I hope you enjoyed drinking Earl Grey tea on Friday during our discussion of the Boston Tea Party of 1773 and other events that pushed the American Colonies to declare their independence from Britain. It's an interesting exercise to play "What if...?" and think about whether or not the Revolution was actually inevitable or which side we would have favored if we were alive at that time. Personally, while I can definitely understand the colonists' frustration with the taxing measures of Parliament, and even their deep-seated Whig suspicion of government officials, I'm not 100% sure that I would have been able to join John Adams and George Washington as patriots and rebel against the mother country. Those who made that choice had A LOT to lose and were facing very low odds of success!
It's also interesting to see how much of our "national personality" was formed during the colonial period, and how issues that rankled with Americans over 200 years ago are still being discussed today. Even though so much about our world has changed in the intervening years, human nature and human desires still remain the same!
This week we'll look at the Revolutionary War itself and learn why it was crucial and logical that George Washington be asked to lead the American troops into battle. We'll evaluate the British strategy during the war and analyze the various factors that worked for and against both sides in the conflict. However, we WON'T be actually firing guns or blowing anything up in class, sorry! It is time to plan another MOVIE PARTY to watch The Patriot for extra credit and study for the Unit #2 TEST coming next week, which covers Chapters 6, 7, & 8.
This Week's Question: Can you think of an issue that bothered the American colonists between 1763 and 1776 that still comes up for discussion and debate today? Try to think about politics during that last few years and/or the current presidential race. Give examples to back up your statement(s).
Well, I think taxes are a bothersome and much-debated subject in America today, as well as in the time period of 1763 to 1776. Two examples of this are Bush's tax cuts, which are still brought up by democrats as an epic failure even today, and Paul Ryan's taxt cut program. Both of these topics come up in political debates and heated discussion. Everyone is worried about taxes, and everyone hates them. People are always looking for loopholes in the system because they always want to pay less. If taxes are raised, Americans follow in the foots of their ancestors... NO MORE TAXES! When tax season roles around, you might as well duck for cover in my house, and DON'T TOUCH THE PAPERS ON THE TABLE!
ReplyDeleteI think tax season is a grumpy time in many households...especially for those whose parents own their own business!
DeleteThe colonists suffered from constant taxation. The people were taxed with new taxes for little to no reason or for the gaining of revenue for the government. Today, the state of California has placed a tax on online retailers which they have never done before. The reason for this is to increase revenue for the CA government. The government is slowly taxing everything we have and as the song Taxman by the Beatles goes "if you try to walk I'll tax the street, if you try to sit, I'll tax your seat." All Americans do not like paying taxes, and the government is adding more for revenue.
ReplyDeleteIt probably wouldn't bother us quite as much to pay taxes if we could be sure that the government officials would really spend them wisely!
DeleteAn issue that still bothers Americans today, as well as the colonists from 1763 to 1776, concerns taxes. Although, the citizens of American today are represented in the government, we still have a problem with the principle of taxes. We know we need to have them, but not so many and not so high. In the end, Americans today and those during the 1760's and 1770's both dislike an exorbitant amount of high taxes.
ReplyDeleteWe'd get in big trouble today if we tried to tar and feather the IRS employees, though!
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