Grade 7 – Argumentative Writing

Dysart Unified School District #89

DBQ
Document Based Questions

Justification for Taxing the American Colonies

Form A

Updated June 2014
Student Name
School
Grade Level: 7th Grade
Date / Prerequisites must be present to be graded.
Teacher Name: / Scored with Holistic Rubric: / FFB 1-2 / APR 3 / Meets 4 / EX 5-6

Overview

DBQ Time Line:

■Day 1: Introduction of prompt and grading procedures/Document analysis/Notes/Trigger questions

■Day 2: Research/Share and discuss/Complete research charts

■Day 3: Research/Share and discuss/Complete research charts

■Day 4: Thesis formation/Graphic organizer

■Day 5: Rough draft including all citations/Peer review

■Day 6: Write final draft

DBQ Essay Prerequisite Grade Checklist:

Task / Points
Analyzing Documents
Research Charts
Pre-Writing
Rough Draft
Bibliography
Speaking and Listening

Strategies for Success:

• Underline/highlight directional and specific topic words in the prompt. It is important that you

fully understand what it is you are responding to. (Role, Audience, Format, Topic)

• Each document is important. With every document, realize that you need to analyze and identify

the importance of that document so you can respond appropriately to the prompt. You will use

and cite evidence from these documents in your writing.

• Use the right column of the document pages to pose questions, take notes, point out ideas, and

organize information.

• Use summary questions at the bottom to respond to the prompt with the information from the

document or the writer’s style. Keep the prompt in mind. What is the important evidence?

• When reading documents, use reading strategies to help you understand. These should include:

slow down, write notes, highlight, reread, pose questions, visualize, look for patterns, use

punctuation to your advantage, summarize.

• Before drafting, know all requirements of the written response by reading the rubric.

• Use blue or black pen to write your final draft.

Speaking and Listening Rubric 6-8

SKILLS / 6
Exceeds / 4-5
Meets / 2-3
Approaches / 0-1
Falls Far Below
Come to a discussion prepared / ●  Actively pre-reads materials (marks text) and researches topic
●  Understands topic
●  References applicable outside sources
●  Internalizes/readily recalls information / ●  Actively pre-reads materials (marks text) and researches topic
●  Prepares topic clarification questions before discussion
●  Refers to notes during discussion / ●  Reads materials but is not prepared for discussion
●  Prepares limited or incomplete notes / ●  Skims or fails to read materials completely
●  Fails to prepare notes or bring materials
Follow rules for collegial discussions / ●  Respectfully listens, interacts and poses questions to all team members
●  Helps direct group in reaching a conclusion
●  Superior use of time/meets goals / ●  Respectfully listens to others without talking over anyone
●  Seeks others’ opinions
●  Stays on task/topic
●  Effective use of time/meets goals / ●  Listens but occasionally speaks out of order
●  Strays from task/topic
●  Ineffective use of time/does not meet goals / ●  Listens but avoids speaking
●  Speaks but is off topic most of the time
●  Disrespectful to others or disruptive
●  Ineffective use of time/does not meet goals
Acknowledge new information expressed by others / ●  Expresses own views while acknowledging others’ views
●  Respectfully challenges unsubstantiated claims
●  Reflects on own views in light of new information
●  Willing to change positions with substantial evidence / ●  Expresses own views and listens to others’ views
●  Asks for clarification of others’ views as needed
●  Accepts new information based on evidence provided / ●  Listens to others and sometimes gives input.
●  Rarely asks for clarification of others’ views
●  Considers changing position, but does not despite evidence / ●  Disregards or ignores information expressed by others
●  Does not develop a position
●  Refuses to consider changing position
●  Disengages from discussion when new information is presented
Pose questions that connect ideas / ●  Questions make connections between credible evidence, others’ views, and personal observations / ●  Questions suggest connections between credible evidence and personal observations and ideas / ●  Questions attempt only obvious or limited connections between evidence and personal observations / ●  Questions connect only to personal observations or are nonexistent
Apply thinking processes / ●  Analyzes significance or weakness of an argument
●  Evaluates soundness of evidence
●  Evaluates reasoning and opinions of others
●  Draws conclusions beyond the obvious
●  Demonstrates superior ability to speak about a topic and makes sound connections / ●  Identifies major points of an argument
●  Identifies relevance of evidence
●  Considers reasoning and opinions of others
●  Draws simple or obvious conclusions
●  Demonstrates effective ability to speak about a topic and makes general connections / ●  Paraphrases others’ discussion of the credibility of an argument or evidence
●  Fails to consider reasoning or opinions of others
●  Draws basic conclusions
●  Demonstrates some ability to speak about a topic and makes limited connections / ●  Unable/unwilling to follow an argument or evidence
●  Unable/unwilling to consider reasoning or opinions of others
●  Unable/unwilling to draw conclusions
●  Unable/unwilling to speak about a topic or to make any connections

