The Declaration of Independence Pro or Con
Our country was founded on the ideals of fairness, liberty and human equality. The people of the United States have fought to reach these ideals throughout American history. We have not always succeeded as you will read. We even continue to struggle for fairness, liberty, and equality today.
The Declaration of Independence was document written by Thomas Jefferson explaining why America was breaking free from their ties with England and King George. In the Declaration, there are many complaints against what King George III was doing to the American colonies. Some of them follow. You will also read the British feelings about the complaints.
Complaint #1
Colonists: You can not tax us because we have no representation, or say, in your government called the Parliament. No one asked us if we wanted to pay more taxes. We didn’t vote. You cannot force us to pay taxes without our approval! No taxation without representation! |
British: Since we protected the colonies we think it is fair to have the colonies help us pay off our debts. You owe us! We will charge you higher taxes. We will have you pay taxes on things like paper, tea, and glass. |
Key Questions
1. What is unfair from the American colonists’ point of view?
2. Why is it fair from the British point of view?
3. Whose point of view do you agree with and why?
Complaint #2
| Colonist: I own a store in the colonies. I refused to pay the tax on the paper playing cards. So I have been arrested. I want an American judge and I want a jury of colonists to decide if I am innocent or guilty. Other colonists understand life here in America. People from Britain are different. They can’t judge me fairly. |
British: You are a British subject and you will have a British judge. He was appointed, or chosen, by King George III and sent to America from London. He will decide if you are innocent or guilty. |
Key Questions
1. What is unfair from the American colonists’ point of view?
2. Why is it fair from the British point of view?
3. Whose point of view do you agree with and why?
Complaint #3
| Colonist: You have banned all town meetings but we believe that we have the right to assemble, or meet together, and make our own decisions and laws. |
British: We have put a Royal Governor, chosen by the King, in charge of your colony. You may not meet together without his permission. He is in charge of making the laws for the colony. |
Key Questions
1. What is unfair from the American colonists’ point of view?
2. Why is it fair from the British point of view?
3. Whose point of view do you agree with and why?
Complaint #4
Colonist: We are angry. We fought the war against the French so we could move to the good land in the west and now the British King is telling us that we can not move there after the war is won. It is not fair! |
British: You may not move west of the Appalachian Mountains. We are giving that land to the Indians who live there. Any settlers who have moved to the frontier, or unsettled land, must return. This will bring peace to the western frontier. |
Key Questions
1. What is unfair from the American colonists’ point of view?
2. Why is it fair from the British point of view?
3. Whose point of view do you agree with and why?
Complaint #5
| Colonist: The people do not want you to stay in our homes. We do not have enough room or food for our own family. The citizens of the colonies do not trust you. What about our right to privacy? |
British: It is by the King’s order that British soldiers are to be quartered in the houses. You must cook all their meals, keep their uniforms clean and pressed, and give them your best beds to sleep in. The people of the colonies are disobeying British laws and we need our soldiers here to make sure the rules and laws are followed. They will live with you or you will be arrested and thrown out of your home! |
Key Questions
1. What is unfair from the American colonists’ point of view?
2. Why is it fair from the British point of view?
3. Whose point of view do you agree with and why?
Not all people living in America felt represented by the Declaration of Independence even though it said that “all men are created equal.” They did not feel that they were being treated equally.
Independence for Slaves
In 1776, most African Americans were slaves on colonial plantations, which were large farms. African Americans wanted freedom, too. They wanted liberty from their lives as slaves. They
believed that “all men were created equal” meant them too.
American Indians in 1776
The Proclamation Line of 1763 was announced by King George III. It said that all lands west of the Appalachian Mountains belonged to the American Indians and the colonists could not move into that land. Any colonist who already lived there was told to leave.
King George made this proclamation, or statement, to end the fighting between the colonists and the American Indians living on the frontier. Colonists continued to move onto this land which made the American Indians living there angry. But many American Indian tribes decided to stay neutral, neither for nor against Independence, because they liked to trade with both the British and the Americans. They decided to let the “white men fight it out.”
Independence and the Merchants
A merchant is someone who owns a store. John Hancock was a rich merchant living in Boston. He believed strongly in freedom for the colonies. He did not like the British trade laws. He thought Americans should trade with any country they wanted, not just England. He also didn’t like to pay British taxes. So he would smuggle, sneak into the country illegally, goods from the other countries into Boston.
Loyalists in the Colonies
People, known as Loyalists, stayed loyal, or faithful, to England and King George III for many reasons. Many rich landowners and merchants thought their businesses would be hurt if they went against the King. Merchants needed the goods from England for their stores to sell to their customers. Some people had relatives living in England. Would you want to go to war against your grandparents?
Other people had gone to school in England, so they felt very close to the country. Some Loyalists had been appointed to their jobs by the King and they were worried they might lose their jobs if the colonies were independent. Some people did not want war, period. Others believed that they were the King’s subjects and going against their King was treason.
Independence for Wealthy Landowners
All colonists, rich and poor, had to decide if independence from England would give them a better life. It was a hard decision. If they made the wrong decision they could lose everything they had. Some rich people were Loyalists, or faithful to the King, because they were happy with what they had. They were afraid that they might lose their businesses if the colonies became independent. However, many signers of the Declaration of Independence were rich men who believed they would be more successful if their country had its own government.
Women of 1776
The women of 1776 were very important. When their husbands were called away from the farms and homes to be a part of the army the wives had to take charge of the family.
The women had to make sure the children had enough food to eat and the taxes were paid. They had to make sure the work was done in the fields.
Women worried that there would be fighting against the British. They worried about the safety of their husbands, their brothers and their sons.
Women agreed with their husbands that it was not fair to be taxed by England without representation, or say. Some women refused to drink tea from England or wear clothes made from British cloth.
The People Vote
Writing Guide
Choose from these people of the time period: African American slave merchant woman wealthy landowner American Indian Loyalist |
THEN
1. As a (______________________) living in 1776,
---------Choose from above list
I vote ____________ independence because:
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
-------------------------------------------------------
Now
2. One of the ideals found in the Declaration of Independence is ____________.
This ideal is still important to me today because:
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________