Revolutionary Voices of the American Revolution

Alex Lee 8-7

Introduction

• This journal is in the voice of John Walton, who is a loyalist within the American Revolution. Through this revolution, there are two different sides. One side is the patriots, the other is the loyalists. The patriots are the ones who support the colonists, while the loyalists support the British. John Dalton is extremely loyal to the British and will do anything to ensure the victory of what he supports.

• The event that began this revolution was the French-Indian War. This war was when the British were fighting against the French and Indian in order to protect the 13 colonies. Because there was a enormous amount of money invested in the war, the British put taxes on the colonists in order to make up for the expenses during the French-Indian War. Even though this doesn’t affect the Loyalists, this causes the patriots to become furious as they think it isn’t fair that they are being taxed. This journal describes the events that John experienced throughout the American revolution.

John Walton: The Act of Rage. 1765

Day and night, I can hear the hollers of patriots echoing in the streets of Boston, disturbing my sleep and working hours as a shoemaker. The feeling of annoyance courses through my body. Enraged voices shout things like “no voice, no taxation” and “no taxation without representation”. Two chaotic weeks have passed since the Stamp Act. What the patriots are doing is simply just insane! The patriots are crossing the line!

The Stamp Act was declared during 1765. It was implemented when Britain started taxing every piece of paper that changed hands in the colonies. This included newspapers, marriage licenses, wills, diplomas and land deeds. All these documents had to carry a British stamp before it could be considered legal. This was the final act that unleashed the fury of the patriots. But why would they be? I do not understand!

Before the Stamp Act, there were many other acts such as the Quarter Act, Navigation Act, and Sugar Act. The Quarter Act stated that the colonist had to provide quarters for all the redcoats that were stationed in America. The Navigation Act suggested that almost everything was to be bought from Britain. They also had to sell almost everything they produced to Britain as well. Myriad of patriots were irritated by this act. But why? Their goods were all going to Britain. Britain was essentially their home country, where they came from. Without Britain, they wouldn't even be alive! The Sugar Act made the patriots even angrier. This act taxed the molasses that the colonists loved to import. All these acts seemed fair for me. The money was going to a good cause, benefiting us. Why must others still rebel?

John Walton: The Act of Rage. 1765

After the Stamp Act was announced, riots broke out. There were countless demonstrations and violent speeches against the British. To many, the Stamp Act seemed like the death of liberty, but not to me. The patriots didn't mind paying taxes to their local government. How come they couldn't pay taxes to Britain?

Angry men formed a group called the Sons of Liberty. They charged into the homes of stamp collectors and warned them to resign. When the stamp tax collectors refused, they hurled rocks at their houses and smashed many of their belongings. Oh, the pity I felt for the tax collectors was overwhelming. But the disappointment towards the Sons of Liberty surpassed that. They were outrageous. Their monstrous actions almost shaped them into animals!

I see absolutely no point in rebelling toward taxing things such as our sugar and paper work. It is completely logical that we have to give some of our money to Britain, as the money is spent towards the military and security of the colonies. This is madness! This has to be stopped immediately!

John Walton: The Act of Rage. 1765

The Sons of Liberty punishing a tax collector

The Stamp Act

John Walton: The Incident on King Street. March 26, 1770

Bang! Bang! The sound of firing muskets startled me from my sleep. From my window I saw a large crowd gathering on King Street. Redcoats stood on one side, citizens on the other. Smoke began to gather above the crowd. I saw snowballs and stones shooting through the gray smoke. Suddenly, 2 bodies fell onto the cold white snow. Then 3 more bodies fell. The icy white snow drank up the blood eagerly, turning red as wine. The patriots refer to this event that occurred on March 5, 1770, as the Boston Massacre. But as for us loyalists and people of Britain, we refer to this event as the Incident on King Street.

How dare they blame us for the deaths of 5 people! They drew death upon themselves. They were the ones who started this atrocity! We fired for self-defense, and self-defense only, nothing else.

It all started with a mischievous boy, Edward Garrick, who was insulting an innocent redcoat named Hugh White. Without a doubt, private White become furious and struck Garrick in the face with the butt of his musket. The boy ran off in tears, but then came back with a group of friends. Snowballs and stones were hurled at private White. The chaos attracted more redcoats, which helped defend private White. But more citizens came as well. Gradually there were 400 howling citizens attacking 13 redcoats. When the situation got out of hand, Captain Thomas Preston warned the citizens to stop and go home. However, they didn't listen and continued. Without a choice, the redcoats were forced to fire in order to protect themselves. When the commotion cleared, there were 5 dead and 6 injured. As you can see, the redcoats were not the ones who started it! They were left with no choice but to fire. If they hadn’t, then they would be the ones dead instead!

