text: This name was chosen to echo the American Whigs of 1776 , who fought for independence and because `` Whig '' was then a widely recognized label of choice for people who saw themselves as opposing tyranny .
simplified: Their name was chosen to tell people about the American Whigs of 1776 , who fought for independence . `` Whig '' was then a widely recognized label of choice for people who saw themselves as opposing autocratic rule .