Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
James Madison Seminar: Document Based Question
Activity
Joanne Ferguson
Robert White
July 21, 2011
Question:
How did the American colonists respond to increased
measures of control by Great Britain in the period
between 1763 & 1776?
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
Document #1 Photograph of Colonial Sugar Cone & Tongs
This sugar cone would have been held with the tongs in a hot cup of tea, gradually
dissolving and sweetening the drink. In April 1754, British Parliament passed the Sugar
Act, levying duties on imported sugar and curtailing colonial trade and setting the stage
for colonial revolt after the 1765 passage of the Stamp Act.
Credit: Sugar cone and “tongs,” 1750–1800, Hezekiah Alexander House (Charlotte,
North Carolina), reproduction from exhibit catalog.
Questions:
1.
Why might merchants have been angry about the Sugar Act?
2.
Why might colonists have been angry about the Sugar Act?
3.
Why might Great Britain have imposed the Sugar Act?
Document #2 Patrick Henry's Resolutions in Condemnation of the Stamp
Act *May 29-30, 1765
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
Background:
The Stamp Act was the first direct tax placed on the American colonists by Great
Britain. In other words, rather than a tax to be paid by merchants before they sold a
product, regular citizens would have to pay this tax on items they would regularly use.
Newspapers, pamphlets, contracts, and even playing cards would have to carry a stamp
that showed that a tax had been paid. The colonists were outraged by this tax, and there
were calls made for Great Britain to repeal the Act. The tax was repealed, but Great
Britain reserved the right to tax the colonists in any way desired in the future.
Resolved,
That the first Adventurers and Settlers of this his Majesties Colony and Dominion
brought with them and transmitted to their Posterity and all other his Majesties Subjects
since inhabiting in this his Majestie's said Colony all the Priviledges, Franchises &
Immunities that have at any Time been held, enjoyed, & possessed by the People of Great
Britain.
Resolved, That by two royal Charters granted by King James the first the Colonists
aforesaid are declared intituled to all the Priviledges, Liberties & Immunities of
Denizens and natural born Subjects to all Intents and Purposes as if they had been
abiding and born within the Realm of England.
Resolved, That the Taxation of the People by themselves or by Persons chosen by
themselves to represent them who can only know what Taxes the People are able to bear
and the easiest Mode of raising them and are equally affected by such Taxes Themselves
is the distinguishing Chracteristick of British Freedom and without which the ancient
Constitution cannot subsist.
Resolved, That his Majestie's leige People of this most ancient Colony have
uninterruptedly enjoyed the Right of being thus governed by their own assembly in the
Article of their Taxes and internal Police and that the same hath never been forfeited or
any other Way given up but hath been constantly recognized by the Kings & People of
Great Britain.
Resolved, Therefore that the General Assembly of this Colony have the only and sole
exclusive Right & Power to lay Taxes & Impositions upon the Inhabitants of this Colony
and that every Attempt to vest such power in any Person or Persons whatsoever other
than the General Assembly aforesaid has a manifest Tendency to destroy British as well
as American Freedom.
● excerpt
Questions:
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
1. According to Patrick Henry, why are the colonists entitled to the same rights as
British citizens?
2. Why does Patrick Henry say that the colonists should not have to pay taxes?
3. Who has the right to tax the colonists, according to Henry?
Document #3 Protest Slogan
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
“No taxation without representation...” ~Popular colonial slogan
“Taxation without representation is tyranny.” ~James Otis
This slogan, first used by Jonathan Mayhew in a Boston sermon, was famously echoed
by James Otis to convey the idea that many colonists believed that they should not have
to pay taxes because they were not allowed to vote for representatives in Parliament. In
fact, very few British citizens had direct representation either.
1.
Did colonists have an obligation to pay taxes? Why or why not?
2.
If you don’t vote for an elected official, are you still required to follow the
law?
Document #4 Boston Massacre Eyewitness Account (British)
Background: On March 5, 1770 a group of colonists gathered outside of a government building
in Boston. Tensions were high between colonists and the standing army, and the group began
to throw snowballs and ice chunks at the one soldier standing guard. Reinforcements were sent
out, and shots were fired. Three colonists were killed immediately, and two died of their wounds
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
later. Colonial leaders were quick to call this event the “Boston Massacre”.
