Question

questions 1 through 3 refer to the following.
from infancy i was taught to love humanity and liberty. inquiry and experience have since confirmed my reverence for the lessons then given me, by convincing me more fully of their truth and excellence. benevolence towards mankind excites wishes for their welfare, and such wishes endear the means of fulfilling them. those can be found in liberty alone, and therefore her sacred cause ought to be espoused by every man, on every occasion, to the utmost of his power.
these being my sentiments, i am encouraged to offer you, my countrymen, my thoughts on some late transactions, that in my opinion are of the utmost importance to you.
if the british parliament has a legal authority to order, that we shall furnish a single article for the troops here, and to compel obedience to that order. they have the same right to order us to supply those troops with arms, clothes, and to compel obedience to that order also. what is this but taxing us at a certain sum, and leaving to us only the manner of raising it? how is this mode more tolerable than the stamp act?
john dickinson, letters from a farmer in pennsylvania, to the inhabitants of the british colonies, 1768
which of the following would have been most likely to agree with the sentiments expressed in the excerpt?
a native americans west of the appalachian mountains
b enslaved people in the south
c anglican ministers in the middle colonies
d merchants in new england

Explanation:

The excerpt emphasizes liberty and opposition to British Parliament's overreach (like comparing to the Stamp Act). New England merchants were often affected by British trade and tax policies (which restricted their economic liberty). Native Americans west of Appalachians were more focused on land - not the same liberty in trade/tax context. Enslaved people had a different form of oppression (slavery itself) not directly addressed here. Anglican ministers in middle colonies were more about religious and colonial governance (not the economic - liberty - from - British - control sentiment as strong as merchants). Merchants in New England would likely agree as they wanted economic freedom from British impositions.

Answer:

D. Merchants in New England