Revolutionary+WarJeffa09


 * __Speech__**-Was the Revolutionary War really a revolution? This is a question that has been debated and discussed for years and years by experts. In my personal opinion, I believe that the war, which started in 1775, was a revolution because just like the definition states, the government of English rule was overthrown by the colonists of what is now America, and they put their own government of the people into place. Several events in time give evidence as to the building blocks of the American Revolution. With all of these events building on each other, they played a big part in causing the revolution. An event that sort of kick started the idea of revolution was the Boston Massacre. On March 5, 1770, a group of colonists were in a quarrel with British redcoats. A shot was fired, allegedly by a soldier, and that was followed by more shots. This was an event during which the idea of maybe revolting was begining to be thought possibe by the colonists. Another event, which hinted that there could be a hope for the colonists by way of them fighting back, was the Boston Tea Party. This was when a group of brave colonists overtook several English ships filled with tea and dumped it all into the Boston Harbor. During this raid hundreds of crates of tea were lost, but the colonists did not harm any of the ships, or the crews on them. I think this says alot about the colonists intensions, and the manner in which they would act. It shows that they didn't neccesarily wanted a big bloody battle, but that they were going to stand up for their rights and not let themselves get "pushed" and bossed around. An additional pivital factor as to the war being a revolution is the Olive Branch Petition. This was a letter written by the colonists to the King of England, in which the message was put across that they were still loyal to England. This was one of the last attempts to repair the situtation. This petition also expressed that the colonists wanted the acts that England had put in place, the Intolerable Acts, to be eliminanted. However, the King refused, which left the colonists which no other choice but to revolt against England. This continued to build up all the tension between Great Britain and the colonists and ultimatley led up the the Revolutionary War.

__Boston Massacre__- On March 5, 1770, a group of colonists were in the middle of their normal verbl assault on the British redcoats. They were teasing a centry that was on guard alone in front of the Custom House. Then someone began ringing the church bell, the signal for backup to come to aid of the sentry. Captain Thomas Preston was among the seven or eight soldiers that arrived on scene do to the bell. The "Lobsterbacks" were quickly surrounded by civilians. The rowdy crowd ignored all of the attempts of by the redcoats to try and calm them. A shot was fired, allegedly by a soldier, and that was followed by more shots. The result of this outlast ended with many injured and five dead, including the well known Cripus Attacks. The citizens separated and ran off just as the redcoats returned to their assigned posts. This event caused already existing angers and hatred to further boil towards overflowing.

-It showed that the people were ready to fight for their freedom -This shows that there definetley was a few ideas of revolution towards the government in the heads of at least some of the colonists

__Intolerable Acts (put in place by England)__- Acts, or laws, put into place, such as ones ones that put a very high price on an assortment of products, including tea, making it very difficult for the colonists to buy and sell it. Tea was a important product for the colonists to have as it was a big part of their economy's trade. Naturally, the colonists were not happy about the increased price on their products that they needed. This raised tensions between colonists and the British and played a main part in causing the Boston Tea Party.

__Boston Tea Party-__ A group of colonists, dressed up as Indians, overtook several English ships filled with tea. They dumped hundreds of crates of tea into the Boston harbor. However, they did this peacefully, in not harming the boats or any of the crew on them. I think this says alot about the colonists intensions, and the manner in which they would act in. It shows that they didn't neccesarily wanted a big bloody battle, but that they were going to stand up for their rights and not let themselves get "pushed" and bossed around.

__Olive Branch Petition__- This was a letter written by the colonists to the King of England, in which the message was put across that they were still loyal to England, was one of the last attempts to repair the situtation. This petition also expressed that the colonists wanted the acts that England had put in place, the Intolerable Acts, to be eliminanted. However, the King refused, which left the colonists which no other choice but to revolt against England.

The definition of revolution-an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/revolution http://americanhistory.about.com/od/revolutionarywar/a/boston_massacre.htm http://www.harlingen.isd.tenet.edu/coakhist/amrev.html#PRE
 * __Sources__**

__GOOD TIMER WEBSITE__ http://www.timeme.com/stopwatch.htm =The day before it is due you will record the phone call on our Gcast podcast channel. On the day of your speech you will have two minutes to convince the class that the American Revolution really was a revolution. Due Date Monday rough drafts are due and we will rehearse. Tuesday and Wednesday we will present and record the live presentations. I will answer the question below: Was the American Revolution really a revolution? =