Name: Robert Buchanan

Period: 1

Resolved: The American colonists were justified in their rebellion against Great Britain.

A. Supporting Paragraph One

1.

Point
1. The British violated the colonists rights as Englishmen, and more specifically the Magna Carta, by
massacring five people for committing a minor crime during the Boston Massacre.

2.

Example(s) (Historical Evidence)

1.

On March 5,1770, a noisy mob began throwing rocks and ice balls at troops guarding the Boston
Customs House. As the mob pressed forward, someone knocked a soldier to the ground. The troops
panicked and open fired (Hart 70).

2. For a trivial [minor] offence, a free man shall be fined only in proportion to the degree of his offence,
and for a serious offence [similarly], but not so heavily as to deprive his livelihood (Magna Carta).
3.

Explain
1. By the time the Boston Massacre happened, the British had already passed laws through Parliament
such as the Stamp Act (1765), the Townshend Acts (1767), and the Quartering Act (1767) to pay off
debt from the French and Indian War. This angered the colonists, which caused events such as the
Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre.
2. Before this, King John was forced by the nobles to sign the Magna Carta (1215), which made the king
have to pass laws through its general consent before being appointed to the people.

4.

Explore (Analysis)
1. New laws passed by Parliament such as the Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, and Quartering Acts angered
the colonists to their breaking point, and made them dislike the British. During the Boston Massacre,
colonists began to throw rocks and ice balls at the British soldiers guarding the Boston Customs
House, and because of this the soldiers shot them, thus violating Magna Carta #18. The colonists were
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Name: Robert Buchanan

Period: 1

not threatening the British troops lives so it does not give the British the right to shoot the colonists in
self-defense. Also, even though they are British troops they nor have the right nor are above the
colonists to kill five people for committing a minor offence.

Refutation - Identify and disprove the oppositions main argument(s).

B. Refutation Paragraph
1. Oppositions Point (Great Britains Argument)
1. British Opposing Point of View #1 Parliament has the right and authority to make laws and demand
taxes of British colonists living in America.
2.

Colonists Counter-Point (Refutation)

1.

British Parliament does not have the right to demand taxes and make laws for American colonists due
to salutary neglect.

3. Example(s) (Historical Evidence)

1.

Under salutary neglect, enforcement of parliamentary law was deliberately law (not severe), with
the stated objective of encouraging colonial prosperity(What Is Salutary Neglect?).

2. No scutage or aid may be levied in our kingdom without its general consent (Magna Carta).
4.

Explain
1.

Parliament was erected in 1265 due to the idea of the middle class wanting to have more say in the
government. Parliament was the governing body of England and its colonies, however, the 13
colonies created the House of Burgesses in 1619 to make their own laws and taxes.

5. Explore (Analysis)
1. If the 13 colonies created their own governing body for them to abide by, and the fact that Parliament
enforced salutary neglect on the colonists, then this means that the colonists do not need to follow
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Name: Robert Buchanan

Period: 1

British rule because they have their own laws and governing body which they abide by. Parliament
went against Magna Carta #12 by taxing the colonists since the colonists have their own general
consent, and the British cannot levy any scutage or aid in the colonists kingdom without general
consent. In this case, Great Britain is the alien threat to the colonists because the colonists created
their own laws and government when they were under salutary neglect, and Great Britain cannot
come along and demand taxes without disobeying Magna Carta #12.

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