Speaking and Listening Rubric 6-8

Document A: Video “Colonist Protest Tax Policies”

Click Link below to View Video:

http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/american-revolution-history/videos/colonists-protest-british-policies

In-Text Citation: (Colonists Protest British Policies)

Work Cited

"Colonists Protest British Policies Video." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 02 June 2014.

Question 1: What were the British arguments for why the American colonies should be paying taxes?

Question 2: Explain at least of two examples of colonial protest? Use inferences from the video to provide a definition of the term “Repeal.”

Question 3: Explain how you would use your definition to support your argument in your essay?

Document B: Reasons for Colonial Taxation

Milestones: 1750-1775

Parliamentary taxation of colonies, international trade, and the American Revolution, 1763-1775

The American Revolution was precipitated, in part, by a series of laws passed between 1763 and 1775 regulating trade and taxes. This legislation caused tensions between colonists and imperial officials, who made it clear that the British Parliament would not address American complaints that the new laws were onerous. British unwillingness to respond to American demands for change allowed colonists to argue that they were part of an increasingly corrupt and autocratic empire in which their traditional liberties were threatened. This position eventually served as the basis for the colonial Declaration of Independence.

Boston Tea Party

In 1763, the British government emerged from the Seven Years' War burdened by heavy debts. This led British Prime Minister George Grenville to reduce duties on sugar and molasses but also to enforce the law more strictly. Since enforcement of these duties had previously been lax, this ultimately increased revenue for the British Government and served to increase the taxes paid by the colonists. The colonial governments of New York and Massachusetts sent formal letters of protest to Parliament.

The end of the war had also brought about a postwar recession, and British merchants began to request payment for debts that colonists had incurred buying British imports. Moreover, they wanted payment in British pounds sterling rather than colonial currency of more questionable value. The result was that the British Parliament passed the 1764 Currency Act which forbade the colonies from issuing paper currency. This made it even more difficult for colonists to pay their debts and taxes.

Soon after Parliament passed the Currency Act, Prime Minister Grenville proposed a Stamp Tax. This law would require colonists to purchase a government-issued stamp for legal documents and other paper goods. Grenville submitted the bill to Parliament for questioning, and only one member raised objections to Parliament's right to tax the colonies.

After news of the successful passage of the Stamp Act reached the colonies, the Virginia House of Burgesses passed resolutions denying the British Parliament's authority to tax the colonies. In Boston, colonists rioted and destroyed the house of the stamp distributor. News of these protests inspired similar activities and protests in other colonies, and thus the Stamp Act served as a common cause to unite the 13 colonies in opposition to the British Parliament. In October of 1765, delegates from 9 colonies met to issue petitions to the British Government denying Parliament's authority to tax the colonies. An American boycott of British goods, coupled with recession, also led British merchants to lobby for the act's repeal on pragmatic economic grounds. Under pressure from American colonists and British merchants, the British Government decided it was easier to repeal the Stamp Act than to enforce it.

The repeal of the Stamp Act temporarily quieted colonial protest, but there was renewed resistance to new taxes instituted in 1767 under the Townshend Acts. However, in 1773, the colonists staged more vocal widespread protests against the British Parliament's decision to grant the East India Company a monopoly on the tax-free transport of tea. Although Parliament did lower taxes levied on other tea importers, the tax-free status of the British East India Company meant that colonial tea traders could not compete. Enraged colonists responded by encouraging a general boycott of British goods. On December 16, 1773, American colonists disguised as Indians boarded East India Company ships in Boston Harbor and threw crates of tea overboard. This famous protest came to be known as the Boston Tea Party.

