The Revolutionary War

The Revolutionary War

When England colonized America it didn’t have a plan on how the colonies would be governed. Some colonies governed themselves. Other colonies were governed by the King's officials. The King insisted on his right to create laws governing the colonies. British parliament also created laws that governed the colonies.

The British passed laws that were in the best interest of England, not the colonies. For example, they passed the Navigation Act which restricted colonists from competing with British businesses. They also prevented colonists from selling their goods to countries other than Britain, even if the country was willing to pay a higher price than the British. Britain made it difficult for the colonies to trade with the French and the Spanish. While the British continued to enforce their control of the colonies, they refused to allow the colonies government representation in England.

The British believed that their own appointed government officials were able to represent the colonies. The colonies resented British control. The colonies created their own laws, and ignored the British laws they did not like. This created considerable tension between Britain and the colonies.

While England found governing its colonies in America difficult, it also found it expensive. Britain had recently fought the French and Indian War, which gave it control of Canada and much of the land east of the Mississippi. The war was very expensive for England, and it now needed more money to maintain soldiers in all these areas. In 1764, the British government decided to tax the colonists to pay a share of the costs.

The British taxed all sugar bought from the French or Spanish. The British then created the Stamp Act, requiring all newspapers and legal documents to carry a stamp purchased from the British. These taxes angered the colonists and they managed to force the British to eliminate the Stamp Act and to reduce the taxes on sugar.

When England colonized America it had no master plan on how the colonies would be governed. Some colonies governed themselves. Other colonies were governed by the King's officials. The King insisted on his right to create laws governing the colonies. British parliament also created laws that governed the colonies. The British passed laws that were in the best interest of England, not the colonies. For example, they passed the Navigation Act which restricted colonists from competing with British businesses. They also prevented colonists from selling their goods to countries other than Britain, even if the country was willing to pay a higher price than the British.

Britain made it difficult for the colonies to trade with the French and the Spanish. While the British continued to enforce their control of the colonies, they refused to allow the colonies government representation in England. The British believed that their own appointed government officials adequately represented the colonies. The colonies resented British control.

The colonies created their own laws, and ignored the British laws they did not like. This created considerable tension between Britain and the colonies. In 1767, the British passed new taxes on glass, paper, teas, paints and other goods shipped to the colonies from Britain. Prime Minister Charles Townsend wanted to raise money to cover the cost for defending the colonies, and pay the salaries of governors and judges in the colonies. These were known as the Townsend Acts.

The colonists reacted by refusing to buy British goods. The colonists argued that they shouldn't be taxed since they had no representation in the British government. The colonists rallied behind the phrase, "No Taxation without Representation." Again Britain was forced to remove the taxes, all except for the tax on tea.

Farmer

Since my William joined that army of Patriots, I've had nothing but misery and heartache. Why, with fields to tend, children to feed and a house to keep, I fear I shall drop dead from exhaustion soon. It was when we heard news that Governor Dunmore was going to free the slaves, turn them into an army and have them march against us. That's when my William decided he must go enlist in the Patriot army. He figured it was the only way to defend his home and family against a man like Lord Dunmore and an army of slaves.

So he up and joined Colonel Woodford's Regiment of volunteers he did. And that leaves me with all the work to do here on the farm. And I don't mind telling you I've been afraid too. I've been afraid that Lord Dunmore's army will march up to my door. And I've been a might worried about strangers too. What do politics matter to a simple farmer? All I want is to raise my family here on this farm.

In normal times we can raise enough food to keep us through the winter, and harvest enough tobacco to make just a little money for some finer things. But with Lord Dunmore raising an army and the Patriots raising a ruckus, well, it looks like we are in for some hard times. I don't know if I can manage this farm by myself, without my William.

Milliner

I have imported the best and most fashionable English goods for sale in this store. I pray these conflicts of late are soon settled. If the situation doesn't improve, I may be forced to return to England. I cannot allow my personal feelings to interfere with my business. I provide goods and services for all Virginians, be they Patriot or Loyalist. And when the conflict is resolved, assuming my business has survived these terrible times, I hope to remain the favored choice for the victors as well as for the unfortunate defeated party.

Well, with all this talk of war, there are few gentlemen and ladies interested in purchasing fashionable British dress and the like. But far worse are these terrible Non-Importation agreements that we were forced to sign. The Patriots insist that we will not purchase any merchandise from England. And if you dare to go against these Patriots, they will put you out of business completely, and worse.

Why some merchants have been threatened with tar and feathering if they don't comply with the Patriots. I have no suppliers on this side of the Atlantic and it will be many months—and even longer if we go to war with England—before I can restock my shelves with merchandise.

How can I live here if I cannot operate my millinery shop?

Patriot

The Intolerable acts were acts limited the citizen’s basic rights as Englishmen and violated the English Bill of Rights which we all hold most dear. Secondly, the English soldiers roaming around during peace time in the colonies. The Boston Massacre was an unnecessary event which should have not occurred. Protesting taxes in front of a tax collectors house is no reason to kill five people.

We can plainly see through Paul Reeves' engraving of this horrific event that the men, women, and children who had gathered outside the Customs House meant no harm. Additionally, tax paying colonists should not have to worry about armed soldiers during times of peace. Though there was a law that made colonists house soldiers during wartime, the Quartering Act placed these armed soldiers on our sacred lands during peace time.

This is a way that King George III and the British rulers bent the laws so that the laws would fit their needs. The Final argument that we present is the Proclamation of 1763. This law cut off the colonists from the western frontier. These lands, were homes of many trailblazers and frontiersmen. Because of war costs, Britain set up this law, and told the colonists a lie. They said they were trying to keep the colonists safe, when actually they were trying to cut down on military costs and keep the soldiers in the colonies to enforce marshal law on peaceful citizens during this time of peace.

The colonies needed to expand and support their own government, so all the reasons listed helped lead to the breaking away of the colonies from the tight grip of English tyranny and rule. Also, the Second Continental Congress sent the Olive Branch Petition to try for peace, but England turned it down bringing the revolution upon them self. So, Parliament can blame no one else but themselves. The colonies have good, strong reasons to stand up and fight for freedom.

Loyalist

Tarred and feathered, beaten and mocked, this is the treatment we receive for being loyal to the king. The Patriots are constantly trying to convert us from the crown. We disagree with the colonists as they try to gain freedom through false logic, complaining about unfair taxes, and revolts against British laws. With this information, we are against the Patriots decision to become independent from our mother country.

During the French and Indian War, Britain served for the colonies to protect them but lost most of their supplies and was in deep debt. Since the colonies started the war by moving west onto the natives land for farming, Britain tried to enforce taxes, lower than the previous ones, to decrease the debt and to maintain the protection of the colonies, for British armies, they had a need for supplies and food to serve in future battles.

Since the British pay 26 shillings and the colonies pay only 1 shilling of taxes per year, there was no reason to act violently and foolishly. The mockery and humiliation we loyalists receive is inhumane. Patriots are constantly mocking, beating, or tarring known loyalists. For example, the Boston Massacre was brought on buy colonists mocking and throwing objects at soldiers on duty. When a random shot was fired from the crowd, the soldiers then fired to defend themselves.

The soldiers were the ones blamed for this, not the colonists who deliberately provoked them. Their innocence was proven by the Patriots own John Adams in a colonial court of law. In the Declaration of Independence, it states a numerous amount of false logic that really only applies to the rich, landowning, white men.