John Walton: The Incident on King Street. March 26, 1770

Even worse, after the Incident on King Street, a sinful man named Paul Revere created an engraving of propaganda against Britain. How dare he! This engraving showed the redcoats firing upon completely innocent citizens. This was absurd! How dare he produce false information! The citizens carried stones, clubs and snowballs. They used these weapons to constantly injure the redcoats!

The patriots call this a massacre because they want the British to feel guilty. The death of 5 people is not a massacre; they are over exaggerating this event! Even if it were, it was not our fault we cause these deaths. These wicked patriots are just making this incident seem like something it isn’t!

I really don't understand what these patriots are doing! They start a fight with us, and then they blame us for the deaths of their men. Being under the rule of the King is perfectly fine. Why must others still rebel? The patriots should really come to an end with this chaos, and open their eyes to see that King George really just wants the best for all of them, for all of us.

John Walton: The Incident on King Street. March 26, 1770

Paul Revere’s engraving of the Boston Massacre Paul Revere

John Walton: The Spark of War. May 3, 1775

“The regulars are out!” The awful voice of Paul Revere woke me up from my deep slumber. The loud beating drums and the tolling of church bells added on to the noise. Suddenly I saw lights in houses and men heading out their homes and digging muskets from freshly plowed fields and haystacks. Finally, I thought to myself, the British were coming to get revenge and show these patriots a lesson. This night of April 19, 1775, marked the beginning of the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

Over the past few days I lived with my sister, Daniela, in Lexington because I heard rumors that the British were coming. There was word that Sam Adams and John Hancock; the leaders of the Sons of Liberty were hiding near by. I wanted to witness the patriots paying for their wrongdoings. I couldn't wait!

When the redcoats finally came, I stood on a large grassy hill in order to see their vicious battle. Bang! The first shot was fired, but I didn't know by whom. Bang! Bang! More shots were fired on both sides. As the smoke cleared I could see 8 unmoving minutemen with blood oozing out of their body and 10 injured. The others ran for cover. What cowards these minutemen are. An enormous smile formed on my face. Yes! The British were winning!  

John Walton: The Spark of War. May 3, 1775

When the redcoats marched off to Concord, they went to the center of town and chopped down the Liberty Pole as well as burnt it. Gray smoke filled the air, blocking my vision. Yes, yes, yes! Finally the patriots were paying for their crimes! When the minutemen raced toward the bridge that crossed the stream, the redcoats fired across the clear water, and two minutemen were killed. Then, the minutemen fired and seconds later, three redcoats were dead and one was dying in pain. At least 10 were wounded. Darn it! The patriots cannot win! This is not acceptable!

While the redcoats marched back to Lexington, the minutemen ambushed them from both sides of the road. Muskets were fired from behind stonewalls, barns, and houses. Every step of the long journey, the redcoats were constantly ambushed by minutemen. Shots were fired and men were injured, but they still persevered and moved on. Luckily, Lord Percy, a British officer arrived with 1,000 fresh soldiers. Sparks of hope ignited in my body. The British were certain to gain victory! These new troops held off the minutemen while the exhausted soldiers rested. It was long after dark when they finally reached their barracks. Many redcoats were already severely injured. No, no, no! The hope in all my heart has dropped to the ground and down to hell. Hell, that is what exactly I feel. Why, why must the patriots continue to rebel after all that's happen?

John Walton: The Spark of War. May 3, 1775

The minutemen fighting in the Battle of Lexington and Concord

Lord Percy

John Walton: Declaration of Exaggeration. July 18, 1776

“He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.” “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.” These were all quotes within the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson that was adopted on July 4, 1776. Though many people believed and approved in the Declaration of Independence, I thought the statements were just extremely over exaggerated. Not only was it over exaggerated, it was also very offensive toward King Gorge III.

First of fall, the British did not start the war; in actuality, the patriots started it because they did not obey the rules. Also, the redcoats have not harassed our people nor ate our food, we are simply giving them a place to live in order for them to protect our colonies! Even though this makes me furious, I cannot do anything about it but lay in an abyss of frustration.

From my house, on that horrendous night of July 4th, I could hear the roaring laughter, beating of drums and shots of fired muskets. Countless men, women and children paraded through the streets of Boston, throwing their black hats towards the night sky. Oh, how I despise these patriots, I find them simply atrocious!

