Virginia Resolution- Alien and Sedition Acts
--Who is writing?
~The General Assembly of Virginia wrote this document.
--Who is the audience?
~The audience is the people of the United States of America, and all the people that believe in the constitution. In the last paragraph, it states that a copy of this resolution shall be given to all the senators and representatives of all the other states in America.
--Who do the writers represent?
~The writers represent the government and those who want to protect the constitution.
--What is being said, argued and/or requested?
~The general assembly of Virginia is defending the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the state of Virginia. They want to keep the peace and happiness that the public has with the Constitution. There were acts placed against the Constitution such as the Alien and Sedition Acts. The General Assembly was trying to stop the acts such as those from continuing.
--How is it being said, argued and/or requested?
~The General Assembly creates a great argument with great points and evidence to back up their points. They state their argument in a very sophisticated and educated way. They sound very scholarly and they know what they are talking about.
--What proof and/or justification is being used to legitimize the request?
~The General Assembly uses the Alien Act and the Sedition Act as justification to the harm that is being laid on the Constitution, as stated in the 5th paragraph. "That the General Assembly doth particularly protest against the palpable and alarming infractions of the Constitution, in the two late cases of the "Alien and Sedition Acts" passed at the last session of Congress." The General Assembly explains that the acts both Control the government, and restrict the rights of the people. They go against the Constitution.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Essay #2 reflection
Since the time of the previous essay up to now, I have improved greatly. I'm not sure if it is because I handled my time wisely, or because I gained better writing skills. It is probably a combination of both. I kept on track with the schedule Craig planned out for us, and it really helped with my time management problem. I liked the way Craig gave us the schedule of due dates throughout the essay time period before hand. That really helped me keep myself going in the right direction with the time we had to accomplish the goals of the essay. This time, with essay #2, I felt like I had a hard time getting started with the outline. This was true because the research was difficult. I wasnt finding any good information online on the databases, so to solve my problem I went to the library. The books I gathered were filled with information about my colony specifically. The books and the primary documents were great sources for my essay. I found that because I wrote my rough draft early on, I had alot of time to edit and revise. This worked well in creating an essay that I was proud of.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Final Draft Essay #2
Rhode Island Patriot
The most freedom I have ever felt has been brought to me through Rhode Island. In 1663, a charter was passed saying that we have total freedom from the colonies established around us. When the charter was passed, I was most thrilled and would do anything to support my freedom and the freedom of Rhode Island. I came here to escape the religious oppression and unruly acts forced upon me from our fellow colonies. They would not let the colonists and I practice our faith the way we wished. They tried to rule our life the way Britain dictates us with their unjust laws. The freedom of Rhode Island has made me a proud patriot and I feel most grateful to live in such a colony as this. "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country"(Nathan Hale). We tried to fight with words instead of violence, but they didn’t want to stop their tyranny. Now is my time to fight with action for my beloved country against the unjust laws and taxes that affect the trade we use to survive. I have lived in the successful colony of Rhode Island for many years, and we don’t need the tyrannical acts Great Britain is forcing on us.
Since the time I first came to the wonderful colony of Rhode Island we prospered tremendously in our trade, which led us to our great economy. Newport is the focal point of our trading in Rhode Island, and is one of the most important seaports in all of the colonies (Doak 56). Once Great Britain found out about our prosperous trade, they wanted to seize our wealth and pay off the debts they had accumulated over the years of previous wars with the French. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea” (Whitehurst 17). My anger grew when thinking that Great Britain was taking our wealth to payoff their debts, when we have our own debts to settle. “[T]he colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair” (Schanzer 18). Rhode Island is a small colony and we depend on trade to survive. Farming and trade are our most important economic source of income. The main port in Newport was blockaded by British ships, and this affected our economy for the worse. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port” (Doak 94). These fierce taxes on our trade hurt us instead of help us, so we have to help ourselves. They forced many of my fellow colonists out of Newport, and they took over our trade center. Their taxes are not made with the well-being of Rhode Island as their thought, but rather greedy thoughts of their prosperity.
The King of England and Parliament hurt our colony through their unjust laws and taxations. Great Britain began to pass laws around 1650, and that was the beginning of British attempts to gain our wealth. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy” (Doak 41). These laws put limits on the types of goods that we could make and sell. The laws state “[T]hat no goods grown or manufactured in Asia, Africa, or America should be transported to England except in English vessels, and that the goods of any European country imported into England must be brought in British vessels, or in vessels of the country producing them” (The Navigation Acts). The second law states that “This act forbade the importing into or the exporting from the British colonies of any goods except in English or colonial ships and it forbade certain enumerated articles--tobacco, sugar, cotton, wool, dyeing woods, etc.--to be shipped to any country, except to England or some English plantation” (The Navigation Acts). We tried to put up with the taxes, but they only hurt us, so we had others smuggle the goods in and out of our port. This is the only choice we had to survive. Our economy is suffering more and more as the taxes from England keep coming, and they will only get worse if we don’t stop them.
The King of England does not respond to our cries for mercy, and the only choice they give us is to fight back to protect our welfare. We, Rhode Island and the colonies around us sent delegates to Philadelphia to develop a plan of stopping this nonsense. We made many attempts to stop their terror upon us by attempting to contact the King and Parliament. The delegates wrote to King George III pleading for mercy, but the King kept his attacks on our economy coming. “They wrote to King George III of Great Britain, offering to make a deal. The colonists would stop fighting if the British government met their demands for lower taxes and less meddling in colonial government” (Stefoff 18). We as patriots only want freedom from the British attacks. We make attempt after attempt to stop the taxes without violence. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions” (Olive Branch Petition). The King never took into mind any of the letters we wrote to him, and he never even looked at the Olive Branch Petition. We are falling apart because England is trying to rule over us, instead of next to us. We have rights, and in order to protect them we must fight, so we have to take up arms.
In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before. (Taking up Arms)
It is time to take a stand for the independence of Rhode Island.
England was my “mother country” before she placed us under her like slaves. Our patient letters to the King didn’t stop their abuse. England greedily forced taxes upon us, and unjustly placed laws against us. These minor inconveniences for England are major threats on the economy of Rhode Island. They are simply asking for us to fight back. Our independence is at stake, and England is not going to take that from us. I am a proud patriot from Rhode Island, and I will do whatever it takes to keep my freedom and the freedom of the colonies of America.
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
"Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations ." Avalon Project July 15, 1663 1. 21 Nov 2008 http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/ri04.asp.
"A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.." Avalon Project 1. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/arms.asp.
"Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King." Avalon Project July 8, 1775 1. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/contcong_07-08-75.asp.
"The Navigation Acts ." Avalon Project 1. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/contcong_07-08-75.asp.
