he Stamp Act Resolutions and Declaratory Act

WRITING ASSIGNMENT # 2A: The Stamp Act Resolutions and Declaratory Act

After the British  success in the French and Indian War, relations between the colonists  and the mother country started to deteriorate. Britain’s attempt to  tighten control over its colonial empire and to finance its  administration by imposing new taxes aroused American resentment.  Colonial opposition to British policies eventually led to armed  resistance.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Review the relevant sections in Chapter 6.
• Read the following documents:

Document 1: The Stamp Act Resolutions

Document 2: The Declaratory Act of 1766

If you are interested  in reading the Resolutions transcript full transcript of the  Declaratory Act, you will find them on the previous page.

As you read each  document identify and be prepared to discuss the information that  addresses the following points. Keep in mind that answering the  following questions does not constitute an essay. This information must  be incorporated into your essay.

Document 1 is an extract from the Resolutions that were passed by the Stamp Act Congress in 1765. Note, these are not the Virginia Resolves  presented by Patrick Henry to the Virginia assembly, although reading  and comparing the two may help you in your discussion. You are being  asked to “Note the line of argument.”

• In order to do this, you must examine each statement separately and determine what the colonist are proposing/arguing.
• The next step is to  identify how each statement that follows is related to the preceding  statement. How are they being used to validate/argue for the view,  opinion, or rationale being presented in each statement?

Document 2 is an excerpt from the Declaratory Act of 1766, passed by Parliament.

• Note the tone of  the document. According to their statements, what is the relationship  that exists between the crown and the colonies?
• What are they prepared to do to enforce that relationship?

PREPARE AND SUBMIT:

Write a well-organized essay, a minimum of 700 words  (but not limited to), including supporting details from the  documents/textbook/other sources in which you analyze and discuss the  material that has been assigned by addressing the following questions:

1. Discuss the main  arguments that the colonists are presenting to Parliament, how they  support those arguments, and how these resolutions reflect the attitudes  toward local affairs developed during the preceding century.
2. Discuss how  Parliament refutes American claims, and how the Declaratory Act reflects  the English view on the nature of empire, as opposed to the view held  by most colonists.