Outline for essay #2

I. It is not easy for us colonists of New Hampshire, who have always been loyal supporters of our fatherland, Great Britain, to arrive at a position contrary to the crown

A. King James long ago bestowed upon us this free land, with only one condition, that it remain always subject to English sovereignty

B. Until relatively recently, we have enjoyed our status as a royal colony

II. We have become sadly and sorely grieved that Great Britain has grievously and oppressively deprived us of our natural rights and privileges

A. Moved in British troops who have abused us by destroying our property and taking the lives of our fellow colonists

B. Took our ships, depriving us of property and means of commerce


III. Thus, we have been compelled to take military action to defend ourselves and to assert our own political, social and economic rights

A. In 1774, a small party of us patriots were compelled to to remove the powder and guns from the British garrison at Fort William and Mary in New Castle

B. At Bunker Hill, it was mostly our militia from the colony of New Hampshire who fought for all the colonies (using ammunition we had secretly stored from the Fort William and Mary bounty), against the British

IV. We are thus compelled to declare ourselves independent from Great Britain

A. In order to protect our own lives and property, and to maintain peace and order which the King no longer helps us to accomplish

B. We are moved to unite with our fellow colonies in a Continental Congress for the welfare of all, and to create our own separate Constitution of New Hampshire