DBQ 2. Reporter Paine. Reconciliation with Britain. Declaration.

DBQ’s – Questions and Answers

1. Document 1 Why did Whately (and probably most other English officials) feel that the American colonists should be willing to pay higher taxes to Parliament? Whately felt that American Colonists should contribute to the preservation of the advantages they have received.
2. Document 2 According to Dickinson, what taxes was Parliament justified in imposing on the colonies? According to Dickinson, Parliament was justified in imposing the Stamp Act on the colonies. Why did he object to the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts? Dickinson objected to the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts because he did not have the authority to levy taxes.
3. Document 3 How does the engraving tell a different story from the above description of the Boston Massacre? The engraving was a anti-British propaganda. Where do you suppose the term “massacre” to describe this event came from? This event is described as the term “massacre” because the Boston boys were taunted and cursed by the mean British soldiers.
4. Document 4 Who did Cresswell blame for the growing antagonism between the British and the American colonists? Cresswell blamed New England for the growing antagonism between the British and the American Colonists.
5. Document 5 Why, according to this document, were the Americans justified in fighting the British? According to this document, Americans defended themselves against British tyranny. Since the Parliament’s claim was that it had authority over the colonies “in all cases whatsoever”, the Americans felt threatened and had to resist by force.
6. Document 6 Why was Paine unwilling to be reconciled with Britain? Paine was unwilling to be reconciled with Britain because it brought war into the land. Was Paine an objective and unbiased reporter? Explain. Paine was not an objective and unbiased reported because he was going against the king.
7. Document 7 How does this document describe King George? This document describes King George as a tyrant. Was the Declaration an objective and unbiased statement of the American-British conflict? Explain. The Declaration was not objective and unbiased statement of the American-British conflict because it was on the American side.

Essay 763 marked the end of French and Indian war and caused a great celebration and pride in the American colonies. But, in next twelve years, the same pride was altered by at bitter and violent conflict with the mother country. The injustices of the mother country finally led the American colonists to declare independence and wage war against it. American colonies were justified for waging war and breaking away from Britain because they were defending themselves against a series of measures Parliament wished to impose on their communities without their consent.

In Thomas Whately’s pamphlet “Considerations” he expressed Britain’s view of taxation. The British felt that the colonists should pay higher taxes because they owe them for the help they received in the French and Indian War. Britain imposed new tax acts such as the Stamp Acts and the Sugar acts. However, the colonists felt threatened by these new rules (Doc1). Parliament imposed the Townshend Act, which raised taxes on imported goods. According to John Dickinson, Parliament was justified in imposing the Stamp Act on the colonies. Never did the British parliament, [until the passage of the Stamp Act] think of imposing duties in America for the purpose of raising a revenue” (Doc2). Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense to convince the common people to support independence. His main idea was that Britain wants America for its resources. He also believed that Britain was too small to rule a continent, and that Britain was willing to kill its own people (OI). Paine was unwilling to be reconciled with Britain because it brought war into the land.

He was not an objective and unbiased reporter because he was going against the king (Doc6). After all the big American-British conflict, the Americans finally gained their independence. They signed the Declaration of Independence adopted by The Continental Congress of July 4 1776. This document was objective and unbiased because it took the American side. It also mentioned King George – “the history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations [unlawful seizures], all having in direct objest the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States” (Doc7).