PATRIOTS AND LOYALISTS DEBATE
WRITING ASSIGNMENT
DIRECTIONS: Patriots and Loyalists had very different views on what the American Colonies relationship
with Great Britain should look like. Patriots believed that their rights as Englishmen had been violated
and that separation from England was the only way to correct this problem. Loyalists felt that staying
part of the British Empire allowed for better economic prosperity and protection for the colonies as a
whole. You are to write a three paragraph essay as your role play character for next week’s debate.
Please follow the helpful hints below on how your paper should be formatted and what each paragraph
should include. Make sure to be thorough as this essay will help you organize your arguments for next
week’s debate.
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FORMATTING:
o 12 POINT FONT
o TIMES NEW ROMAN
o 1.5 SPACING
PARAGRAPH ONE:
o INTRODUCE WHAT ROLE YOU ARE PLAYING FOR THIS DEBATE
 ARE YOU A LOYALISTS OR PATRIOT?
 WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND (FARMER, BANKER, ETC)
o IN A SINGLE STATEMENT EXPLAIN YOUR TWO MAIN REASONS WHY YOU BELIEVE
SOMEONE SHOULD BE A PATRIOT OR LOYALIST
 LOOK AT PATRIOT AND LOYALISTS ARGUMENT SHEET FOR IDEAS
 THIS IS YOUR THESIS STATEMENT. THE TWO REASONS YOU LIST HERE SHOULD
BE THE TOPIC SENTENCES FOR YOUR TWO PARAGRAPHS BELOW
PARAGRAPH TWO:
o STATE YOUR FIRST MAIN AGRUMENT ON WHY SOMEONE SHOULD BE A PATRIOT OR
LOYALISTS
 THIS SHOULD BE THE FIRST MAIN REASON THAT APPEARS IN YOUR SINGLE
STATEMENT ABOUT WHY SOMEONE SHOULD BE A PATRIOT OR LOYALIST FROM
YOUR FIRST PARAGRAPH
o USE THE TIMELINE AND YOUR NOTES TO SUPPORT YOUR MAIN AGRUMENT
 EX. DISCUSS THE BOSTON MASSACRE AND HOW THIS PROVES THAT THE BRITISH
ABUSEDTHEIR POWER OVER THE PEOPLE IN THE COLONIES
 YOU SHOULD DISCUSS AT LEAST TWO EVENTS OR TWO FACTS THAT HELP
SUPPORT YOUR MAIN ARGUMENT
PARAGRAPH THREE:
o STATE YOUR SECOND MAIN AGRUMENT ON WHY SOMEONE SHOULD BE A PATRIOT OR
A LOYALISTS
o REPEAT STEPS FOUND UNDER PARAGRAPH TWO