Preview

Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer Analysis

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
307 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer Analysis
Rozo 1

Stephen Rozo

Honors U.S. History

Mr. Hoffman

17 September 2012

Letters From a Pennsylvania Farmer

John Dickinson’s famous pieces of writing were a way of addressing unconstitutional wrongs from the British during the time 1767 when several letters were written. Dickinson thoroughly explains his argument of the rights taken away from the colonists along with showing his respect for the British Constitution. He uses his knowledge of the unfavorable laws as well as what is written in the constitution to justify his reasoning concerning their rights as Englishman in America being taken away from them. As a result these letters became the start of petitions and calls for boycotts due to Dickinson’s argument of the British simply using the colonies for money and his value of every Englishman now in America’s rights. He made his discontent with the acts that only took the colonists money rather than helping them very clear throughout the letter. “What is this but taxing us at a certain sum and leaving us only the manner of raising it?” Dickinson puts up a major argument questioning the British manner of taxing the colonists on things that there shouldn’t be taxes on and then having the audacity to raise them just leaving the colonist in the same state of being when there was no tax at all. He expresses his thoughts on the stamp act and how raising the tax on printed goods would serve as any value to the colonist which goes along with his main argument of not seeing any true purpose to the raised prices. Dickinson’s dislike of the British’s conduct toward the Americans is well noted as he clarifies all the wrongs the British are doing to prevent freedom and in efforts to raise money for themselves by plainly taking it from the Englishman in

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Restated Thesis. Taxation without representation was common in the 13 colonies. Colonists often debated about why a small island, Great Britain, should rule a piece of a continent, the 13 colonies, from 3,000 miles away. The Stamp Act was issued by the British Parliament in 1765. The Stamp Act directly taxed printed materials. In Document 2, John Dickinson, a political leader from Pennsylvania, shows his disagreement with the Stamp Act. John Dickinson shares that Great Britain never thought the colonies would thrive as much as they did, so when the British Parliament issued the Stamp Act, and it was just for the purpose of raising Britain’s revenue, he disagreed with it. In addition, all the laws regarding the colonies only talked about regulating trade but it never intended the raising of taxes. John Dickinson, like many other patriots tolerated the old taxes, but at the Stamp Act, they drew the line, because Britain was taking money from the abundant colonies, with no benefits in return. The Townshend Acts followed the Stamp Act in 1767. Similarly, in Document 2, John Dickinson talks about the Townshend Acts having the same purpose as the Stamp Act, bringing more money to Britain. However, this time, when the Townshend Acts were issued, the tax was hid in the price. Charles Townshend hoped the colonists would be glad there were no more taxes even though the taxes would be right in the price. Unfortunately for Great Britain, the colonists realized that Britain was trying to be sneaky and hide the tax, so they got even madder. Moreover, the British never…

    • 528 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Stamp Act Dbq

    • 570 Words
    • 3 Pages

    After the French and Indian war Britain had a lot. To help repay this debt they started taxing the colonists. In 1765 Britain passed the stamp act. The stamp act taxed many written and paper documents. The stamp act taxed so many documents that the colonists were paying a lot more money for things they buy everyday, like newspapers. If they wanted to buy some land they also had to pay a tax. The british did not let the colonist have a say with this act. The stamp act was against the law. The king was betraying his country. Document 1.…

    • 570 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To briefly summarize the book; Morgan first begins by examining the relationship between the American colonies and the English Parliament. He focuses mainly on the unfair taxation that was forced upon the colonies by the English and other infringements of liberties committed by Parliament. The colonies "admitted Parliament's right to use duties, from which an incidental revenue might arise... but denied the right to levy duties for the purpose of revenue"(36). Morgan develops on the increasingly unpleasant relations between the two (backing up his claims, such as the one quoted above, with reference to some influential writers from that time such as Dulany and Dickinson), and ties it directly with the declaration of independence.…

    • 955 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    During 1765 the British Parliament imposed stamp tariffs on the American colonies. When George Grenville tightened up the administration of the colonial customs service and revised the rates which was “to make them produce a revenue, he knew that he was only beginning, that the colonies could and should contribute more to the cost of their defense. During the summer of 1763 he had already begun to consider the possibility of a stamp tax”. When introducing the idea to Parliament, “he managed to put the colonies in a position where a Stamp Act would be results of their own failure” this was because they would feel guilty for not supporting their mother country in a time of despair. England intended to raise revenue by tariffs on trade with a…

    • 219 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    West Virginia Farm Bureau I understand that and have read you "about us" under your home page which was reiterated above. Farm Bureau of American, (and I do appreciate all you do for us Farmers); however, PLEASE explain the link to this and Sunday Hunting? What does it have to do with "The purpose of Farm Bureau is to make the business of farming more profitable, and the community a better place to live" and if it's such a big deal then explain to my why 42 other farming states allow Sunday Hunting and their Farm Bureau didn't utilize their strong legislative voice to house or senate? Let's take one of the biggest agriculture states "Kansas" They allow Sunday hunting, I have a lot of buddies who lease land out their because they can hunt on…

