Essay

Essay Instructions:

Write a 600-word essay (about 2 pages, double spaced) analyzing at least two primary sources. Compare and contrast the sources, then develop a thesis that addresses the significance of the similarities and differences. Support your thesis with evidence quoted and cited appropriately from the primary sources. Avoid merely summarizing the documents or writing a “laundry list” of comparisons and contrasts. For this essay, use the following primary sources: · Stamp Act Crisis Packet Support your essay’s thesis by presenting at least four pieces of specific evidence quoted from the primary sources (NOT the Introduction) and cited appropriately. Quotations are preferable, but paraphrasing is acceptable. Use simple parenthetical citations featuring the author’s name and the appropriate page number, if available; example: (John Ploughshare, 5). Major Interpretive Issues: Essays analyzing primary sources often work best when they focus on a major interpretive issue. For example, as you read and annotated the Stamp Act Crisis packet in Perusall, the assignment instructions encouraged you to consider the issues listed below. Consider centering your thesis on one of these issues. What are the main arguments for and against the stamp tax? Parliamentary Authority. Does Parliament have the authority to legislate for Britain's colonies? Subjecthood. Are colonials subjects of the British empire? Do they have the same privileges and responsibilities of Crown subjects in the British Isles? Tax Types. Why do colonials resist this particular tax? Are there other kinds of tax measures that would address colonial concerns and still generate needed revenue? British Public Opinion. What is British public opinion toward the colonies? Ultimately, should Parliament enforce or repeal the Stamp Act? What consequences might result? Format your essays as follows: 12 pt Times New Roman font one-inch margins all around double spaced no bibliography write your name and final word count at the top of the page on the left side give your essay a title that encapsulates your thesis Your essays should be organized and free of awkward sentences and grammatical errors. Essays are due in Blackboard and they will be submitted to SafeAssign for plagiarism detection. Late work will be penalized one letter grade per day, and no late work will be accepted after three days.

Essay Sample Content Preview:

Stamp Act Crisis Packet Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Stamp Act Crisis Packet The Stamp Act of 1765 was a vital turning point in Anglo-American relations in the colonial era. The significance of the act stems from the understanding that it set tensions that eventually led to the onset of the American Revolution and the eventual declaration of independence. The act introduced taxes on the colonialists for a wide range of paper goods. Newspapers, legal documents, and even playing cards were taxed under this act. One significant element of the act was the opposing views that it attracted from the British government and the Americans. While the American colonialists viewed the act as an affront to their rights, the British saw it as an opportunity to raise revenues for the defense of the colonies. This essay analyses the Stamp Act Crisis Packet through two primary sources with emphasis put on comparing and contrasting the arguments for and against the act through the lenses of parliamentary authority and colonial subject-hood. An exploration of the Stamp Act Crisis Packet through varying lenses should outline the emergent philosophical variations between the British and their American colonies concerning key issues like taxation without representation as well as governance. Arguments for and Against the Stamp Tax The principal argument in favour of the Stamp Act stemmed from the British who saw it as an avenue of revenue generation. The Stamp Act was advanced at a time when the British were faced with a range of threats against its colonies. Specifically, the French and Indian Wars had put a heavy financial burden on the British government and a change was needed. The primary document used to showcase the British perception of the act was the 1770 colonial letter titled “The Merchants and Traders of Philadelphia” (as found in the Library of Congress). In the letter, the colonialists indicate that following the French and Indian wars, “the colonies should contribute to their defense”. The British Prime Minister at the time, George Grenville, argued at the time that the act would be good for the colonies that were already benefitting considerably from the British protection. By extension, the tax would help the British to offset the cost of running the colonies at the time. Conversely, Americans rejected the act arguing that it contravened a range of their rights. Primarily, the Stamp Act was seen as one that violated the rights of the British subjects. Dickinson and Halsey (1903) published a series of letters from “a farmer in Pennsylvania” that outlined some of the reasons why Americans rejected the act. Dickinson and Halsey (1903) noted in one of the letters that the colonial government “dishonored the agreement of representation” in the...

Updated on January 3, 2025

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