How American colonists justified resistance to British autho…

ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS FOR WRITER (STUDENT VOICE NO AI) Topic: How American colonists justified resistance to British authority before independence (1760searly 1770s) Length: 300400 words Tone & Style: Write like a real college student Simple, clear sentences NOT overly academic NOT AI-like Natural phrasing, not fancy vocabulary STRUCTURE TO FOLLOW INTRO (about 80100 words) Brief background: British taxes after Seven Years War Main idea: Colonists resisted British policies while still seeing themselves as loyal British subjects Thesis should explain why resistance was justified but independence was not yet demanded BODY PARAGRAPH 1 Stamp Act (1765) Use primary source: Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress (1765) Key ideas to include: Colonists believed Parliament violated their rights by taxing without representation They still expressed loyalty to the king Resistance took legal forms: petitions, congresses, boycotts This shows early resistance was organized and restrained Secondary source to connect: Pauline Maier, From Resistance to Revolution, Chapter 2 Emphasize resistance with restraint BODY PARAGRAPH 2 Townshend Acts (1767) Use primary source: John Dickinson, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania Key ideas to include: Dickinson argued Parliament could regulate trade, but not raise revenue Warned that actions against one colony threatened all colonies Resistance became more ideological and suspicious of British intentions Secondary source to connect: Bernard Bailyn, The Central Themes of the American Revolution Explain how ideology shaped colonists fears of arbitrary power BODY PARAGRAPH 3 Political Authority & Limits Use primary source: James Otis, The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved Key ideas to include: Legitimate authority comes from consent of the people Government exists to protect life, liberty, and property Taxation without consent threatens liberty CONCLUSION (about 80100 words) Restate how colonists justified resistance without rejecting British rule Emphasize that independence was still seen as extreme Resistance aimed to restore rights, not destroy the empire CITATION STYLE Author + title only (no footnotes needed)