    • 431 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    British merchants were greatly affected by the colonists determined boycott protests, that they begged parliament to stop the Stamp Act. February 1766, the Act was canceled. But the British didn’t stop, they were resilient and came up with newer Acts and ways of taxing the American colonies. The British parliament passed Acts such as the Declaratory Act, the Townshend Act, the Tea Act and the Coercive Act that further angered the colonists by making them feel restricted, ignored and unfairly treated. 4 1676, Charles Townshend, new finance minister, came up with the Townshend Act.…

    • 407 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Document 2: According to Dickinson, what taxes was Parliament justified in imposing on the colonies?…

    • 527 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Samuel Adams writes a letter to his English friend, John Smith, defending the American’s side of the new imperial taxation and control. He describes the colonists thinking of the act as “both burdensome and unconstitutional.” They feel as if they are not represented as they should be and that their rights as Englishmen are being taken away from them. He goes on to say that Parliament cannot tax them consistent with the constitution because they are not represented.…

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    King George III and the British accumulated a massive debt after the French and Indian war. British assets were depleting at an exponential rate, so Parliament decided to tax the colonists in order to offset their expenses from the war. By reducing the debt from the seven-year war King George’s could reign over the colonies for many years to come. Evidently taxing anyone who was neglected during the seven years’ war was the ultimate plan of alleviating the debt. British could keep stacking riches to their empire thus strengthening it more. Taxation came in many forms, the first was the Sugar Act (1764), the Stamp Act (1765) and the Townshend Duties (1767). Consequently, Colonists in the 13 states suffered higher expenditures, even imported…

    • 789 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Which made them mad James Otis said that there shouldn't be taxation without representation. The colonist threatened a revolt against the british because they couldn't print anything due to the tax. To solve the problem the Virginia house of burgesses came up with the patrick henry's stamp acts resolves. This gave the americans the right to be took only by their own…

    • 459 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Another big grievance the colonists had with Britain was taxes. John Hancock represented the colonists by writing a letter talking about how the taxes imposed by the township acts was unconstitutional (doc 4). Britain was in debt from the war so they started an act called the stamp act and it was taxing on all printed paper. They also threatened to pull down and burn…

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The colonists were firm believers in “no taxation without representation.” The colonists were still considered English citizens, but failed to receive the same treatment as English citizens overseas. This unfair treatment would only give the colonists another reason to rebel against the English. The change of ideology in the colonies led to people such as Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine’s book, Common Sense, was the most bought and circulated book in American History. This book was one of the major causes of the American Revolution. In Common Sense, Thomas Paine talks about how America was treated unfairly by England. He also talks about how their voices would not be heard until it was too late. Thomas Paine’s book greatly promoted the ideas of independence and the colonists acted upon them. In October 1765, a newspaper called The Pennsylvania Journal was published that called the time “dreadful, doleful, dismal, dolorous, and dollar-less.” The same edition of the newspaper also had a note at the bottom saying, “In Hopes of a Resurrection to Life again.” (Document H.) This showed that things in the colonies were getting so completely out of control and sick of taxes that some people had lost all hope of liberty and freedom. In Document C, George Washington is shows that he was very interested in joining General Edward Braddock and he praises the…

    • 1156 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The policy of mercantilism, the belief that colonies were established for the benefit of the mother country, played a major role in the colonies endeavor for freedom. The excerpts from, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, by John Dickinson found in document 2 object the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts. The Stamp Act was passed in 1765 requiring a tax stamp on printed material, from newspapers to wills. In 1767 Parliament passed the Townshend Acts which taxed imports. Document 2 reveals the opposition of internal taxes, where producing revenue is the only objective. Dickinson specifically opposed those acts but there were many more influencing a revolution. Such as the Navigation Acts which forced colonists to trade with Britain and its possessions. Parliament imposed customs duties, or tariffs, to enforce the regulations. This act along with the Sugar Act caused smuggling among the colonies, importing foreign items and bribing colonial officials. Colonist viewed these new taxes as a threat to their liberties, and their natural rights were violated due to no representation in Parliament. “No Taxation without…

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Stamp Act of 1765 was a direct tax imposed on the British colonies in America and required that many printed materials in the colonies be made on stamped paper from Britain. This frustrated the colonists because not only did they have to rely on Britain for their printed materials, they had to pay in British currency for the printed materials. Colonists considered it a violation of their rights, which consequently created their slogan “no taxation without representation”. This created a unity between the colonists, against the British Empire, who battled for their representation within the British government.…

    • 470 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The period surrounding the American Revolution (1775-1783) was marked by significant societal challenges and transformations as the colonies grappled with political unrest, economic instability, and social inequalities. Through the examination of various documents from this era, we can gain insights into the complex dynamics of society during this tumultuous time. John Dickinson's condemnation of the Townshend Acts in 1767 reflects the growing resentment among American colonists towards British taxation policies. Dickinson argues that these acts are detrimental to the liberty of the colonies and could lead to a loss of autonomy. His critique highlights the tensions between the colonies and the British government over issues of taxation and…

    • 560 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays