I was rereading the Declaration of Independence for my philosophy Junior seminar and came across a passage that I don't remember seeing before in the list of grievances:
"For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:"
More questions: What is the context behind this statement? Which province are they referring to? How was the treatment of the American colonies vs other colonies. Was it harsher or less strict?
The passage is referring to the Quebec Act. Long story short among many other reasons for declaring independence, Britain had recently expanded the boundaries of the province of Quebec in Canada to include Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and parts of Minnesota. This was a BIG deal for certain American states like New York and Pennsylvania because they thought they had just fought a war (the Seven Years War i.e. the French and Indian War) to takeover that very land. Also French civil law was restored in the newly expanded Quebec under the Quebec Act and removing English Common Law. That is what "abolishing the free System of English Laws" part is referring to. Lastly there was the issue of the Quebec Act expanding toleration to Catholics which really annoyed the newly awakened Great Awakening people in the 13 colonies who were all protestant. In relation to your last question the 13 colonies had it really easy compared to other locations under British control. Authorities had been really lenient for decades on tariffs, taxes, and smuggling but because of England's massive debt they tried to enforce the already existing laws which Americans never really obeyed in the first place. That dispute over whether Britain could or should enforce those laws gradually built up into a full fledged civil revolt which America won with the help of other European powers, creating America.