Which series of essays written in 1767-1768 argued against British taxation without representation?

• A. The Federalist Papers
• B. Common Sense
• C. Declaration of Independence
• D. Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that taxes should be approved by those who are represented in government. John Dickinson’s Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, written in 1767–1768, argued that Parliament could regulate trade but could not levy revenue taxes on the colonies without the consent of their own elected assemblies. In other words, taxation without representation was illegitimate because colonists did not have a voice in Parliament that taxed them. Dickinson also drew a distinction between external duties on trade and internal taxes, insisting that internal taxes require local consent. These essays helped crystallize the colonial grievance against the Townshend Acts and promoted peaceful resistance while staying loyal to constitutional rights. The other works listed came from different times or focus on different arguments—ranging from constitutional ratification to independence—whereas these letters specifically address taxation and representation during that period.