The most freedom I have ever felt has been brought to me through Rhode Island. In 1663, a charter was passed saying that we have total freedom from the colonies established around us. When the charter was passed, I was most thrilled and would do anything to support my freedom and the freedom of Rhode Island. I came here to escape the religious oppression and unruly acts forced upon me from our fellow colonies. They would not let the colonists and I practice our faith the way we wished. They tried to rule our life the way Britain dictates us with their unjust laws. The freedom of Rhode Island has made me a proud patriot and I feel most grateful to live in such a colony as this. "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country"(Nathan Hale). We tried to fight with words instead of violence, but they didn’t want to stop their tyranny. Now is my time to fight with action for my beloved country against the unjust laws and taxes that affect the trade we use to survive. I have lived in the successful colony of Rhode Island for many years, and we don’t need the tyrannical acts Great Britain is forcing on us.
Since the time I first came to the wonderful colony of Rhode Island we prospered tremendously in our trade, which led us to our great economy. Newport is the focal point of our trading in Rhode Island, and is one of the most important seaports in all of the colonies (Doak 56). Once Great Britain found out about our prosperous trade, they wanted to seize our wealth and pay off the debts they had accumulated over the years of previous wars with the French. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea” (Whitehurst 17). My anger grew when thinking that Great Britain was taking our wealth to payoff their debts, when we have our own debts to settle. “[T]he colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair” (Schanzer 18). Rhode Island is a small colony and we depend on trade to survive. Farming and trade are our most important economic source of income. The main port in Newport was blockaded by British ships, and this affected our economy for the worse. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port” (Doak 94). These fierce taxes on our trade hurt us instead of help us, so we have to help ourselves. They forced many of my fellow colonists out of Newport, and they took over our trade center. Their taxes are not made with the well-being of Rhode Island as their thought, but rather greedy thoughts of their prosperity.
The King of England and Parliament hurt our colony through their unjust laws and taxations. Great Britain began to pass laws around 1650, and that was the beginning of British attempts to gain our wealth. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy” (Doak 41). These laws put limits on the types of goods that we could make and sell. The laws state “[T]hat no goods grown or manufactured in Asia, Africa, or America should be transported to England except in English vessels, and that the goods of any European country imported into England must be brought in British vessels, or in vessels of the country producing them” (The Navigation Acts). The second law states that “This act forbade the importing into or the exporting from the British colonies of any goods except in English or colonial ships and it forbade certain enumerated articles--tobacco, sugar, cotton, wool, dyeing woods, etc.--to be shipped to any country, except to England or some English plantation” (The Navigation Acts). We tried to put up with the taxes, but they only hurt us, so we had others smuggle the goods in and out of our port. This is the only choice we had to survive. Our economy is suffering more and more as the taxes from England keep coming, and they will only get worse if we don’t stop them.
The King of England does not respond to our cries for mercy, and the only choice they give us is to fight back to protect our welfare. We, Rhode Island and the colonies around us sent delegates to Philadelphia to develop a plan of stopping this nonsense. We made many attempts to stop their terror upon us by attempting to contact the King and Parliament. The delegates wrote to King George III pleading for mercy, but the King kept his attacks on our economy coming. “They wrote to King George III of Great Britain, offering to make a deal. The colonists would stop fighting if the British government met their demands for lower taxes and less meddling in colonial government” (Stefoff 18). We as patriots only want freedom from the British attacks. We make attempt after attempt to stop the taxes without violence. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions” (Olive Branch Petition). The King never took into mind any of the letters we wrote to him, and he never even looked at the Olive Branch Petition. We are falling apart because England is trying to rule over us, instead of next to us. We have rights, and in order to protect them we must fight, so we have to take up arms.
In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before. (Taking up Arms)
It is time to take a stand for the independence of Rhode Island.
England was my “mother country” before she placed us under her like slaves. Our patient letters to the King didn’t stop their abuse. England greedily forced taxes upon us, and unjustly placed laws against us. These minor inconveniences for England are major threats on the economy of Rhode Island. They are simply asking for us to fight back. Our independence is at stake, and England is not going to take that from us. I am a proud patriot from Rhode Island, and I will do whatever it takes to keep my freedom and the freedom of the colonies of America.
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
"Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations ." Avalon Project July 15, 1663 1. 21 Nov 2008 http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/ri04.asp.
"A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.." Avalon Project 1. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/arms.asp.
"Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King." Avalon Project July 8, 1775 1. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/contcong_07-08-75.asp.
"The Navigation Acts ." Avalon Project 1. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/contcong_07-08-75.asp.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
rough draft #4
The most freedom I have ever felt has been brought to me through Rhode Island. In 1663, a charter was passed saying that we have total freedom from the colonies established around us. When the charter was passed, I was most thrilled and would do anything to support my freedom and the freedom of Rhode Island. I came here to escape the religious oppression and unruly acts forced upon me from our fellow colonies. They would not let the colonists and I practice our faith the way we wished. They tried to rule our lives the way Britain dictates us with their unjust laws. The freedom of Rhode Island has made me a proud patriot and I feel most grateful to live in such a colony as this. "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country"(Nathan Hale). We tried to fight with words instead of violence, but they didn’t want to stop their tyranny. Now is my time to fight with action for my beloved country against the unjust laws and taxes that effect the trade we use to survive. I have lived in the successfully independent colony of Rhode Island for many years, and we don’t need the tyrannical acts Great Britain is forcing on us.
Since the time I first came to the wonderful colony of Rhode Island we prospered tremendously in our trade, which led us to our great economy. Newport is the focal point of our trading in Rhode Island, and is one of the most important seaports in all of the colonies (Doak 56). Once Great Britain found out about our prosperous trade, they wanted to seize our wealth and pay off the debts they had accumulated over the years of previous wars with the French. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea” (Whitehurst 17). My anger grew when thinking that Great Britain was taking our wealth to payoff their debts, when we have our own debts to settle. “[T]he colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair” (Schanzer 18). Rhode Island is a small colony and we depend on trade to survive. Farming and trade are our most important economic source of income. The main port in Newport was blockaded by British ships, and this effected our economy for the worse. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port” (Doak 94). These fierce taxes on our trade hurt us instead of help us, so we have to help ourselves. They forced many of my fellow colonists out of Newport, and they took over our trade center. Their taxes are not made with the well-being of Rhode Island as their thought, but rather greedy thoughts of their prosperity.
The King of England and Parliament hurt our colony through their unjust laws and taxations. Great Britain began to pass laws around 1650, and that was the beginning of British attempts to gain our wealth. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy” (Doak 41). These laws put limits on the types of goods that we could make and sell. The laws state “[T]hat no goods grown or manufactured in Asia, Africa, or America should be transported to England except in English vessels, and that the goods of any European country imported into England must be brought in British vessels, or in vessels of the country producing them” (The Navigation Acts). The second law states that “This act forbade the importing into or the exporting from the British colonies of any goods except in English or colonial ships and it forbade certain enumerated articles--tobacco, sugar, cotton, wool, dyeing woods, etc.--to be shipped to any country, except to England or some English plantation.” (The Navigation Acts). We tried to put up with the taxes, but they only hurt us, so we had others smuggle the goods in and out of our port. This is the only choice we had to survive. Our economy is suffering more and more as the taxes from England keep coming, and they will only get worse if we don’t stop them.
