INDEPENDENCE

**The Declaration of Independence ** **__Outline of Letter__**
 * Final Persuasive Argument – **
 * //Boston, 1776: //**** You have written a rough draft of a letter you want to send to the editor of the Boston Gazette on your opinion of the Declaration of Independence. Now you will revise this letter and make a strong, convincing argument to the editor and the people of Boston about whether they should declare independence from Britain or not. This will be printed in a newspaper that reaches thousands of people, and you want to make this a true work of art. **
 * 1) **Introduction paragraph** – who are you and what is your background
 * 2) **Point of view** - are you a patriot or loyalist and why
 * 3) **Facts** - support your opinion with famous authors, letters, people, and key terms
 * 4) **The other side** – what is the opposite side’s argument, and how will you refute them?
 * 5) **Conclusion** – summarize your point of view and leave the readers with something to remember you

__Step 1 – Introduction __ I am a //(circle one)// __merchant/ farmer/craftsman/ royal official__ living in Boston in 1776.

**Details from my life:**

• plant the vegatables • have the animals in the farm • to clean the grass|| ** My job: ** ** farmer ** || || **Details of my family:** • I have 2 children • I have a cat and a dog • I have a house near the farm ||
 * **Job related key terms:**
 * **Interactions/roles with the Road to**
 * Revolution events:**

• I lost my farm • my animals are disappear • I don’t know where I can go || **What makes me special/Other details** **Or a picture of me!** • the British passed the Acts • the Boston Massacre •fighting the Independence from Great Britain || Before you decide your opinion, list reasons to support and oppose the Declaration of Independence. After you have listed at least FIVE reasons for both sides, rank them from the most important (1) to the least important (5).
 * __Step 2: Point of View __**


 * Reasons to support: Rank Reasons to oppose: Rank **

TOPIC: I __support / oppose__ the Declaration of Independence, making me a __patriot / loyalist__.

I want to persuade _________________ to ________________________________. (audience) (purpose)

Describe the ways you should speak and should not speak to your audience:

Arguments For /Against declaring independence Based on your reading of the source materials, list below the most important arguments, or points of view, used to support this position. Also, list the evidence or claims which support each argument. ** Arguments For/Against Supporting Evidence or Claims **
 * __STEP 3 - FACTS __**

**List of key terms that apply – use pages 106, 114, 125 and 132:** __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

__________ __________ __________ __________ __________ = Filling in an objections chart helps you consider and answer objections to your opinion. =
 * __STEP 4 – THE OTHER SIDE __**
 * ==Opinion== || The school needs a new parking lot and a new parking policy. ||
 * === Objection === || Students should ride the bus to relieve parking-lot congestion. ||
 * === Answer === || Students in after-school activities and those with after-school jobs can’t ride the bus. ||
 * === Objection === || A new parking lot is too expensive. ||
 * === Answer === || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">The school received additional funds when it took on the Kansasville students, and some of those funds should be used for parking solutions. ||

Now you try:
 * ==Opinion== || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Colonists should __support /oppose__ the Declaration of Independence because

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px;">__________________________________________________________ ||
 * === Objection === ||  ||
 * === Answer === ||  ||
 * === Objection === ||  ||
 * === Answer === ||  ||
 * === Objection === ||  ||
 * === Answer === ||  ||

Now you will use all of this information above to rewrite your letter to the editor. Your letter will be typed. The following page has some general guidelines for you to remember as your write your letter. Remember, you are writing to CONVINCE someone about why your opinion is the right one.

__ Persuasive Essays __ In persuasive or argumentative writing, we try to convince others to agree with our facts, share our values, accept our argument and conclusions, //and adopt our way of thinking.//
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Elements toward building a good persuasive essay include **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">establishing facts **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">to support an argument
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">clarifying relevant values **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">for your audience (perspective)
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">prioritizing, editing, and/or sequencing **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">the facts and values in importance to build the argument
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">forming and stating conclusions **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">"persuading" your audience **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> that your conclusionsare based upon the agreed-upon facts and shared values
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">having the confidence **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">to communicate your "persuasion" in writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">What are the "hot buttons" **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> of the issue?List possible emotions/emotional reactions and recognize them for later use
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">General Outline __**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Write your first paragraph **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Introduce the topic
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Inform the reader of your point of view!
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Entice the reader to continue with the rest of the paper!
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Focus on three main points to develop
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Establish flow from paragraph to paragraph **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Keep your voice active **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Quote sources **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">to establish authority
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Stay focused **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">on your point of view throughout the essay
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Focus on logical arguments **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Conclusion **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Summarize, then conclude, your argument****Refer** to the first paragraph/opening statement as well as the main points
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">does the conclusion restate the main ideas?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">reflect the succession and importance of the arguments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">logically conclude their development?
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Edit/rewrite the first paragraph **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">to better explain your development and conclusion.