Seventh graders were challenged to not only understand and articulate their characters' views, but also to debate and defend those positions based on facts. Immersing themselves into the historic context of the period, their speeches included obsolete terminology, details of colony life and examples of how the discord with Great Britain impacted lives.

 

Throughout the debate, students were expected to follow parliamentary rules of order as they engaged in “pacting” sessions to force action on other delegates and persuade peers to vote for or against a revolution. Some students dived deeper into their roles with costumes or props that reflect the 177­0s.

 

Before opening the session, teacher Beth Gaffga acknowledged that some will have to work outside their comfort zones. “It’s hard to think on your feet in a debate,” she told students. “I want you to take risks and put yourself out there.”

 

Faith Hutt studied Boston merchant and politician Thomas Hutchinson, a Loyalist, to argue against a war with Great Britain. “This assignment made me a better writer and now I understand how America got started,” she says.

For another viewpoint, continue reading the speech presented by Charles Dye representing the undecided vote.
 

Hello, most glorious members of the Second Continental Congress. My name is Sean Devlin, and I own the Hens and Chickens tavern in Burlington, Massachusetts. Although my ancestors are originally from Scotland, my parents moved here from Ireland in 1730, before I was born. As a neutralist, I am undecided as to where my loyalties lie. Life under British control has been very good and prosperous. We started out with nothing, but my father was able to open a tavern, and we became a well-off family. However, this new “mad king” has abused his power as a king and made it more difficult to respect the British as much as before. My knowledge of the revolutionary events is all by way of the grapevine, as I hear the views of my many Patriot and Loyalist customers. I have a way of making everyone feel comfortable in my presence, so they trust me with their secrets. As I listen to them talk, confusion and anger fly all around me. With all of this, I haven’t yet reached my own conclusion. I am depending on you to persuade me to join one side or the other before this war severely escalates.

 

Britain has treated the colonies unfairly time and time again. One of the most egregious examples has been their appalling overreaction to the Sons of Liberty tossing tea into the harbor. This was the action of a mere fifty inebriated Sons of Liberty, but the English Parliament has chosen to punish our entire Commonwealth by putting the Intolerable Acts into effect. Closing Boston Harbor has devastated  the economy, one such example being my tavern. I can no longer get ingredients to brew my beer which has caused great hardship to my patrons and myself. When the British enacted the Quartering Act in 1765, my neighbor had several disheveled, drunk Redcoats flood her house. We were all glad when it were repealed in 1770, but now, they are back, along with the Intolerable Acts. And once again, her house is a major hotspot for their troops. Not to mention, King George III in 1763 severely limited our rights to land in his proclamation. The colonies are already overflowing with people seeking better lives, and more are undoubtedly on the way. So we are prevented from using the plentiful land west of the Appalachian Mountains. If that remains in effect, we will become even further victims of overcrowding. To add insult to injury, they have also shut down our assembly until the tea that was destroyed is paid for. One million pounds? We can’t afford that! We are left with no ability to govern ourselves and consequently have become less stable. As if this weren’t enough, British soldiers who commit  murder will be tried in England, where they will surely be acquitted every time because of the juries not holding them accountable. This means they can shoot at us with impunity! Yes, this king has committed acts of tyranny against us.

 

The abominable Parliament has repeatedly slammed its cold, iron fist overflowing with unfair taxes down on the once-peaceful colonies. The first unnecessary tax was the Stamp Act, passed in 1765, the beginning of the dreadful, tax-laden half decade of 1765 to 1770. The British put taxes on every single paper we used, from newspapers to playing cards! And we retaliated by refusing to buy the stamps on each piece of paper that tax the colonists. It worked, but Parliament decided that once they got rid of one tax, they would make up for it by placing a tax on items even more widely used: paint, glass, paper, tea, lead, and many other important materials. These were the Townshend Acts that you know all too well, my friends. And we made Parliament repeal these two, by boycotting British goods. And so ends the half-decade of taxes. And thus commences one of the most bitter decades in all of history. When Britain passed the Tea Act in 1773, they intended on saving the East India Tea Company. Yet the monopoly they caused created the opposite, as any other tea was now black-market tea. We boycotted British tea, and eventually some Patriots became so furious and feverish from anger and intoxication that they destroyed British tea from two ships. And when Britain passed the Intolerable Acts, we were all devastated. And yes, this Parliament under the king has taxed us inequitably.  

 

And yet the Patriots have been barbaric in their pursuit of freedom for only themselves. On the night of August 26, 1765, the Patriots ransacked your house, Governor Hutchinson, as you know too well, tearing important political documents to shreds, shattering your windows, drinking your wine, shearing your elaborate furnishings to velvet scraps, tossing your belongings out of broken windows, and burning them all. With all of these brutal actions performed by Mr. Samuel Adams’ “Sons of Liberty”,  a high level of hypocrisy is introduced. They call themselves people who want liberty, but true liberty is for all. They clearly do not believe this, as they will be destructive and violent in order to obtain “liberty”, while actually denying liberty to those with other beliefs and performing actions upon them that indicate intent for malevolence, not liberty. And that malevolence results in death and destruction.

           

Thank you, highly esteemed members of the Second Continental Congress. In short, the British have treated us in an unfair and tyrannical way and they have taxed us inequitably. On the other hand, the Patriots have been malevolent and barbaric in their lust for “liberty”. This leaves me both worried and uncertain about our future. I am excited and apprehensive for you to convince me to join a side, and I am most eager to have a concrete loyalty. So let us begin here. Produce your arguments.