Midterm Exam Essay – American Revolution
QUESTION: Analyze the ideological differences that led the American colonies to declare independence from Great Britain in 1776. What were the main reasons the colonists opposed British policies like the Stamp Act? What other policies did the colonists object to and why? Which of the British government’s colonial policies (ie. lack of trial by jury in admiralty courts, taxation without representation, standing army during peacetime, etc.) do you think was the
most unjust?
REQUIRED READINGS:
1) Textbook (cite as OpenStax) – Ch. 5 (All)
2) Lecture Notes posted on Moodle
3) Documents from History Workbook (must use specific examples from at least 2 of the 4):
Document 16 (p. 31-32) – Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress (1765)
Document 17 (p. 33-34) – John Dickinson, “Letter II”, Letters from a Farmer in
Pennsylvania (1767)
Document 18 (p. 35-36) – Patrick Henry, “Speech to the Second Virginia Convention”
(1775)
Document 20 (p. 40-41) – Thomas Paine, excerpt from Common Sense (1776)
PAPER COMPONENTS:
I. Format (30 points):
1) Papers should be typed and double-spaced. Papers should be no less than 2 full pages. Students should use 12 pt font and 1-inch margins.
2) A header is required and should include the following information: student’s name, date, class (HIST 201), and instructor’s name (Jones). There should be only one or two spaces at most between the header and the beginning of the paper.
3) Students may include a title for their papers. If they choose to include this, it should be no more than one space underneath the header in the center of the paper. The body of the paper should begin no more than one space underneath the title. Titles are optional.
4) Papers should have an introduction, body, and conclusion. The body of the paper should be divided up into separate paragraphs, one for each main topic or point made. The first sentence of each paragraph should be indented.
5) Papers should have a clear and specific thesis statement that does not just restate the main question being asked. Thesis statements can be more than one sentence long, but should also be concise. Please refer to the handout posted on Moodle if you are having trouble crafting a strong thesis statement.
6) Sources should be cited using MLA format. This means that students should use parenthetical documentation when directly quoting something or when paraphrasing another author’s idea or argument. Sentences that convey a student’s own thoughts or arguments, or state factual information, do not need to be cited. Citations should include the author’s last name and the page number when possible.
7) A Works Cited page is not required. Students should only use the sources listed in the instructions. No other sources are allowed.
II. Spelling/Grammar and Style (20 points):
Papers should have minimal spelling and grammatical errors. Please use spell check while writing your paper. Spell check does not catch every misspelled word, so be sure to also proofread your papers carefully for any spelling errors. Incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, misuse of words, and inappropriate use of punctuation are all considered serious grammatical errors and will negatively affect your grade. Sentences and paragraphs should be coherent, clear, and well organized. If you feel you need assistance with spelling, grammar, or style, please either turn in a rough draft to me or visit the Writing Center.
III. Content (50 points):
1) The main focus of the paper should be to analyze the different ideas and criticisms colonial leaders had about British governmental policies like the Stamp Act. Your thesis statement should address how those ideas and criticisms led to the outbreak of the American Revolution.
2) In addition to the background information from the lectures and textbook, students must specifically use at least two of the four assigned primary source documents to back up their arguments.
3) Papers should discuss the specific arguments and points made by each author in the primary sources. Students should also discuss each author’s point of view (biases, background, reasons why they might have held the viewpoint they did).
4) Students should demonstrate in their paper that they have completed the required textbook readings by incorporating relevant background information into their papers. Papers should not just be a summary of the primary source documents.
5) Students should try to address some of the following questions in their papers:
What was the Stamp Act? Why were the delegates to the Stamp Act Congress upset about this act and other similar acts passed by Parliament? What major points did they make to support their views? What arguments did they make about Parliament’s right to tax the colonists? What points did they make about the right to trial by jury and right to
petition the king and Parliament?
Who was John Dickinson and why did he feel the need to criticize the Stamp Act? Did he view the earlier trade acts imposed by Parliament on the colonies to be unconstitutional as well? Why not? What specifically made the Stamp Act unconstitutional in his view?
According to Patrick Henry, had the colonial petitions sent to the King and to Parliament had any affect? Why not? What actions taken by the British government in 1775 inspired Henry to give this speech? What did he want the government of Virginia and his fellow colonists to do? Why did he believe that there was no other choice but to take up arms against the British government? What was the alternative if the colonists did not fight?
Did Thomas Paine believe that there were any advantages to the colonies if they were to remain part of the British Empire? Why not? What disadvantages did he believe there would be for the colonies if they remained in the empire? What benefits would they gain from independence from Great Britain? How did Paine describe the people in the
colonies who called for reconciliation with Britain? Did he agree with Patrick Henry about the ineffectiveness of the petitions to the king and parliament? In Paine’s view what reigned as “king” in America? Why?