The King of England does not respond to our cries for mercy, and the only choice they give us is to fight back to protect our welfare. We, Rhode Island and the colonies around us sent delegates to Philadelphia to develop a plan of stopping this nonsense. We made many attempts to stop their terror upon us by attempting to contact the King and Parliament. The delegates wrote to King George III pleading for mercy, but the King kept his attacks on our economy coming. “They wrote to King George III of Great Britain, offering to make a deal. The colonists would stop fighting if the British government met their demands for lower taxes and less meddling in colonial government” (Stefoff 18). We as patriots only want freedom from the British attacks. We make attempt after attempt to stop the taxes without violence. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions” (Olive Branch Petition). The King never took into mind any of the letters we wrote to him, and he never even looked at the Olive Branch Petition. We are falling apart because England is trying to rule over us, instead of next to us. We have rights, and in order to protect them we must fight, so we have to take up arms.“In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before” (Taking up Arms). It is time to take a stand for the independence of Rhode Island.
England was my “mother country” before she placed us under her like slaves. Our patient letters to the King didn’t stop their abuse. England greedily forced taxes upon us, and unjustly placed laws against us. These minor inconveniences for England are major threats on the economy of Rhode Island. They are simply asking for us to fight back. Our independence is at stake, and England is not going to take that from us. I am a proud patriot from Rhode Island, and I will do whatever it takes to keep my freedom and the freedom of the colonies of America.
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - July 15, 1663
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in
Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
The Navigation Acts http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/colonial/book/chap10_6.html
Since the time I first came to the wonderful colony of Rhode Island we prospered tremendously in our trade, which led us to our great economy. Newport is the focal point of our trading in Rhode Island, and is one of the most important seaports in all of the colonies (Doak 56). Once Great Britain found out about our prosperous trade, they wanted to seize our wealth and pay off the debts they had accumulated over the years of previous wars with the French. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea” (Whitehurst 17). My anger grew when thinking that Great Britain was taking our wealth to payoff their debts, when we have our own debts to settle. “[T]he colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair” (Schanzer 18). Rhode Island is a small colony and we depend on trade to survive. Farming and trade are our most important economic source of income. The main port in Newport was blockaded by British ships, and this effected our economy for the worse. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port” (Doak 94). These fierce taxes on our trade hurt us instead of help us, so we have to help ourselves. They forced many of my fellow colonists out of Newport, and they took over our trade center. Their taxes are not made with the well-being of Rhode Island as their thought, but rather greedy thoughts of their prosperity.
The King of England and Parliament hurt our colony through their unjust laws and taxations. Great Britain began to pass laws around 1650, and that was the beginning of British attempts to gain our wealth. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy” (Doak 41). These laws put limits on the types of goods that we could make and sell. The laws state “[T]hat no goods grown or manufactured in Asia, Africa, or America should be transported to England except in English vessels, and that the goods of any European country imported into England must be brought in British vessels, or in vessels of the country producing them” (The Navigation Acts). The second law states that “This act forbade the importing into or the exporting from the British colonies of any goods except in English or colonial ships and it forbade certain enumerated articles--tobacco, sugar, cotton, wool, dyeing woods, etc.--to be shipped to any country, except to England or some English plantation.” (The Navigation Acts). We tried to put up with the taxes, but they only hurt us, so we had others smuggle the goods in and out of our port. This is the only choice we had to survive. Our economy is suffering more and more as the taxes from England keep coming, and they will only get worse if we don’t stop them.
The King of England does not respond to our cries for mercy, and the only choice they give us is to fight back to protect our welfare. We, Rhode Island and the colonies around us sent delegates to Philadelphia to develop a plan of stopping this nonsense. We made many attempts to stop their terror upon us by attempting to contact the King and Parliament. The delegates wrote to King George III pleading for mercy, but the King kept his attacks on our economy coming. “They wrote to King George III of Great Britain, offering to make a deal. The colonists would stop fighting if the British government met their demands for lower taxes and less meddling in colonial government” (Stefoff 18). We as patriots only want freedom from the British attacks. We make attempt after attempt to stop the taxes without violence. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions” (Olive Branch Petition). The King never took into mind any of the letters we wrote to him, and he never even looked at the Olive Branch Petition. We are falling apart because England is trying to rule over us, instead of next to us. We have rights, and in order to protect them we must fight, so we have to take up arms.“In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before” (Taking up Arms). It is time to take a stand for the independence of Rhode Island.
England was my “mother country” before she placed us under her like slaves. Our patient letters to the King didn’t stop their abuse. England greedily forced taxes upon us, and unjustly placed laws against us. These minor inconveniences for England are major threats on the economy of Rhode Island. They are simply asking for us to fight back. Our independence is at stake, and England is not going to take that from us. I am a proud patriot from Rhode Island, and I will do whatever it takes to keep my freedom and the freedom of the colonies of America.
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - July 15, 1663
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in
Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
The Navigation Acts http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/colonial/book/chap10_6.html
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Rhough Draft #3
The most freedom I have ever felt has been brought to me through Rhode Island. In 1663, a charter was passed saying that we have total freedom from the colonies established around us. When the charter was passed, I was most thrilled and would do anything to support my freedom and the freedom of Rhode Island. The freedom is most important to me, and I came here to escape the religious oppression and unruly acts forced upon me from our fellow colonies. They would not let the colonists and I practice our faith the way we wished. They tried to rule our lives the way Britain dictates us with their unjust laws. The freedom of Rhode Island has made me a proud patriot and I feel most grateful to live in such a colony as this. "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country"(Nathan Hale). Now is my time to fight for my beloved country against the unjust laws and taxes that effect the trade we use to survive. I have lived in the successfully independent colony of Rhode Island for many years, and we don’t need the tyrannical acts Great Britain is forcing on us.
Since the time I first came to the wonderful colony of Rhode Island we prospered tremendously in our trade which led us to our great economy. Newport is the focal point of our trading in Rhode Island, and is one of the most important seaports in all of the colonies (Doak 56). Once Great Britain found out about our prosperous trade, they wanted to join our wealth and pay off the debts they had accumulated over the years of previous wars with the French. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea” (Whitehurst 17). My anger grew when thinking that Great Britain was taking our wealth to payoff their debts, when we have our own debts to settle. “[T]he colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair” (Schanzer 18). Rhode Island is a small colony and we depend on trade to survive. Farming and trade are our most important economical source of income. Our economy is suffering more and more as the taxes from England keep coming, and they will only get worse if we don’t stop them.