John Walton: Declaration of Exaggeration. July 18, 1776

Around 11 months before, on May 10, 1775, during the Second Continental Congress, delegates that still hoped for peace decided to draft up a petition so we could avoid war. We named this petition the Olive Branch Petition. This was our final attempt to solve the problems of America and Britain peacefully. I was completely confident that the King would accept.

But even though we hoped with all our hearts that he would accept, the King refused to even receive the Olive Branch Petition. Not only this, but he also declared that the colonies were in a state of rebellion, and readied his forces for war. Once I heard of this news, all this hope in my heart was immediately extinguished. I was not disappointed in the King; instead I was disappointed at these restless patriots. They were the ones who caused so much chaos that the King believed every single person in America was patriotic. He has not yet noticed that through the façade the patriots have made, there are still people who supported him and this monarchy type of ruling.

Curse these patriots. They have destroyed my life, and every other loyalist’s life as well. They have ripped all the hope and happiness out of our bodies, leaving us to rot with only depression and anger. I just wish that King Gorge III would at least see that us loyalists are still on his side and spare us because we support his rule. Someday, someday I will have vengeance on these patriots.

John Walton: Declaration of Exaggeration. July 18, 1776

The Declaration of Independence The Olive Branch Petition

John Walton: This is the End. November 2, 1781

All is lost. Every grain of hope has fallen down the drain. There is nothing I can do anymore. 2 weeks ago, October 19, 1781, marked the day of the Surrender of Yorktown. On that day, the British on the Yorktown peninsula, surrendered against the land and sea campaign the French and American set up. The patriots have basically claimed victory. There is nothing I can do but weep in sorrow.

It was said that after the British commander Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis had conducted a series of raids against towns and plantations in Virginia, and he then had decided to take camp on the Yorktown peninsula. Personally, I found this a little bit tactically unintelligent. The only way to leave the peninsula was through Chesapeake Bay, or land. The patriots decided to use this situation as a chance to defeat Britain. They combined with the French army, as they also wanted revenge against Britain for the French-Indian War back in 1763.

In order to entrap the 8,000 men that made up the British, patriot forces that consisted of 2,500 troops who were led by General Gorge Washington were joined by the French army that consist of 4,000 men were led by Count de Rochambeau. These two armies joined together on land, while, the French navy, led by Count de Grasse made a barricade at Chesapeake Bay to prevent the British from getting supplies and reinforcements. To be honest, at this time I still believed the British had a chance to become victors, there was just a glimmer of hope left.

John Walton: This is the End. November 2, 1781

After three long weeks of constant bombardment, both day and night, from cannon and artillery, on October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered to Washington, ending the War for Independence. Once I heard this news, my world instantly flipped upside down. Everything single thing that resembled the life I had instantly slipped away from me and out of my grasp. The patriots have basically won. What do I do now?

A life without a King to rule over us, instead a new type of government called democracy. Democratic ruling is still a little hazy to me; it is when the entire population or eligible members take control. Was this going to work? I do not know. All I can do is wait to find out.

There are no more so called patriots or loyalists. There are now only Americans. I must face the fact that the loyalists have lost. I must realize that what ever has started has now ended. I must accept the fact that no matter what I was and believed before, I have to change now.

John Walton: This is the End. November 2, 1781

The British surrendering to Gorge Washington

Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis

Conclusion

• Just like every single revolution, there are both short-term and long-term effects. One of the long-long effects throughout the American Revolution was that America became an independent country. If this revolution had not existed, then America would not be what it is today. Instead, it would still be ruled by the British. A short-term effect that occurred was the French Revolution. Because the French saw that the American’s had became independent of their ruler, they also wanted to do that as well. Therefore, the American Revolution basically started the French Revolution.

• Throughout the American Revolution there were still many things that remained the same, but also things that changed. One thing that changed was their form of government. Before the revolution, America was ruled by a British monarchy, where a country is ruled by a King or Queen. After this revolution, the Americans spread a new type of government, called democracy. A democratic ruling is when the entire population or eligible members take control. What didn’t change immediately  was the segregation between whites and blacks. The Americans were still racist, and believed that the whites were a more superior race, compared to the blacks.

• Old America and the America we have in the present can be greatly compared as well as contrasted. A similarity that remains both in the present and past is that America still have a congress that helps make the laws of the country. Right after the American Revolution, America was a relatively weak country and was an easy target for other countries. Currently, America is one of the worlds most powerful country, as it has a very strong military.

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