Editing. You did a lovely job punctuating your dialogue!! However, you need to start a new paragraph each time a different person speaks. (Review this in the attached file.) The names of wars are not italicized and you don’t capitalize the first ‘the.’ ( . . . the French and Indian War.) Historical content. Remember, the Colonists would not have been called ‘Americans’ at this point. They are ‘Colonists’ and the king/Parliament is taxing the ‘Colonies’, not the ‘states.’ Revolutionary War. This story started with a chess game late in the year of 1764. Both of the competitors were at an equal level and each posted an equal struggle for the other, just as each of them had had steady and insightful arguments on the topic they were discussing, loyalists versus patriots. As they had begun entering the first stages of the game, they began talking about one of the the acts that had been past early that year, The French and Indian War.
Charles, who had the patriotic views, began the discussion. “I am beginning to side with the Revolutionists, (‘Revolutionaries’ is the correct word, but they would not have been called that at this time. Instead, you might say that he was beginning to believe . . .’) the amount of taxes and restrictions they had put on us already had been enough to anger (anger who?), but with the taxes that they enacted to pay for The French and Indian War, the war they chose to fought without our asking, are crossing the line.” The taxes enacted to pay for the debt “Now then Charles, do not forget that the helped protect us for seven years, just recently ended last year, and has amassed a massive debt enough to cripple any government.”
Henry, the second man in the conversation and consequently the one leaning to loyalistic views, then continued, “It makes sense that they would turn to their largest and quite frankly richest colony, especially since much of that debt is from protecting us.” “True,” said Charles, “but they are also taxing the americans so that they can build back up there (their) East India Company and to pay for the debts amassed from the war in India.” “Furthermore, the taxes they have imposed are outrageous.” “While they are quite high,” debated Henry, “you must remember that we have much higher annual wages they any of their other colonies are are the most capable of paying such taxes.” By this point in the conversation, the chess game had progressed to middlegame. Following a brief silence, Charles was the one to start the conversation back up. “In regards to paying these taxes, no matter how high they are, they have no right to tax us at all.
That is a direct malfeasance against the Magna Charta.” “Yes I know Charles,” Henry noted, “but even many of the people in England are underrepresented, and with patient, we americans could get representation.” He then added, “We must not let greed and anger cloud our judgment or we will make fools of ourselves.” he said with a sigh. “Even if I were to agree that it would be just to have some form of taxing for The French and Indian War, I could never agree with their methods. They tax our molasses and have enforced the Navigation Acts upon us so that all of our outgoing trades must go straight to England. Those acts were just too much for many tradesman in America, and have gotten many confused and angered.” Charles exclaimed. “That sort of behavior just shouldn’t displayed by Parliament, if they wish to retain the respect of the Americans, which is already almost entirely lost. ”
Finally, at this point in the conversation, that had reached the part of chess that they call the endgame. Flowing with their game, there debate was also coming to an end. “Even large empires like England make mistakes on occasion” observed Henry, “Though, often not as bad as the build up of mistakes England has made.” Charles then noted, “With the renewed and adaptation of the molasses act, the Sugar Act, and the introduction of the Currency Act, the states have begun to consider such measures as a revolution, in fear that it may only get worse if they take no action.” “Yes, the acts that parliament have been pressing have been uncalled for but you must remember that not only do we pay less taxes than England, and we had been bending the rules of the Molasses Act to the colonists’ advantage.”
“Ah, so it seems that you agree with me that England has overplayed their hand, did you not?” inquired Charles, to which Henry replied, “While I may agree with you on a few of your arguments.” After briefly pausing, Henry continued, “I could never support a cause such as a revolution with what I consider to be small, and foolish mistakes made by England.” “Then it seems we have found a middleground, for I agree that revolution at this stage would be foolish, although at the rate that England has been setting upon these taxes a revolution may be inevitable, and you agree with me that England has been unjust, taxing us with the methods and the amounts that they have used.” “It seems we have” replied Henry, stalemate.
Bibliography
- “Timeline of the Revolutionary War.” US History, Independence Hall Association, 1995, http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/revwartimeline.html Don’t forget Christ and the Americas!
