British Troops example essay topic

1. Letter to friend in England. Dearest Friend of England, 1776 I know it is hard to believe we (the colonists) would be on the verge of a revolution against our own homeland. My father has explained to me the reasons we deserve independence from God, the King, and the British people.

There are many things going on in the colonies to lead us to our current thoughts. The British people have imposed many Acts upon us colonists. In the year 1767, British parliament passed Mr. Charles Townshend proposed taxations upon the colonies. These taxes were indirect taxes. The merchants were forced to pay the taxes directly. These taxes were applied to the importation of lead, paint, glass, and tea.

The British have authorized the admiral fleets to punish those not abiding by the act. My father and many other colonists believe the naval personnel are trying people in an admiral court to take the money for personal gain not actual legal reasons. These acts have led many colonists like my father to resist the taxation. A farmer from Pennsylvania has circulated papers about the illegal ramification of the Townshend act. We, the people of the colonies, are being taxed without representation within Parliament.

The British government is proving to be one of corrupt policies. The people here are boycotting the purchases of British imports. The British government has sent troops into all the colonies. Troops are looking for work in our colonies at our factories. In Boston on March 5, 1770, there was considered to be a massacre.

Three troops had attempted to get a job at a local rope factory. The boss assigned them to latrine clean-up. These soldiers took this as an insult and reacted. The soldiers were beat and thrown in the streets. That night those soldiers were stationed outside the British Customs House. A mob gathered around the troops and a bell was rung to wake the town.

British soldiers started shooting at the mob. There were a total of 5 dead and 8 wounded. This massacre led the British government to repeal the Townsend Acts on all products but tea. This was so the colonists would see them trying to compromise but still feel like they were controlling them. In 1775, the British passed another act that made the colonists angry.

It was the Tea Act. This act stated that only the British East India Company could sell or transport tea. Members of parliament passed this act because many of them had stakes in the company. At the time the British India Company was going bankrupt. This act threatened all colonial businesses by creating a monopoly. In Boston, the colonists devised a plan to resist this act.

Several colonists dressed as Indians to deceive the British. These colonists seized the imported tea and dumped it into the harbor. The colonists dubbed this "the tea party". The British responded to these actions by creating four acts jointly called the Coercive Acts. These acts closed the Boston ports to all trade, increased power of Massachusetts governor, granted trials of royal officials in Massachusetts be tried elsewhere, and allowed the new governor rights to quarter his troops anywhere.

These Coercive Acts only angered the colonists more. They have strengthened their non-importation of British goods. They have also begun the forming of local militia companies. There have been many battles lately. The battle at Lexicon and Concord is one of first significance. British General Gage was ordered to arrest the leaders of resistance.

Through reconnaissance General Gage was informed the city of Concord was storing arms and ammunition in a barn in preparations of a revolt. General Gage sent 700 troops to take over and retrieve these arsenals. The British were detected and all Americans (sons of liberty) were warned of the coming troops. In Lexington, the British encounter 70 minutemen on the town square. It is British began firing and charged the minutemen. This small battle killed 8 Americans.

The British continue to Concord. The British troops arrive at the barn to find it empty. The troops begin their journey back toward Boston. The troops are attacked in guerilla warfare from minutemen from all colonies.

Each time the troops were attacked they would reform and continue. On the outskirts of Boston, General Gage sent reinforcements for the British troops. Those reinforcements saved the lives of the remaining troops. Another battle in 1775 was that of Bunker Hill. This battle was considered the bloodiest battle of the war. General Gage was ordered to take more aggressive action.

The British conquer the Americans at Bunker Hill because the Americans ran out of ammunition. The Americans successfully stalled the advancement killing 1054 British soldiers out of 2500. The Americans only had 411 casualties out of 1000 men. The high casualties of the British soldiers caused them to retreat to Canada.

They knew they could no longer hold the cities. The British governor of Virginia, Lord Dunsmore, has ordered to defeat the colonial planters belonging to the sons of liberty. He decides his best strategy would be to use slaves and indentured servants. In 1775, he declared the proclamation of emancipation. This proclamation gave slaves freedom if they fought for Britain.

A surprising 2000 slaves and servants respond to offer. These men were given guns without proper training and told to go fight the planters. The 2000 men confront the planters at the Battle of the Great Bridge. The 2000 men were defeated and retreated back to Lord Dunsmore. They return to find him and the British gone from the states.

I do not believe this is a correct way to lead an Army by cowardice. Do you? My friend, I hope that my knowledge has led you to believe we the colonists are doing right. We have been forced to abide by rules set by people who do not live here and without representation there. I have given you the true accounts of all the incidents we have encountered.

Please do not believe the misrepresented tales given by the British troops. Patricia.