Part A: Pick ONE of the following four questions and answer it with evidence from the Franklin reading:
1) How does Franklin respond to Parliament in his testimony? With deference? With defiance? With both? Or is there a better way to summarize his approach and tone?
2) What are the primary objections to the Stamp Act that Franklin raises? To what extent are they ideological (i.e., disagreeing in principle with Parliament’s right to impose a stamp tax)? To what extent are they practical (i.e., reflecting economic or other material concerns)?
3) Does Franklin present the colonists as distinctly American colonists, or as British people living in the colonies? In other words, does he speak in terms of “us” vs. “them,” or does “us” include all British people (including colonists)? Or does his perspective change depending on the question?
4) Set aside your American patriotism for the moment and think about this question historically: What do you think about the colonists’ arguments, as presented by Franklin? Was the Stamp Act as insidious as they made it out to be, or were they overreacting?
Sample Solution