The King of England and Parliament hurt our colony through their unjust laws and taxations. Great Britain began to pass laws around 1650, and that was just the beginning of our economic downfall. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy” (Doak 41). These laws put limits on the types of goods that we could make and sell. The laws state “ [T]hat no goods grown or manufactured in Asia, Africa, or America should be transported to England except in English vessels, and that the goods of any European country imported into England must be brought in British vessels, or in vessels of the country producing them” (The Navigation Acts). The second law states “the importing into or the exporting from the British colonies of any goods except in English or colonial ships and it forbade certain enumerated articles--tobacco, sugar, cotton, wool, dyeing woods, etc.--to he shipped to any country, except to England or some English plantation” (The Navigation Acts). We tried to put up with the laws, but they only hurt us, so we had others smuggle the goods in and out of our port. This is the only choice we had to survive. The main port in Newport was blockaded by British ships, and this effected our economy for the worse. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port” (Doak 94). They hurt us instead of help us, so we have to help ourselves. Great Britain forces us to disobey Parliament’s laws.
The King of England does no respond to our cries for mercy, and the only choice they give us is to fight back to protect our well being. We, Rhode Island and the colonies around us sent delegates to Philadelphia to develop a plan of stopping this nonsense. We made many attempts to stop their terror upon us by attempting to contact the King and Parliament. The delegates wrote to King George III pleading for mercy, but the King kept his attacks coming. “They wrote to King George III of Great Britain, offering to make a deal. The colonists would stop fighting if the British government met their demands for lower taxes and less meddling in colonial government” (Stefoff 18). We as patriots only want freedom from the British attacks. We make attempt after attempt to stop the taxes without violence. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions” (Olive Branch Petition). The King never took into mind any of the letters we wrote to him, and he never even looked at the Olive Branch Petition. We are falling apart because England is trying to rule over us, instead of next to us. We have rights, and in order to protect them we must fight, so we have to take up arms.
“In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.” (Taking up Arms)
It is time to take a stand for the independence of Rhode Island.
England was my “mother country” before she placed us under her like slaves. Our patient letters to the King didn’t stop their abuse. England greedily forced taxes upon us, and unjustly placed laws against us. These minor inconveniences for England are major threats on the economy of Rhode Island. They are simply asking for us to fight back. Our independence is at stake, and England is not going to take that from us. I am a proud patriot from Rhode Island, and I will do whatever it takes to keep my freedom and the freedom of the colonies of America.
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - July 15, 1663
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in
Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
The Navigation Acts http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/colonial/book/chap10_6.html
Since the time I first came to the wonderful colony of Rhode Island we prospered tremendously in our trade which led us to our great economy. Newport is the focal point of our trading in Rhode Island, and is one of the most important seaports in all of the colonies (Doak 56). Once Great Britain found out about our prosperous trade, they wanted to join our wealth and pay off the debts they had accumulated over the years of previous wars with the French. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea” (Whitehurst 17). My anger grew when thinking that Great Britain was taking our wealth to payoff their debts, when we have our own debts to settle. “[T]he colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair” (Schanzer 18). Rhode Island is a small colony and we depend on trade to survive. Farming and trade are our most important economical source of income. Our economy is suffering more and more as the taxes from England keep coming, and they will only get worse if we don’t stop them.
The King of England and Parliament hurt our colony through their unjust laws and taxations. Great Britain began to pass laws around 1650, and that was just the beginning of our economic downfall. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy” (Doak 41). These laws put limits on the types of goods that we could make and sell. The laws state “ [T]hat no goods grown or manufactured in Asia, Africa, or America should be transported to England except in English vessels, and that the goods of any European country imported into England must be brought in British vessels, or in vessels of the country producing them” (The Navigation Acts). The second law states “the importing into or the exporting from the British colonies of any goods except in English or colonial ships and it forbade certain enumerated articles--tobacco, sugar, cotton, wool, dyeing woods, etc.--to he shipped to any country, except to England or some English plantation” (The Navigation Acts). We tried to put up with the laws, but they only hurt us, so we had others smuggle the goods in and out of our port. This is the only choice we had to survive. The main port in Newport was blockaded by British ships, and this effected our economy for the worse. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port” (Doak 94). They hurt us instead of help us, so we have to help ourselves. Great Britain forces us to disobey Parliament’s laws.
The King of England does no respond to our cries for mercy, and the only choice they give us is to fight back to protect our well being. We, Rhode Island and the colonies around us sent delegates to Philadelphia to develop a plan of stopping this nonsense. We made many attempts to stop their terror upon us by attempting to contact the King and Parliament. The delegates wrote to King George III pleading for mercy, but the King kept his attacks coming. “They wrote to King George III of Great Britain, offering to make a deal. The colonists would stop fighting if the British government met their demands for lower taxes and less meddling in colonial government” (Stefoff 18). We as patriots only want freedom from the British attacks. We make attempt after attempt to stop the taxes without violence. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions” (Olive Branch Petition). The King never took into mind any of the letters we wrote to him, and he never even looked at the Olive Branch Petition. We are falling apart because England is trying to rule over us, instead of next to us. We have rights, and in order to protect them we must fight, so we have to take up arms.
“In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.” (Taking up Arms)
It is time to take a stand for the independence of Rhode Island.
England was my “mother country” before she placed us under her like slaves. Our patient letters to the King didn’t stop their abuse. England greedily forced taxes upon us, and unjustly placed laws against us. These minor inconveniences for England are major threats on the economy of Rhode Island. They are simply asking for us to fight back. Our independence is at stake, and England is not going to take that from us. I am a proud patriot from Rhode Island, and I will do whatever it takes to keep my freedom and the freedom of the colonies of America.
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - July 15, 1663
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in
Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
The Navigation Acts http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/colonial/book/chap10_6.html
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Rough Draft essay #2 revised
The most freedom I have ever felt has been brought to me through Rhode Island. In 1663, a charter was passed saying that we have total freedom from the colonies established around us. I came here to escape the religious oppression and unruly acts forced upon me from our fellow colonies. They would not let the colonists and I practice our faith the way we wished. They tried to rule our lives the way Britain dictates us with their unjust laws and taxations. I have lived in the successfully independent colony of Rhode Island for many years, and we don’t need the tyrannical acts Great Britain is forcing on us. When the Charter was passed, I was most thrilled and would do anything to support my freedom and the freedom of Rhode Island. "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country"(Nathan Hale). I am a proud patriot of Rhode Island and feel most grateful to live in such a colony as this.