Account of Captain Preston during the Trial
On Monday night townspeople broke into two meeting houses and rang the alarm bells, which I
supposed was for fire, but was informed that the town inhabitants were assembling to attack the
troops, and that the bells were ringing as the signal for that purpose.
I went to the Main Guard. On my way there I saw the people in great commotion, and heard
them use the most cruel threats against the troops. After I reached the guard, about one hundred
people passed it and went towards the custom house where the king's money is lodged. They
immediately surrounded the sentry posted there.
I sent an officer and twelve men to protect both the sentry and the king's money, and very soon
followed myself. The mob increased and were striking their clubs one against another, and calling
out: "Come on you rascals, you lobster scoundrels, fire if you dare!”
At this time I was between the soldiers and the mob,endevouring to persuade them to retire
peaceably, but to no purpose. They advanced to the points of the bayonets, struck some of
them and even the muzzles of the guns. Some well-behaved persons asked me if the guns were
charged [loaded]. I replied "yes." They then asked me if I intended to order the men to fire. I
answered "no." While I was thus speaking, one of the soldiers having received a severe blow with
a stick, stepped a little to one side and instantly fired, on which asking him why he fired without
orders, I was struck with a club on my arm, which for some time deprived me of the use of it.
On this a general attack was made on the men by a great number of heavy clubs and snow-balls
being thrown at them. Instantly three or four of the soldiers fired,and directly after three more in
the same confusion. The mob then ran away, except three unhappy men who instantly expired.
One more since is dead.
On my asking the soldiers why they fired without orders, they said they heard the word "fire" ed
supposed it came from me. This might be the case as many of the mob called out "fire, fire!"
Questions:
1. Who does Captain Preston blame for the incident?
2. How did the first shot get fired, according to Captain Preston?
Document #5 Boston Massacre Eyewitness Account (Colonial)
Account of George Sanderlin during the trial
On hearing the noise [of a fight], Samuel Atwood came up to see what was the matter,
and entering the alley heard the latter part of the combat, and when the boys [who had
been fighting] had dispersed he met the ten or twelve soldiers [who had been fighting
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
with them] rushing down the alley toward the square, and asked them if they intended to
murder people? They answered "Yes, by God," [and struck and wounded Atwood].
Immediately after, those heroes [the British officers] appeared in the square,
asking "where were the cowards?" One of them advanced toward a youth who had a
stave in his hand. But the young man, seeing a person near him with a drawn sword, held
up his stave in defiance, and they quietly passed by him up the little alley to Kingstreet,
where they attacked single and unarmed persons till they raised much clamor.
Thirty or forty persons, mostly lads, being by this means gathered in Kingstreet, Capt.
Preston, with a party of men with charged bayonets, came from the main guard to the
Commissioner's House, the soldiers pushing their bayonets, crying, "Make way!" They
took place by the Custom House, and continuing to push to drive the people off, pricked
some in several places; on which they were clamorous, and, it is said, threw snow-balls.
On this, the Captain commanded then to fire, and more snow-balls coming, he again
said, "Damn you, Fire, be the consequences what it will!" One soldier then fired, and
a townsman with a cudgel struck him over the hands with such force that he dropt his
firelock; and rushing forward aimed a blow at the Captain's head, which grazed his hat
and fell pretty heavy on his arm. However, the soldiers continued to fire, successively, till
seven or eight or, as some say, eleven guns were discharged.
By this fatal manoeuvre, three men were laid dead on the spot, and two more struggling
for life.
Questions:
1. Who does George Sanderlin blame for the incident?
2. How did the first shot get fired, according to George Sanderlin?
3. How does this eyewitness account differ from that of Captain Preston?
Document #6: Paul Revere’s Engraving of the Boston
Massacre
Background: Paul Revere, a colonial leader and silversmith, designed this
engraving to rally support for the Patriot cause.
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
Questions:
1. Which group seems to have control in this engraving?
2. What aspects of the engraving are meant to build support for the
colonists?
3. How does this viewpoint conveyed in this engraving differ from those in
the two eyewitness accounts?
Document #7: Colonial response to taxation (Political
Cartoon)
Background: British attempts to make the colonists pay taxes led to colonial resistance
that sometimes became violent. This political cartoon shows a tax collector being
attacked by a mob.