When news of the Tea Party reached England, British officials moved to enforce discipline and order in the colonies. The British Government ordered the closure of the port of Boston until the East India Company was compensated for the destroyed tea. Parliament also passed several pieces of legislation in 1774 which attempted to place Massachusetts under direct British control. In the American colonies, these laws were referred to as the Intolerable Acts. British control was further solidified by the appointment of General Thomas Gage as military governor of Massachusetts.

By 1774, opinion among the colonists was mixed. Some Bostonians felt that the time had come to ease tensions and sent to London a written offer to pay for the destroyed tea. Others put out a colony-wide call for a boycott. However, many colonial merchants were reluctant to participate in a difficult-to-enforce boycott. Despite this disagreement, most colonists agreed that a meeting to discuss an appropriate collective response to British actions was a good idea. Colonial legislatures sent representatives to Philadelphia, and the First Continental Congress convened in September of 1774. The Continental Congress agreed to the Articles of Association on October 20. These Articles listed colonial grievances and called for a locally-enforced boycott in all the colonies to take effect on December 1. The delegates also drafted a petition to King George III laying out their grievances, although by then they doubted that the crisis would be resolved peacefully.

Realizing that further coercive steps would only enrage the colonists and might lead to war, British military governor Gage wrote to London recommending suspension of the Intolerable Acts. Gage hoped to appease many of the colonists and thereby split colonial moderates from radicals. If London was not amenable to his recommendations, Gage stated that he would need significant reinforcements to crush the growing rebellion.

British ministers responded to Gage's suggestions by removing him from his post. They felt that further punitive measures were necessary and pushed Parliament to pass additional trade restrictions on New England. London declared the colonies to be in rebellion, but also offered to stop taxing those colonies that supported the British Government.

By this time, the most astute leaders from both sides viewed armed conflict as inevitable. Gage's attempts to secure his position in Boston only brought him into conflict with local militias and a hostile populace, and it was only a matter of time until open war began in 1775. The opportunity for peaceful negotiation came to an end, and the war for American Independence began on April 19, 1775 when British troops and American colonists clashed at Lexington and Concord.

In-Text Citation: (U.S. Office of the Historian)

Work Cited:

Office of the Historian. Bureau of Public Affairs. United States Department of State. Washington D.C., 20, January 2009. <http://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/ParliamentaryTaxation>.

Question 1: What were 3-4 taxes that were imposed on the colonists and why were they imposed?

Question 2: How did the colonists respond to these taxes and what were some specific actions taken by the American colonists? How did the British parliament respond to the colonists actions?

Question 3: Explain how you would use this information to support your argument in your essay?

Document C: The Stamp Act Issued by British Parliament

The Stamp Act [condensed]

In Parliament March 19, 1765

An act for granting and applying certain stamp duties, and other duties, in the British colonies and plantations in America, towards further defraying the expences of defending, protecting, and securing the same; and for amending such parts of the several acts of parliament relating to the trade and revenues of the said colonies and plantations, as direct the manner of determining and recovering the penalties and forfeitures therein mentioned.
… any special bail and appearance upon such.
… any petition, bill, answer, claim, plea, replication, rejoinder, demurrer, or other pleading in any court of chancery or equity [civil court].
For every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper, on which shall
… any copy of any will (other than the probate thereof).
… any register, entry, testimonial, or certificate of any degree taken in any university, academy, college, or seminary of learning.
…any pleading, in any admiralty court [courts regulating trade].
… any writ of covenant for levying of fines.
… any affidavit, common bail or appearance, interrogatory deposition, rule, order, or warrant of any court.
… any licence, appointment, or admission of any counsellor, solicitor, attorney, advocate, or proctor, to practice in any court, or of any notary.
… any note or bill of lading [shipping manifest], which shall be signed for any kind of goods, wares, or merchandize, to be exported.
… any grant, appointment, or admission of or to any publick beneficial office or (except commissions and appointments of officers of the army, navy, ordnance, or militia, of judges, and of justices of the peace).
… any licence for retailing of spirituous liquors.
… any licence for retailing wine.
… any bond for securing the payment of any sum of money [a sliding scale based on the amount of money].