Facilitator Prep Sheet

P.D. “Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress, October 14, 1774”

--Who is writing?
Elected deputies of the several colonies are writing.

--Who is the audience?
Great Britain is the audience.

--Who do the writers represent?
Because the deputies were individually elected as representatives of each colony, the writers symbolize the colony as a whole.

--What is being said, argued and/or requested?
It is being declared that acts of parliament be repealed on behalf of the rights of America’s people. It states, “That the inhabitants of the English colonies in North-America, by the immutable laws of nature, the principles of the English constitution, and the several charters or compacts, have the following RIGHTS.” I reiterate, “by the immutable laws of nature.” This is implying that there are insuppressible laws of nature that proclaim human rights.

--What proof and/or justification is being used to legitimize the request?
What strengthens the declaration is that the text states that the deputies were elected from their individual colonies, thus making it evident that their consensus as a whole represents the consensus of a country. Also, it is being asserted that the acts of parliament are infringements and violations of the colonists’ rights, and the repeal of them is necessary in order to maintain peace between America and Great Britain. In reality, this is stating that if Great Britain doesn’t lower itself from its authoritative and possessive position, then they will be at war with each other.