An journal about a boy who is living during the American Revolution.

1. Journal of Chris
Sangster

2. The stamp that the
colonists designed to
show their displeasure
towards the Stamp Act.
Colonists burning
newspapers, marriage
licenses, and paper with
the stamp on it
22 March 1765

3. Dear Journal,
I AM SO UPSET! Apparently, the Parliament has passed a new
tax so everyone has to carry a British stamp to become legal! My
friend, John Carpenter, told me that the British put these taxes in
place because they spent a massive amount of money during the
British and French Army. This led to the Sugar Act, and the Stamp
Act. God knows what other taxes there will be!
But there is also bad news! We needed more soldiers and my
father and older brother was taken away by some soldiers this
morning to train for the war!
THIS IS NOT FAIR!! You can’t just take away someone’s loved
ones and expect them to never see them again! What if they get
killed in the war? And I’m not the only one whose father was taken
away!
They saw the mixture of anger and sadness on my face and said
that I had a choice to join them. WHY WOULD I JOIN THEM? I
mean sure, I could watch out for my brother and father but I would

4. I heard from my friends that everyone’s first born son and father has
been taken away. No wonder they said I had a choice to join the army!
I mean, I am 16 and it is said that boys over 17 are wanted to join the
army. That means that no one is safe… Well, no BOY is safe. And the
only times we get to see our loved ones who joined the army is after
the war. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let the war end soon.
Ok, back to the Stamp Act. This means that we have to pay taxes if
we want to make to buy newspapers ad commercial documents!
We’re already really poor and we don’t have a lot of money to pay
these taxes! I heard that the colonists drew stamps with a skull and
crossbones to show their belief that the Stamp Act is a death of
Liberty. I totally agree with them. We have too many taxes to pay!
URGH!
I mean sure, we’re fine with paying taxes to our local government but I
think this I s a bit too much. I mean, every newspaper, marriage
licensee, EVERY piece of paper? I heard that the Sons Of Liberty
went into the homes of stamp act collectors and warned them to
resign. Some of them were like us! Some were poor uneducated

5. British soldiers getting
ready to fire during the
battle
The picture on the
newspaper I received in
the morning that showed
the Battle Of Lexington
and Concord on the front
19 April 1765

6. Dear Journal,
OH MY GOD. The Battle Of Lexington and Concord was all over the
news this morning! Apparently, we won the battle! I’m so proud of us
patriots!
Over these few years, the only thing that happened was probably the
Boston Tea Party. It started when King George appointed the Tea Act
and the patriots were outraged. It’s just another tax we have to pay!
Anyway, some patriots disguised as Native Americans and climbed
aboard the ship. They started to dump chests of tea in the water.
Although it seems like a very rebellious act, I find it a very peaceful riot. I
mean, no one died or was injured.
Remember how I was deciding whether to join the army or not? I
obviously did not make the right decision. I was woken up by a loud
wailing from my mother and ran outside. Two patriots were standing
there with a paper in one hand and sorrow faces. They told me that my
older brother had died in battle.
I was shocked and grief-stricken by this news. I feel like my heart has

7. Our crops have also been failing. We haven’t had anything except cabbage
soup for the last week. I few continue like this, I’m going to go crazy! We’re
not the only ones experiencing this shortage though. Apparently, all of our
neighbors seem to be having the exact same problem. What does this
mean? I may not be the religious type of person but could this be a sign?
That the British will take America and we will be forced to starve till death
while they take all of your food? With this and the news about my brother
dying, I don’t think I can take all this. I hope my father is okay too. I haven’t
heard from him since he left to join the army.
Anyways, back to the Battle Of Lexington and Concord. What happened
was that the Red Coats set out from Boston to capture Samuel Adams and
John Hancock and destroy our store of weapons and ammunition in
Concord. Luckily, the duo were able to escape AND hide much of their
ammunition and weapons. Imagine the shock when the lobster backs found
no weapons ANYWHERE.
I heard from my friend John Carpenter that there were 60 patriots and 700
British soldiers! 700! After the patriots saw the army of British soldiers, the
person in charge of the militia soldiers called a disperse when someone fire
a shot, I’m not sure who though because the newspaper didn’t say.
Anyway, the small group of patriots were instantly defeated by the
soldiers. But the next part caught the British by surprise. While they were
marching to Concord, they were ambushed by a larger group of patriots.
Under constant

8. A copy of the
Declaration of
Independence that
A copy of the
Treaty Of Paris.
Yay for those fifty-
six delegates!
3 September 1783

9. Dear Journal,
I am shaking writing this right now. SHAKING OF EXCITEMENT AND
HAPPINESS! IT’s all over the news! We’ve become a free country!!!
Nothing’s really changed the past few years, always some minor battles
and major wars waging everyday. The only major change is that we’re
finally an independent country!
Also, one other major thing was the signing of the Declaration of
Independence. John Carpenter (friend of mine) told me that 13 colonies
met at the Second Continental Congress to discuss this unavoidable
war with Britain. Some wanted war to show the British what we were
made of, but some wanted to avoid it and have peace. The delegates
signed the Declaration of Independence and are now part of the United
States! This means that they are now dependent from the rule of
England!
AND MORE GREAT NEWS! Our crops are finally growing faster. I’m not
sure why but I’m super happy that I don’t have to eat any more cabbage
soup! Looks like all bad things do come to an end! However….
Today, it was the day that the soldiers were able to come home to visit

10. Mother immediately spotted him and ran over to him, fussing
over little things like how he should get inside before it was cold
(even though it was a warm summer evening). My father just
stared ahead. When his gaze met mine, I knew instantly that
something was wrong. He wasn’t the same loving father who
struggled to raise his family with tenderness and lovingness.
During the war, he was too close to a cannon and when it was
fired, the impact and sound from the cannon caused him to
become permanently deaf. Mother was crying and holding
Father’s arm when she heard the news. I remember Father
telling me that good things always come with a twist when I was
young. Is this what he means?
Back to the main subject. The Treaty Of Paris has been signed
in Paris by representatives of Great Britain (David Hartley and
Richard Oswald) and America (Benjamin Franklin, John Jay,
Henry Laurens, and John Adams)! This means we’re finally a
free country! It’s the end of the American Revolutionary War!
Peace negotiations have been happening since April of 1782 by
France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic, also known as the
Peace Of Paris. They supported the American cause and the

11. Citations
Stamp Act Picture." Paintingandframe.com.
Paintingandframe.com, 18 June 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
"Yahoo." Yahoo Image Search. www.therobinsonlibrary.com,
8 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
www.allthingsliberty.com. N.p., 9 May 2013. Web. 18 Mar.
2015.
"Yahoo." Yahoo Image Search. www.thesonofthesouth.net, 3
Mar. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
"Yahoo." Yahoo Image Search.
Dieamerikanischerev.blogspot.com, 5 Apr. 2014. Web. 18
Mar. 2015.