Since the time I first came to the wonderful colony of Rhode Island, we prospered tremendously in our trade which led us to our great economy. Newport is the focal point of our trading in Rhode Island, and is one of the most important seaports in all of the colonies (Doak 56). Once Great Britain found out about our prosperous trade; they wanted to join our wealth and pay off the debts they had accumulated over the years of previous wars with the French. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea” (Whitehurst 17). Great Britain began to pass laws in around 1650, and that was just the beginning of our economical downfall. My anger grew when thinking that Great Britain was taking our wealth to payoff their debts, when we have our own debts to settle. “…the colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair”(Schanzer 18). Our economy is suffering more and more as the taxes from England keep coming, and they will only get worse if we don’t stop them. Rhode Island is a small colony and we depend on trade to survive. Farming and trade are our most important economical source of income. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy”(Doak 41). These laws put limits on the types of goods that we could make and sell. The laws state “ …that no goods grown or manufactured in Asia, Africa, or America should be transported to England except in English vessels, and that the goods of any European country imported into England must be brought in British vessels, or in vessels of the country producing them” (The Navigation Acts). The second law states “the importing into or the exporting from the British colonies of any goods except in English or colonial ships and it forbade certain enumerated articles--tobacco, sugar, cotton, wool, dyeing woods, etc.--to he shipped to any country, except to England or some English plantation” (The Navigation Acts). We tried to put up with the laws, but they only hurt us, so we had others smuggle the goods in and out of our port. This is the only choice we had to survive. Great Britain forces us to disobey Parliament’s laws. The main port in Newport was blockaded by British ships, and this effected our economy for the worse. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port” (Doak 94). They hurt us instead of help us, so we have to help ourselves. The only choice they gave us is to fight back to protect our well being.
The King of England and Parliament hurt our colony through their unjust laws and taxations. We made many attempts to stop their terror upon us by using words, but they never responded to our kindness. We, Rhode Island and the colonies around us sent delegates to Philadelphia to develop a plan of stopping this nonsense. The delegates wrote to King George III pleading for mercy, but the King kept his attacks coming. “They wrote to King George III of Great Britain, offering to make a deal. The colonists would stop fighting if the British government met their demands for lower taxes and less meddling in colonial government” (Stefoff 18). We as patriots only wanted freedom from the British attacks. We made attempt after attempt to stop the taxes without violence. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions” (Olive Branch Petition). The king never took into mind any of the letters we wrote to him, and he never even looked at the Olive Branch Petition. We are falling apart because England is trying to rule over us, instead of next to us. We have rights, and in order to protect them we must fight, so we have to take up arms. “In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before” (Taking up Arms). It is time to take a stand for the independence of Rhode Island.
England was my “mother country” before she placed us under her like slaves. Taxes greedily forced upon us; laws unjustly placed. These minor inconveniences for England are major threats on the economy of Rhode Island. Our patient letters to the King didn’t stop what they wanted from us. They are simply asking for us to fight back. Our Independence is at stake, and England is not going to take that from us. I am a proud patriot from Rhode Island, and I will do what ever it takes to keep my freedom and the freedom of the colonies of America.
Citations:
Books:
-Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
-Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
-Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
-Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - July 15, 1663
-A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
-Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
(Olive Branch Petition)
-The Navigation Acts http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/colonial/book/chap10_6.html
Since the time I first came to the wonderful colony of Rhode Island, we prospered tremendously in our trade which led us to our great economy. Newport is the focal point of our trading in Rhode Island, and is one of the most important seaports in all of the colonies (Doak 56). Once Great Britain found out about our prosperous trade; they wanted to join our wealth and pay off the debts they had accumulated over the years of previous wars with the French. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea” (Whitehurst 17). Great Britain began to pass laws in around 1650, and that was just the beginning of our economical downfall. My anger grew when thinking that Great Britain was taking our wealth to payoff their debts, when we have our own debts to settle. “…the colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair”(Schanzer 18). Our economy is suffering more and more as the taxes from England keep coming, and they will only get worse if we don’t stop them. Rhode Island is a small colony and we depend on trade to survive. Farming and trade are our most important economical source of income. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy”(Doak 41). These laws put limits on the types of goods that we could make and sell. The laws state “ …that no goods grown or manufactured in Asia, Africa, or America should be transported to England except in English vessels, and that the goods of any European country imported into England must be brought in British vessels, or in vessels of the country producing them” (The Navigation Acts). The second law states “the importing into or the exporting from the British colonies of any goods except in English or colonial ships and it forbade certain enumerated articles--tobacco, sugar, cotton, wool, dyeing woods, etc.--to he shipped to any country, except to England or some English plantation” (The Navigation Acts). We tried to put up with the laws, but they only hurt us, so we had others smuggle the goods in and out of our port. This is the only choice we had to survive. Great Britain forces us to disobey Parliament’s laws. The main port in Newport was blockaded by British ships, and this effected our economy for the worse. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port” (Doak 94). They hurt us instead of help us, so we have to help ourselves. The only choice they gave us is to fight back to protect our well being.
The King of England and Parliament hurt our colony through their unjust laws and taxations. We made many attempts to stop their terror upon us by using words, but they never responded to our kindness. We, Rhode Island and the colonies around us sent delegates to Philadelphia to develop a plan of stopping this nonsense. The delegates wrote to King George III pleading for mercy, but the King kept his attacks coming. “They wrote to King George III of Great Britain, offering to make a deal. The colonists would stop fighting if the British government met their demands for lower taxes and less meddling in colonial government” (Stefoff 18). We as patriots only wanted freedom from the British attacks. We made attempt after attempt to stop the taxes without violence. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions” (Olive Branch Petition). The king never took into mind any of the letters we wrote to him, and he never even looked at the Olive Branch Petition. We are falling apart because England is trying to rule over us, instead of next to us. We have rights, and in order to protect them we must fight, so we have to take up arms. “In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before” (Taking up Arms). It is time to take a stand for the independence of Rhode Island.
England was my “mother country” before she placed us under her like slaves. Taxes greedily forced upon us; laws unjustly placed. These minor inconveniences for England are major threats on the economy of Rhode Island. Our patient letters to the King didn’t stop what they wanted from us. They are simply asking for us to fight back. Our Independence is at stake, and England is not going to take that from us. I am a proud patriot from Rhode Island, and I will do what ever it takes to keep my freedom and the freedom of the colonies of America.
Citations:
Books:
-Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
-Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
-Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
-Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - July 15, 1663
-A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
-Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
(Olive Branch Petition)
-The Navigation Acts http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/colonial/book/chap10_6.html
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Rough Draft essay #2
Rhode Island Patriot
"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country"(Nathan Hale)
I am a proud patriot of Rhode Island and feel most grateful to live in such a colony as this. The most freedom I have ever felt has been brought to me through this colony. In 1663, a charter was passed saying that we had total freedom from the colonies established around us. I came here to escape the religious oppression and unruly acts forced upon me from the fellow colonies. When the Charter was passed, I was most thrilled and would do anything to support my freedom and the freedom of Rhode Island.
