The American Revolution caused a division between the British government and the colonies. The American colonists claimed that they were not represented in Parliament, so Parliament had no right to tax them. This issue was the source of the well-known phrase “taxation without representation.” Many of the colonists wanted their rights represented in the government. Today, there is concern that many people don’t vote, and only people who vote are represented by the government. In the last presidential election only 55 percent of eligible citizens voted. Why do you think voter participation is so low in the United States today? Do you think Americans still believe that it is important to be represented in government? Why or why not?