2.
The posters hung up around the city informing
us of the tax.
December 17, 1773
The Patriots
dressed as Indians
dumping tea of of
the ship.
3. The rouge rebels have caused even more chaos, in our glorious colony ruled by his majesty, King George III.
This time they trespassed onto an East-India Trading Company’s boat, and dumped all the tea that was being brought from
India. Although I was somewhat angry about this event, I was partially left wondering, do they want the best for us
colonists?
Life has been a mess here in the thirteen-colonies, in the past few years. It all started once the French-Indian
War ended. back when I was eight. Being a young lad, I didn’t know too much about what was going on, but my dad told
me that we many colonists were seeking more land to farm, but that the French, and Indians occupied the land that the
farmers sought after, this lead to the French-Indian War.
After a brutal, bloody war England was in deep dept., so they decided to tax us on all the paper that we
bought, and many people were unhappy with this, but we didn’t understand, because of all the great things England has
done for us. Later they repealed this tax, the Stamp Act, but then in May of this year, they put a new tax in place on our tea.
Despite all King George has done for us, in gaining us more land in the French-Indian War, and letting us live on this
beautiful land, some of my thickheaded, fellow colonists, still are against paying these taxes.
Due to this stupidity, about three years ago, when I was just a clueless lad, sweeping the last of the winter
snow off my front steps, I heard yelling from a few blocks away, so I went to investigate. What I found was an outrageous
mob, brought together to provoke the British soldiers, which were on station, when there was a shot. When I heard this I
bolted from the scene disgusted by arrogance of my fellow colonists. When I looked at the newspaper the next morning,
the front page read: ‘Boston Massacre’. At first-sight I was revolted by the incident, however; I was then lead to wonder,
are the rebels right about this? This thought was shot down after hearing my dear father’s dialogue about the rebellious
delinquents. That is until last night.
December 17, 1773
4. This leads us to yesterday’s events. A group of colonists that are against the King’s ideas, decided they needed a way
to show their displeasure, with having to pay taxes to England. They decided that the way to do this was, literally dump the
resource that we’re being taxed on, tea, into the Boston Harbor. The rebels dressed as Indians, and snuck onto an East-India Trading
Company vessel and got hold of the tea that was being kept on the ship, and his majesty’s forces were caught with their pants down.
They proceeded to dump all of the tea into the harbor to show that they did not want to pay taxes for the tea we buy. This event is
known as the Boston Tea Party. I was dead asleep during the happenings of this event, after a full day of apprenticing my dad, as a
blacksmith, but reading the newspapers, which are heavily biased towards the rebels, I had to rethink my previous opinions on
these rebels. They are not as clueless as my father had lead me to believe throughout my whole life. Their points regarding how it is
unfair to tax us, despite us not having a member in parliament, are extremely valid, maybe even more so than my father’s points
about giving back. At this point in time, I have no idea what I will do, in terms of siding with the loyalists or rebels. I cannot
imagine betraying my father, but; I feel that he may be blinded by his stubbornness. Sometimes, I just want to pull the wool over his
eyes. At this point in time I have found myself in a pickle.
This leads us to yesterday’s events. A group of colonists that are against the King’s ideas, decided they needed a way
to show their displeasure, with having to pay taxes to England. They decided that the way to do this was, literally dump the
resource that we’re being taxed on, tea, into the Boston Harbor. The rebels dressed as Indians, and snuck onto an East-India Trading
Company vessel and got hold of the tea that was being kept on the ship, and his majesty’s forces were caught with their pants down.
They proceeded to dump all of the tea into the harbor to show that they did not want to pay taxes for the tea we buy. This event is
known as the Boston Tea Party. I was dead asleep during the happenings of this event, after a full day of apprenticing my dad, as a
blacksmith, but reading the newspapers, which are heavily biased towards the rebels, I had to rethink my previous opinions on
these rebels. They are not as clueless as my father had lead me to believe throughout my whole life. Their points regarding how it is
unfair to tax us, despite us not having a member in parliament, are extremely valid, maybe even more so than my father’s points
about giving back. At this point in time, I have no idea what I will do, in terms of siding with the loyalists or rebels. I cannot
imagine betraying my father, but; I feel that he may be blinded by his stubbornness. Sometimes, I just want to pull the wool over his
eyes. At this point in time I have found myself in a pickle.
December 17, 1773
6. My worst fear has come; the war has started. It all started due to the fact that there are
many rumors floating around, of Patriot uprising, so the Red Coats travelled to Concord where the
weapons were rumored to have been, but the Patriots acted faster, and met the British at the Concord
North Bridge to fight. I fear I will have to inform my father where my allegiances truly lie.
This whole nightmare started when we moved from Boston to Concord. Attempting to
keep me exposed from the Patriot point of view, my father decided it would be the best decision to
move to Lexington. Although, Concord may not be as famous for it’s Patriotism; that does not mean
there are no Patriots here. I quickly met young men my age who were enlisting to fight, as they would
give an arm and a leg for freedom.
Another Patriot that I was able to meet, while roaming around town, was Samuel Adams,
who was helping recruit, for the Militia that would be facing off against the British forces, if we came to
that point. Samuel Adams, a very friendly man, told me a few weeks ago, “Son, I would let you join
the Militia in the drop of a hat. Our forces have been increasing due to the fact that so many colonists
are sick of living under a leadership system, where they have no voice in decisions that get made”.
