists feel they rightfully deserve.

Option 4

According to John Locke, the rights all people should enjoy are life, liberty, and security in property. these are god-given rights that cannot be denied to us without our consent. the british government violated our natural rights, and we have the obligation to overthrow a government that violates its duty to protect our rights. the common people give the government its power and we have every right to take that power away since our natural rights have been taken away.