Independence seemed to be working wonderfully in Rhode Island, and it gave me such a great living environment compared to the other colonies. We prospered tremendously in our trade which led us to our great economy. Newport is the focal point of our trading in Rhode Island, and was one of the most important seaports in all of the colonies. (Doak 56) Once Great Britain found out about our prosperous trade; they wanted to join our wealth and pay off the debts they had accumulated over the years of war. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea.” (Whitehurst 17) Great Britain began to pass laws in around 1650, and that was just the beginning of our economical downfall. My anger grew when thinking that Great Britain was taking our wealth to payoff their debts, when we have our own debts to settle. “…the colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair.”(Schanzer 18)
Our economy is suffering more and more as the taxes from England keep coming, and they will only get worse if we don’t stop them. Rhode Island is a small colony and we depend on trade to survive. Farming and trade are our most important economical source of income. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy.”(Doak 41) These laws put limits on the types of goods that we could make and sell. We tried to put up with the laws, but they only hurt us, so we had others smuggle the goods in and out of our port. This is the only choice we had to survive. Great Britain forces us to disobey parliaments laws. They hurt us instead of help us, so we have to help ourselves. The main port in Newport was blockaded by British ships, and this effected our economy for the worse. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port.” (Doak 94)
The King of England and Parliament hurt our colony through their unjust laws and taxation's. We made many attempts to stop their terror upon us by using words, but they never responded to our kindness. We, Rhode Island and the colonies around us sent delegates to Philadelphia to develop a plan of stopping this nonsense. The delegates wrote to King George III pleading for mercy, but the King kept his attacks coming. “They wrote to King George III of Great Britain, offering to make a deal. The colonists would stop fighting if the British government met their demands for lower taxes and less meddling in colonial government.” (Stefoff 18) We as patriots only wanted freedom from the British attacks. We made attempt after attempt to stop the taxes without violence. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions,” (Olive Branch Petition) The king never took into mind any of the letters we wrote to him, and he never even looked at the Olive Branch Petition. Because he didn’t respond to our words we had to take charge. We were falling apart because England was trying to rule over us, instead of next to us. We have rights, and in order to protect them we must fight, so we had to take up arms. “In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.” (Taking up Arms)
England was my “mother country” before she placed us under her like slaves. England disrespected the colony of Rhode Island and all the colonies in America. I fought for my freedom and the freedom of my colony, Rhode Island. Now we have our independence; we are the United States of America. England doesn’t deserve to be called a part of The United States of America.
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - July 15, 1663
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country"(Nathan Hale)
I am a proud patriot of Rhode Island and feel most grateful to live in such a colony as this. The most freedom I have ever felt has been brought to me through this colony. In 1663, a charter was passed saying that we had total freedom from the colonies established around us. I came here to escape the religious oppression and unruly acts forced upon me from the fellow colonies. When the Charter was passed, I was most thrilled and would do anything to support my freedom and the freedom of Rhode Island.
Independence seemed to be working wonderfully in Rhode Island, and it gave me such a great living environment compared to the other colonies. We prospered tremendously in our trade which led us to our great economy. Newport is the focal point of our trading in Rhode Island, and was one of the most important seaports in all of the colonies. (Doak 56) Once Great Britain found out about our prosperous trade; they wanted to join our wealth and pay off the debts they had accumulated over the years of war. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea.” (Whitehurst 17) Great Britain began to pass laws in around 1650, and that was just the beginning of our economical downfall. My anger grew when thinking that Great Britain was taking our wealth to payoff their debts, when we have our own debts to settle. “…the colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair.”(Schanzer 18)
Our economy is suffering more and more as the taxes from England keep coming, and they will only get worse if we don’t stop them. Rhode Island is a small colony and we depend on trade to survive. Farming and trade are our most important economical source of income. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy.”(Doak 41) These laws put limits on the types of goods that we could make and sell. We tried to put up with the laws, but they only hurt us, so we had others smuggle the goods in and out of our port. This is the only choice we had to survive. Great Britain forces us to disobey parliaments laws. They hurt us instead of help us, so we have to help ourselves. The main port in Newport was blockaded by British ships, and this effected our economy for the worse. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port.” (Doak 94)
The King of England and Parliament hurt our colony through their unjust laws and taxation's. We made many attempts to stop their terror upon us by using words, but they never responded to our kindness. We, Rhode Island and the colonies around us sent delegates to Philadelphia to develop a plan of stopping this nonsense. The delegates wrote to King George III pleading for mercy, but the King kept his attacks coming. “They wrote to King George III of Great Britain, offering to make a deal. The colonists would stop fighting if the British government met their demands for lower taxes and less meddling in colonial government.” (Stefoff 18) We as patriots only wanted freedom from the British attacks. We made attempt after attempt to stop the taxes without violence. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions,” (Olive Branch Petition) The king never took into mind any of the letters we wrote to him, and he never even looked at the Olive Branch Petition. Because he didn’t respond to our words we had to take charge. We were falling apart because England was trying to rule over us, instead of next to us. We have rights, and in order to protect them we must fight, so we had to take up arms. “In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.” (Taking up Arms)
England was my “mother country” before she placed us under her like slaves. England disrespected the colony of Rhode Island and all the colonies in America. I fought for my freedom and the freedom of my colony, Rhode Island. Now we have our independence; we are the United States of America. England doesn’t deserve to be called a part of The United States of America.
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - July 15, 1663
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
essay #2 outline: revision #3
Rhode Island- Patriot
I. Rhode Island has been living in the state of Independence, and it has been working wonderfully.
A. We have lived in independence from all the fellow colonies and their governments for many years due to the charter of 1663, and have ran our colony with our own government successfully.
1. We have lived in independence for many years and we have prospered tremendously with our trade, and England wants to share our wealth.
a. Great Britain placed taxes on us to clear their debts that were caused by their previous wars.
i. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea.” (Whitehurst 17)
b. We already have to pay for our own debts, and we don’t want to pay for the debts of someone else.
i. “But the colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair.”(Schanzer 18)
II. The taxations that England place on us are a huge impact on the economy we live in, and if we don’t stop them it will only get worse.
A. Rhode Island is a small colony with trade as the most important economical source of income, so when Great Britain forces laws and taxes on us we suffer economically.
1. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy.”(Doak 41)
B. Newport, Rhode Island had a huge port for trade and when it was blockaded it caused problems for the colonists living there.
1. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port.” (Doak 94)
III. The King of England hurt our colony, and when we asked them to stop their unjust laws and taxations they didn’t respond, so we had to take charge.
A. We sent a delegate to the Continental Congress to start to develop an idea to create peace between us and England.
1. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking in the most respectable ways to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament.
a. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions,” (Olive Branch Petition)
i. The King never looked at the Olive Branch Petition, and never took into mind any of the other letters we sent to the King asking for his mercy.
B. They didn’t respond to our words, so we had to instead act through defense.
1. This Document states the reasons for us having to defend ourselves. A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North- America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
a. “In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.” (Taking up Arms)
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
I. Rhode Island has been living in the state of Independence, and it has been working wonderfully.
A. We have lived in independence from all the fellow colonies and their governments for many years due to the charter of 1663, and have ran our colony with our own government successfully.
