For the separation from Britain there were plenty of reasons that they needed to have a divorce per se. There were all of the various tax laws that were being implemented without their consent. There was a time when innocent colonists were slaughtered so that brought around a major dislike for their parent country. Among the colonists there were three main opposing views: Radicals, Moderates, and Loyalists. Within the ranks there were many key players such as, George Washington, and Patrick Henry. Radicals, the brutes of the colonies, these are the people that really want to withdraw from the parent country of Britain. They were the ones who were behind the tea party in the Boston Harbor where multiple boxes of tea were upheaved over the edge of a boat to demonstrate their dislike of the current tea tax. These were also the people behind multiple tar and feathering where hot tar was poured onto people who were against their point of view to separate. Bullying, threats, various acts of destruction were all a part of their agenda to get colonists to understand that staying aligned with Britain was a terrible idea. Although they were correct in their point of view they chose the complete wrong way to go about it because force is rarely an option.
Moderates, the “on the fence” group of the new colonies, this group of colonists weren’t sure of which way to go with their alliance. They went along with Radicals in some of their views, but on the flipside they also understood the points of the Loyalists. With this group their forty percent of the population was enough to tilt either side. Going along with the Radicals and their forty percent as well would give them a majority of eighty percent over the minor twenty percent of the Loyalists. But even with their small number if the Loyalists were joined by the Moderates they would have overcame the almost majority of the Radicals.
Finally there were the Loyalists, those who were completely faithful to the mother country. Amongst the Loyalists were the royal officials, clergymen, merchants who still had ties with Britain as a main financial source, recent immigrants, and demobilized soldiers. Reasons for staying with Britain were so easy and reasonable. First off there was protection from pirates from the British Navy who were as we discussed in class one of, if not the best naval fleet of the time. Secondly there was that guaranteed market with Britain and British ports, which is a main reason merchants were loyalists. Third reason would be a fear of social upheaval whereas there would be almost anarchy because there was no clear leadership from the parent country. Lastly there was just the plain old family ties and traditions, these peoples families were still back in Britain a break from Britain meant a break from their roots, their childhood, breaking from were they began and it is a hard choice to make.
Taxation without representation, where Britain would just randomly tax something because of their wars was the start of what was eventually the quest for independence. It lead to the desire for freedom and liberty. Being able to set up your own rules, have your own “actual” leadership that you can almost instantly go to, instead of “virtual” leadership and having to wait almost a year on responses due to the time it took to travel to Britain, have the matter decided then the return trip. Britain set different taxes on random things but when the colonists were fed up they would rebel and not buy certain products which would effectively make the tax useless. Britain would then rescind the tax and the Radicals would be excited that they made a victory, until they had to go through the process all over again. On the downside of the British taking away the tax, the colonists never really won those disagreements it was merely the British patronizing them to make it seem like they were winning. Colonists were ok with regulations of trade, but not when those regulations were solely to benefit Britain.

William Charles Benedict III
Age 16
White son of a woodworker
Boston, Mass

December, 14 the year of our lorde 1773
Today I saw Martha and by our dear lord if she didn’t look beautiful as if God himself took time to make her almost a goddess.
It was a good day I got to work along with father again today, I am starting to understand what he does more and more as the days go by. I’m slowly learn what he was taught, but here and there I find out new things and easier ways to do things. So my time with him becomes a learning experience for both. But that was the end of the normal day because father kept checking outside looking at the sun and then he had to excuse himself. I thought nothing of it, it is my father he knows what he is doing doesn’t he? He’s probably just doing stupid adult stuff again. I’ll let it go tonight, this is new so I won’t expect this to keep happening.
December 15, the year of our lorde 1773
Saw Martha again, she even waved at me I think, then again Joshua was near me so it could have easily been him as well. Why can’t she notice me once in a while? Am I not good enough for her? What is wrong with me? You can’t answer me I don’t know why I still ask you questions.
But I digress, today I noticed father acting a bit strange as he came home. His hands and clothes were slightly black, and did I see little feathers? Not sure, but the curtains usually left open, today were closed with a swiftness only given from God. I was told to go to my studies as him and mother talked. I wish I didn’t have to leave but father knows best so I did as I was told. But not completely, once I was away I just stood by my door listening and boy I heard a lot. He talked to mother of how he and his friends got one of the “British rubbish” today. Something about tar and feather… might explain his hands and clothes… and how tomorrow would be the beginning of something new. Well I know what I am doing tomorrow, good night until then.
December 16, the year of our lorde 1773 Martha and I talked today, she was nervous about her dad acting different as well. I finally had an opportunity and I took it. We talked about how our dads seemed to be showing the same new activities. It brought us together and yesterday I overheard father speak of “The ship” “Tea” and other things that he wouldn’t normally talk about. So I asked her if she wanted to come find out what was going to happen. SHE SAID YES. We met in the circle after sunset, and we walked to the docks as quietly as we could. You wouldn’t believe what we saw. Indians and lots of them just throwing barrels overboard of a ship. Good tea being wasted, what I wouldn’t have given to join them though. Father has been telling me all of the things the rulers have been doing to us and I don’t like it so I want to help put an itch in the stockings of bad ole Britain. But alas all I could do was sit and watch, looked for our fathers but it was dark so I couldn’t see much by moonlight.

December 17, the year of our lorde 1773 I woke up to the house smelling strongly of tea, but when I asked why mother and father seemed to not know why either, parents. But then I thought of last night and it makes sense now. Father and his friends were the “Indians” last night. That is why I smelled tea this morning with no pot on the stove. So I asked father if my thoughts were true, after we had a stern conversation about my activities of last night he explained everything to me and we agreed that this treatment is not fair and I am now going to help him “Convert” the non-believers.
Bye for a while,
William Charles Benedict III