Brendan Wilhelmsen

APUSH DBQ

The New World was discovered by Europeans hundreds of years ago, and from that

point on has been ever changing. Britain attempted to set up the colonies as an extension of

their country. Throughout the history of these colonies regarding their relation to Britain, multiple

identities, or ideas of what America should be, form within the minds of the colonists. The

colonists--by the beginning of the revolution--had 3 different identities that were present, those

who desired independence from Britain, those who remained loyal as British citizens who are

living across seas, and those who are impartial to either side.

Independence from Britain was a vastly desired concept amongst the American citizens.

Many people in america were getting tired of being ruled by a country which didnt have any

representation from the colonies. Because of this lack of representation the colonies were

opposed to any and all taxes passed by parliament. In Boston, people were determined to end

the taxation without representation and rebelled in an act known as the Boston Tea Party where

then dumped roughly 64 tons of tea into the harbor. In direct response to this event Britain

closed the ports of Boston to prevent any trade. In this time, the independence seekers in

America show their support for Bostons act by donating money and goods for the relief of

Boston (document 6). Americans also viewed themselves as a completely separate union due

to the Atlantic Ocean. As said by Edmund Burke, The eternal Barriers of Nature forbid that the

colonies should be blended into the Mass of this Kingdom (document 2), This quote here

shows the physical separation from Britain that gives Americans justification to establish an

independent country.auspices
 But not everyone in America wanted independence. Many years ago Britain had founded

America as an extension of themselves and the belief that the colonies were just an extension

of Britain remained in many people. People felt they owed it to their parent the British to stay

connected. As stated by Peter Oliver, under the Auspices of the English Government such a

state of Prosperity burst into an open Rebellion against that Parent (document 5). Just

because the loyalists didnt want independence didnt mean they could ignore the unjust laws

set in place by Britain. The harsh taxes passed without representation angered some loyalists

undoubtedly but they still believed it was an obstacle that could be overcome to stay within the

good graces of Britain. As document 4 explains, many loyalists fully supported taking up arms

against the British, not because they wished to separate from them, but because they wished to

re-establish the happy bond that was once between them.

There is one final identity of people residing within America at this time, at that is the the

people who dont care whether they are independent or not. These people recognize that both

staying attached to Britain and separating from it come with consequences and gains. They

understand the protection that can be given from Britain, but as the quartering acts have shown,

the peoples freedom is limited. They understand the misrepresentation in parliament, but also

the danger of ongoing riots in America. Document 3 asks the rhetorical question, which is

better, to be ruled by one tyrant three thousand miles away, or by three thousand tyrants not a

mile away. In this quote, no answer is given and the government of both America and Britain is

referred to as being run by tyrants which shows that this author believes both options are

unfavorable.

Though each of these documents supports a certain identity or view in colonial America,

there was contradiction even between people with the same view. Between the two documents

(4 and 5) supporting loyalist ideals, one says Britain is and always has been great while the
other one says something entirely different; that Britain was great and is now awful and it will

take work to get it back. Also document 7 talks about how the vast cultural differences make

Americans a new race of people, they are no longer British, while document 5 says that

Americans are the children of Britain thus being of the same race. These contradictory views

about the relationship between Britain and America was the main reason for the separate

American identities.