1. We have lived in independence for many years and we have prospered tremendously with our trade, and England wants to share our wealth.
a. Great Britain placed taxes on us to clear their debts that were caused by their previous wars.
i. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea.” (Whitehurst 17)
b. We already have to pay for our own debts, and we don’t want to pay for the debts of someone else.
i. “But the colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair.”(Schanzer 18)
II. The taxations that England place on us are a huge impact on the economy we live in, and if we don’t stop them it will only get worse.
A. Rhode Island is a small colony with trade as the most important economical source of income, so when Great Britain forces laws and taxes on us we suffer economically.
1. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy.”(Doak 41)
B. Newport, Rhode Island had a huge port for trade and when it was blockaded it caused problems for the colonists living there.
1. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port.” (Doak 94)
III. The King of England hurt our colony, and when we asked them to stop their unjust laws and taxations they didn’t respond, so we had to take charge.
A. We sent a delegate to the Continental Congress to start to develop an idea to create peace between us and England.
1. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking in the most respectable ways to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament.
a. “We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions,” (Olive Branch Petition)
i. The King never looked at the Olive Branch Petition, and never took into mind any of the other letters we sent to the King asking for his mercy.
B. They didn’t respond to our words, so we had to instead act through defense.
1. This Document states the reasons for us having to defend ourselves. A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North- America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
a. “In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.” (Taking up Arms)
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
revised outline
Rhode Island- Patriot
I. We have lived in independence from all the fellow colonies and their governments for many years due to the charter of 1663, and have ran our colony with our own government successfully.
A. We have lived in independence for many years and we have prospered tremendously with our trade, and England wants to share our wealth.
1. Great Britain placed taxes on us to clear their debts that were caused by their previous wars.
a. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea.” (Whitehurst 17)
b. This makes us very upset because we already pay taxes for our own debts.
i. “But the colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair.”(Schanzer 18)
II. The taxations that England place on us are a huge impact on the economy we live in.
A. Rhode Island is a small colony with trade as the most important economical source of income, so when Great Britain forces laws and taxes on us we suffer economically.
1. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy.”(Doak 41)
B. Newport, Rhode Island had a huge port for trade and when it was blockaded it caused problems for the colonists living there.
1. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port.” (Doak 94)
III. We sent a delegate to the Continental Congress to start to develop an idea to create peace between us and England.
A. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking in the most respectable ways to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament.
1.“We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions,” (Olive Branch Petition)
a. The King never looked at the Olive Branch Petition, and never took into mind any of the other letters we sent to the King asking for his mercy.
B. They didn’t respond to our words, so we had to instead act through defense.
1. This Document states the reasons for us having to defend ourselves. A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North- America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
a. “In our own native land, in defence of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.” (Taking up Arms)
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
I. We have lived in independence from all the fellow colonies and their governments for many years due to the charter of 1663, and have ran our colony with our own government successfully.
A. We have lived in independence for many years and we have prospered tremendously with our trade, and England wants to share our wealth.
1. Great Britain placed taxes on us to clear their debts that were caused by their previous wars.
a. “At the end of the wars, England owed a lot of money for all of the soldiers, weapons, and forts that they had used. To raise money, England decided to tax the colonists for sugar, paper, and tea.” (Whitehurst 17)
b. This makes us very upset because we already pay taxes for our own debts.
i. “But the colonists were already paying taxes to cover their own war debts and run the colonies. A lot of them thought paying twice wasn’t one bit fair.”(Schanzer 18)
II. The taxations that England place on us are a huge impact on the economy we live in.
A. Rhode Island is a small colony with trade as the most important economical source of income, so when Great Britain forces laws and taxes on us we suffer economically.
1. “Great Britain passed the first of a number of laws that became known as the Navigation Acts. These laws were created mainly to protect British trade. However, the Navigation Acts hurt Rhode Island’s economy.”(Doak 41)
B. Newport, Rhode Island had a huge port for trade and when it was blockaded it caused problems for the colonists living there.
1. “Newport was especially hard - hit. Beginning in June 1775, a British blockade of the port caused Newport residents serious problems. During the blockade, British ships stopped food supplies from entering the port.” (Doak 94)
III. We sent a delegate to the Continental Congress to start to develop an idea to create peace between us and England.
A. We sent many letters such as the Olive Branch Petition to the King of England asking in the most respectable ways to revoke the taxes and unjust laws placed upon us, and to treat us as more than slaves under the British Parliament.
1.“We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions,” (Olive Branch Petition)
a. The King never looked at the Olive Branch Petition, and never took into mind any of the other letters we sent to the King asking for his mercy.
B. They didn’t respond to our words, so we had to instead act through defense.
1. This Document states the reasons for us having to defend ourselves. A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North- America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
a. “In our own native land, in defence of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.” (Taking up Arms)
Citations:
Books:
Doak, Robin. Life in the Thirteen Colonies: Rhode Island. Canada: Children's Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., 2004.
Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Rhode Island. First. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both sides. Belgium: National Geographic Society, 2004.
Primary Documents:
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms.
Journals of the Continental Congress - Petition to the King; July 8, 1775
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Rough informational outline
Rough outline information:
Background information:I will describe what is going on at that time during the American Revolution throughout all the colonies, as well as Rhode Island alone.
Body (What I know as a colonist, and why I am a Patriot):
Right now this is just a section for the notes I am taking on the different sources I have found.
I. Rhode Island elected the first delegates Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward to the Continental Congress on June 15, 1774. Those representatives were from two different parts of Rhode Island, so there were two perspectives from one colony. “…, since the two factions contending for political supremacy were led by Samuel Ward from Westerly and Newport and Stephan Hopkins from Providence.” (Thompson 363-375)
II. I am a patriot because I most of the people in Rhode Island are, and I don‘t feel brave enough to speak out. “We the Delegates of the People of the State of Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantations, duly elected and met in Convention, having maturely considered the Constitution for the United States of America, agreed to on the seventeenth day of September, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven, by the Convention then assembled at Philadelphia, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (a Copy whereof precedes these presents) and having also seriously and deliberately considered the present situation of this State, do declare and make known” (Ratification of the Constitution by the State of Rhode Island)
III. The state of Rhode Island made it legal for the African Americans slaves could serve in the army against the British. “In February, 1778, the General Assembly of Rhode Island passed a precedent-breaking law permitting slaves to join the Revolutionary Army.”
Citations:
~The Ward-Hopkins Controversy and the American Revolution in Rhode Island: An Interpretation
Mack E. Thompson The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Jul., 1959), pp. 363-375 Published by: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture
~Ratification of the Constitution by the State of Rhode Island:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/ratri.asp
~Title: Some Observations on the Black Regiment of Rhode Island in the American Revolution
Author(s): Lorenzo J. Greene
Source: The Journal of Negro History, Vol. 37, No. 2 (Apr., 1952), pp. 142-172
Publisher(s): Association for the Study of African-American Life and History, Inc.