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
1.
What are the colonists doing to the tax collector?
2.
What is the name of the tree in the background? Why is it symbolic?
3.
What mood or tone is conveyed by this political cartoon? How might this
relate to the feelings of the time?
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
Vocabulary: Below is a list of words that have been defined for you by section.
Document # 1: Sugar and Cone tongs.
Levying
- Collecting of a tax by authority or force.
Duties
- Taxes
Curtailing
- to cut short; cut off a part of; reduce; diminish
Document # 2: Patrick Henry's Resolutions in Condemnation of the Stamp
Act 1765
Posterity
- succeeding or future generations
Aforesaid
- Said before
Chracteristick
Hath
Denizens
- Characteristic.
- Had
- Inhabitants, a person living in a location
Document # 4 & 5: Boston massacre excerpts. (Colonial and British)
Commotion
- A noisy disturbance
Endeavoring
- To exert oneself to do something; make an effort;
strive
Bayonet
- A dagger-like weapon that is attached to the muzzle
of a gun used for stabbing or slashing in and-to-
hand
combat.
Deprived
enjoyment
- To remove or withhold something from the
or possession of a person
Expired
- Died
Clamorous
- Loud in demands or complaints
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
Cudgel
- A short, thick stick used as a weapon; club
Document-Based Question Essay Assessment
Historic Context:
After the Seven Years’ War, Great Britain began to exert control over the colonies as a
means of raising revenue. The colonial protest movement was born, and eventually these
protests brought the colonies to the brink of the American Revolution.
Task:
Use the documents provided above to help you write an essay that will demonstrate
how the colonial reaction to British control changed from protest to the call for
independence. You must reference the documents in your writing.
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
Scoring Guide: DBQ
Score and Description
6 Excellent
Clearly and cohesively addresses all parts of the prompt
Develops position consistently with well-chosen reasons and/or examples from
documents
Well organized with strong transitions.
Strong variety in sentence structure and exhibits good word choice.
Errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation are few and do not interfere with
understanding
5 Skillful
Fully addresses all parts of the prompt
Takes a clear position and develops it with reasons and/or examples from documents in
parts of the response.
Clearly organized, but may lack some transitions and/or have occasional lapses in
continuity.
Exhibits some variety in sentence structure and some good word choices.
Errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation do not interfere with understanding.
4 Sufficient
Addresses all parts of the prompt
Takes a clear position and supports it with some reasons and/or examples.
Organized with ideas that are generally related, but has few or no transitions.
Exhibits control over sentence boundaries and sentence structure, but sentences and
word choice may be simple and
unvaried.
Errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation do not interfere with understanding.
3 Uneven
May be characterized by one or more of the following:
May fail to address some parts of the prompt.
Takes a position and offers support, but may be unclear, repetitive, list-like, or
undeveloped.
Unevenly organized; the response may be disjointed.
Exhibits uneven control over sentence boundaries and sentence structure; may have
some inaccurate word choices.
Errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation sometimes interfere with understanding
2 Insufficient
May be characterized by one or more of the following:
Fails to address some parts of the prompt.
Attempts to take a position (addresses topic) but is incoherent OR takes a position but
Question: How did the American colonists respond to increased measures of control
by Great Britain in the period between 1763 & 1776?
provides no support; may only
paraphrase the prompt.
Very disorganized; thoughts are tenuously connected OR the response is too brief to
detect organization.
Minimal control over sentence boundaries and sentence structure; word choice may
often be inaccurate.
Errors in grammar or usage (such as missing words or incorrect word use or word
order), spelling, and punctuation interfere
with understanding in much of the response.
1 Unsatisfactory
May be characterized by one or more of the following:
Attempts to respond to prompt, but provides little or no coherent information; may only
paraphrase the prompt.
Has no apparent organization OR consists of a single statement.
Minimal or no control over sentence boundaries and sentence structure; word choice
may be inaccurate in much or all of the
response.
A multiplicity of errors in grammar or usage (such as missing words or incorrect word
use or word order), spelling and
punctuation severely impedes understanding across the response.
0
Blank, completely illegible, or deliberately off-topic (N/A on scanner)