Questions for discussion during the Great Debate!!
1. Americans were still professing their loyalty to George III and their desire for peaceful
reconciliation as late as 1 7 7 5 . Had Britain accepted the Second Continental Congress’s
Olive Branch Petition, could this debate could have been avoided all together?
2. What did American colonists mean by “No taxation without representation”? Why has this
become such a major issue?
3. Which had a more profound impact on American anti-British sentiment, the 1 7 6 5 Stamp Act
or the 1 7 6 6 Declaratory Act? Explain.
4. As a part of the British mercantile network, all parties are expected to participate and prosper.
However, colonial policies of non-importation and boycott have negatively impacted the
economic vitality of both sides. Which of these policies had a larger impact on the worsening of
relations? What were the effects of these policies?
5. How did the French and Indian War alter Americans’ perceptions of Britain during the
years 1 7 6 3 to 1775?
6. To what degree have the actions of radicals, such as Sam Adams and Thomas Paine, had
on the deteriorating relationship? Are all colonists as eager to separate from the crown?
7. How has “virtual representation” been a successful formula for conducting political
operations within the empire? Why has this policy fallen under heavy scrutiny?