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2715341
Background information:I will describe what is going on at that time during the American Revolution throughout all the colonies, as well as Rhode Island alone.
Body (What I know as a colonist, and why I am a Patriot):
Right now this is just a section for the notes I am taking on the different sources I have found.
I. Rhode Island elected the first delegates Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward to the Continental Congress on June 15, 1774. Those representatives were from two different parts of Rhode Island, so there were two perspectives from one colony. “…, since the two factions contending for political supremacy were led by Samuel Ward from Westerly and Newport and Stephan Hopkins from Providence.” (Thompson 363-375)
II. I am a patriot because I most of the people in Rhode Island are, and I don‘t feel brave enough to speak out. “We the Delegates of the People of the State of Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantations, duly elected and met in Convention, having maturely considered the Constitution for the United States of America, agreed to on the seventeenth day of September, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven, by the Convention then assembled at Philadelphia, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (a Copy whereof precedes these presents) and having also seriously and deliberately considered the present situation of this State, do declare and make known” (Ratification of the Constitution by the State of Rhode Island)
III. The state of Rhode Island made it legal for the African Americans slaves could serve in the army against the British. “In February, 1778, the General Assembly of Rhode Island passed a precedent-breaking law permitting slaves to join the Revolutionary Army.”
Citations:
~The Ward-Hopkins Controversy and the American Revolution in Rhode Island: An Interpretation
Mack E. Thompson The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Jul., 1959), pp. 363-375 Published by: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture
~Ratification of the Constitution by the State of Rhode Island:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/ratri.asp
~Title: Some Observations on the Black Regiment of Rhode Island in the American Revolution
Author(s): Lorenzo J. Greene
Source: The Journal of Negro History, Vol. 37, No. 2 (Apr., 1952), pp. 142-172
Publisher(s): Association for the Study of African-American Life and History, Inc.
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2715341
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Continental Congress and PSEC's communtiy meetings
On September 5, 1774 delegates from 12 of the thirteen original colonies got together to discuss the importance of the unfair taxes placed on them, known as the coercive act, from the British government. The twelve of the thirteen delegates from each colony were very different and had many different ideas. For this reason alone, the colonies made the decision to get together to form America as a whole. PSEC and the community meetings and advisory council are an example of many minds brought together to for a solution to the problems that come along, and to excel our lives to the next step. The First Continental Congress did just that. They came together to advance the American colonies and stop the problems such as the Coercive Act that was standing in their way.
The advisory council running the community meetings will be a productive way to advance our community. Having Teachers, seniors, and juniors represent our community is a very even distribution of thoughts and ideas being contributed, as shown in the delegates from the twelve Colonies in the Continental Congress. Until our advisory council is decided, I don't see any changes that we should make in improving the community meetings. As for the individuals engaging in the process, that is up to us to attend the community meetings and contribute our thoughts. So far, I feel that we have done pretty well in attending them, but now we need to continue to contribute.
According to Edmund Morgan, "the Continental Congress appeared as a challenge to Parliament." PSEC appears as a challenge to ordinary learning. The community based learning provides us with the opportunity to use our critical thinking instead of letting the information collect in our brains. Gerda Lerner's view on history doesn't complicate this process. The elections of this years advisory council will not be effected on the way I as a junior will vote, because I don't have any prior knowledge on the way the the seniors have run the community the year before. Seniors have a different advantage in their elections this year because they were able to see last year the way the council was run the prior year.
The advisory council running the community meetings will be a productive way to advance our community. Having Teachers, seniors, and juniors represent our community is a very even distribution of thoughts and ideas being contributed, as shown in the delegates from the twelve Colonies in the Continental Congress. Until our advisory council is decided, I don't see any changes that we should make in improving the community meetings. As for the individuals engaging in the process, that is up to us to attend the community meetings and contribute our thoughts. So far, I feel that we have done pretty well in attending them, but now we need to continue to contribute.
According to Edmund Morgan, "the Continental Congress appeared as a challenge to Parliament." PSEC appears as a challenge to ordinary learning. The community based learning provides us with the opportunity to use our critical thinking instead of letting the information collect in our brains. Gerda Lerner's view on history doesn't complicate this process. The elections of this years advisory council will not be effected on the way I as a junior will vote, because I don't have any prior knowledge on the way the the seniors have run the community the year before. Seniors have a different advantage in their elections this year because they were able to see last year the way the council was run the prior year.
Text Analysis #3
The Olive Branch Petition
Who is writing?
~ The Document was presented by the Continental Congress.
Who is the audience?
~The document is a petition written to the King of England.
Who do the writers represent?
~The writers represent the colonists. Every member of the Continental Congress represent a colony, and they all came together to represent America as one.
What is being said, argued and/or requested?
~The Olive Branch Petition was an attempt to settle the conflicts between the British and the American colonists in a respectful way without war. The Americans wanted to keep their relationship with Great Britain, their mother country, for the British have done great things for the Americans, but now they don't appreciate the way the King is treating them and they want to settle it.
How is it being said, argued and/or requested?
~This document seems long and stretched out. At first it was hard for me to understand what the Continental Congress were actually asking. After reading through background information and rereading the document, I realized that they were asking the King to stop treating them with disrespect. They stated the bad acts that the King has done to them, and then they asked that they would stop the acts. The Continental Congress seemed to act like this is their last chance to resolve this problem with words, so they were pleading for the kings mercy.
What proof and/or justification is being used to legitimize the request?
~Many men from the Continental Congress signed the document stating that themselves and the colonists they represent will stand by Britain and be loyal subjects to the King of England, only under the request that they be treated with more respect and less like slaves.
Who is writing?
~ The Document was presented by the Continental Congress.
Who is the audience?
~The document is a petition written to the King of England.
Who do the writers represent?
~The writers represent the colonists. Every member of the Continental Congress represent a colony, and they all came together to represent America as one.
What is being said, argued and/or requested?
~The Olive Branch Petition was an attempt to settle the conflicts between the British and the American colonists in a respectful way without war. The Americans wanted to keep their relationship with Great Britain, their mother country, for the British have done great things for the Americans, but now they don't appreciate the way the King is treating them and they want to settle it.
How is it being said, argued and/or requested?
~This document seems long and stretched out. At first it was hard for me to understand what the Continental Congress were actually asking. After reading through background information and rereading the document, I realized that they were asking the King to stop treating them with disrespect. They stated the bad acts that the King has done to them, and then they asked that they would stop the acts. The Continental Congress seemed to act like this is their last chance to resolve this problem with words, so they were pleading for the kings mercy.
What proof and/or justification is being used to legitimize the request?
~Many men from the Continental Congress signed the document stating that themselves and the colonists they represent will stand by Britain and be loyal subjects to the King of England, only under the request that they be treated with more respect and less like slaves.
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