The French and Indian War, known as the Seven Years’ War was part of a large imperial conflict between Great Britain and France. The French and Indian War began in 1754 and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. After winning the war it provided Great Britain territorial gains, but controversy arose over policies and paying the wars’ expenses led to the deteriorating relationship between Britain and its colonies. “No taxation without representation” is a slogan that summarizes the injustice of the British colonists, which was one of the major causes of the American Revolution. Colonists believed that they weren’t represented when the British Parliament passed acts taxing the colonists. We all know some of the reasons why the colonies revolted against Britain, they passed the Sugar and Stamp Act to regain revenue and basically pay for the war expenses. These documents explain to us first hand some of the problems they faced.
Document 6-2, shows how Joseph Warren, a Boston physician and political activist is upset about the British policies and reminded the colonists of their duties. Warren is upset that the British Parliament is taxing them when it isn’t made up of anybody from their province. He is trying to get the statement across, as well as many other colonists that how they can be free when all they do is take orders. He begins crying out for the compassion of Americans, asking them to remember that terrible night of the massacre and the tragically effects it caused. “The fatal fifth of March, 1770, can never be forgotten.” Warren feminizes the concept of liberty and states that the ones who value the blessings of liberty are the ones worthy to enjoy it, and prays that their land will always be a land of liberty.
In Document 6-3, George R. T. Hewes, a shoemaker in Boston speaks about a time he defended a small boy and was then struck in the head with a cane by a custom-house officer, John Malcom. If it wasn’t for his thick skull he would have broken his skull and would have immediately died. He then took a warrant to the constable but when the constable got to the house where Malcom was at, it was surrounded by colonists so he could not serve it. However, the people took matters into their own hands. Hewes went on to talk about the Boston Tea Party. How they divided them into three parties, then boarded three different ships which all contained tea. He was assigned to Leonard Pitt. He commanded them to open the hatches, and