After long thought, I decided that I would also, prefer living a free life, without having to pay tax
money on my every-day goods like we do now under King George. I wasn’t completely sure that I
was ready to fight for these beliefs, but when duty called, I was in.
April 20, 1775
7. The first battle, and my first battle, of this war, all started because, the British had heard rumors of uprising,
and they had knowledge of weapons being stored in Concord. The Red Coats did what any smart people would do, that
are trying to prevent an uprising, and attempted to confiscate our weapons. Fortunately for us freedom fighters, our
fellow Patriot, Paul Revere had gotten word of the British’s intentions, and travelled to Concord, by horse, to inform us of
his news. Wanting to be ahead of the game, we took the weapons, and stationed ourselves at Concord North Bridge, to
meet the British, after they had attempted to take our weapons. Inside the place where our weapons were rumored to be,
I’m sure the Red Coats were as mad as hatters, when they found an empty shed. After coming away empty-handed, we
were ready for the British moved along to the bridge where we were stationed. The British forces, a well oiled, well
trained machine, took commands from their generals, and were in battle positions, within seconds. After this there were a
few seconds of silence, then, Bang! The first in our fight for freedom, the shot heard around the world. Despite the Militia
fighting with passion, the experience of the British forces outweighed us by a ton, and they proceeded. The British
soldiers may have known the fighting techniques, but us patriots had knowledge of the land, and this panned out to be
crucial. As the fighting proceeded to Lexington, more and more Militia, joined in on the fight, and the force of only 77 at
the Concord North Bridge, turned into over 3,000 by the time the battle had reached Lexington. I believe that this was a
win for us Sons of Liberty, not only because we had more soldiers by the end of the battle, but also because now King
George will have to respond to this rebellion in some way. My father, a very loyal man, to the British Empire, will be
mortified to discover that I now share beliefs with the Patriots. That is why I have decided that it is best that I put off
telling my father as long as I possibly can, however; this will not stop me from fighting for my beliefs, as I have already
started to do.
April 20, 1775
9. Freedom has been rewarded to us Patriots, after a long hard fought war, however; it was anything
but easy. We fought through long, cold winters, and tragedy struck my father. Despite these hardships, it has
been worth gaining freedom for the country I would give an arm and a leg for.
As I was taking my trip home after the first battle, The Battle of Lexington and Concord, as I was
approaching my house, I spotted the local doctor. I could only assume the worst. The doctor was often a sign
of sickness, or tragic accidents. I bolted through the door, to find the doctor comforting my mother, over my
father’s dead body. They told me he had died in a welding accident, but the world was frozen. I didn’t know
what to say or do. Despite, this sorrow, there was a slight sense of relief, because I wouldn’t have to tell him my
new beliefs.
After the first shots of the war, at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, my life has completely
unraveled. I have fought in many battles for the freedom of the land that I love. I have given so much,
including my left eye, during The Battle of Saratoga, but it was most definitely worth it. The Battle of Saratoga,
was the first time, that I had this gut feeling, that we were going to knock those lobster back, red coats, off their
high horse. This reassurance is largely due to the fact that this was the first battle that we have aid from our
new allies, France. In France, was where Benjamin Franklin, was in perfect position to get aid, and help us
become a free nation. This battle was a success, and the momentum of the war started swinging our way.
That momentum continued in the next major battle, The Battle of Yorktown. Yorktown, a
peninsula where the British, had set up their headquarters, seemed to be a very secure location, but the British,
did not have knowledge of the French Naval Base in the Caribbean, where the French had a Navy Fleet. Our
plain was to surround the Peninsula, on land, and in the sea so no recourses could get in or out. This brilliant
plan is all thanks General George Washington, a true military genius. After a long wait, for the British to finally
start attempting to break out of these confinements, they came out firing left and right. Despite, the men of my
former allegiance, fighting with bravery, it was no match for us, and they came away waving the white flag.
September 3, 1783
10. After the news of freedom hit, after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, I felt
more satisfied and proud of my service, than any man has and ever will feel about
anything he has done for his country. I went outside, eyes clenched tight, and I held up
my flag, with thirteen white stars, thirteen white stripes, and thirteen red stripes, up to
the sky, as if to show my father, because even if he could not respect my new allegiance,
he could respect a man working so hard for something, that he lost an eye. We sang out
Yankee Doodle, all day at the pub. The lyrics of:
Yankee Doodle keep it up
Yankee Doodle dandy
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy
didn’t get old all day. As long as I live I will never forget the battles, literal and
personally that I have been through in the past years. To think I went from a child under
the influence of his father, to a battle wounded, victorious soldier, for the other side is
truly amazing.
God Bless America.
September 3, 1783
11.
"Boston Tea Party." Boston Tea Party. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
"Medieval Technology and American History - In-Depth Articles - Pat Lyon at the Forge:
Portrait of an American Blacksmith." Medieval Technology and American History - In-Depth Articles
- Pat Lyon at the Forge: Portrait of an American Blacksmith. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
"Townshend Acts." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.
"Treaty of Paris Signed September 3, 1783." Accessible Archives Inc. N.p., 03 Sept. 2012. Web. 18
Mar. 2015.
Citations
