Blog #2: Patriots or Rebels?

The dictionary definition of patriot is: a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.

The dictionary definition of rebel is: a person who refuses allegiance to, resists, or rises in arms against the government or ruler of his or her country.

So...in your opinion, were our founding fathers patriots or rebels? Defend your answer with examples.

Comments

[CourtneyS4]

I think Iwould most likly be a Patriot and a Rebel because sometimes I do and don't agree to are goverment now and so i both ways I am both a Patriot and a Rebel.

[AndyG6]

I think that the founding fathers were rebels only because they were fighting against the crown of England and also led acts to protest taxes and colonial rights. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John handcock all took part in writing the declaratinon of independance and the bill of rights in preperations to rebel and break thier bond with britton and the royal crown of England.

[DavidG5]

Our founding fathers were rebels. Our former country (governed by Britain at the time) was not respected by some of the colonists. This rules out most of the ideals of a patriot. For an example, the Boston Tea Party showed that the colonists DID NOT support the British government. This also goes under rebellious acts in the reason of the colonists resisting the government. In the Stamp Act, this pushed the colonists even farther, making them decide to boycott, or refuse allegiance to, the British documents. Finally, at Concord, the Minutemen took guns and shot the British, enacting the rise of arms against the government. So basically, the colonists were rebels as soon as the Brits put their greedy hands into the colonies.

-Your friendly brainiac,

David

[AlexS4]

I would be a patriot because I like to support others,and likes to stand up for my country and my self too.I would stand up for freedom.

[CoryW3]

I think that they were patriots because they were only doing what they thought was best for the country that they lived in to leave Britan and become their own nation. They left britan because they thought that britan couldn't tax them with out their say in it.

[JessicaA6]

I think that our founding fathers were rebels because they fought back against Britain. And in the definition it says "refuses alligiance," which a very good definition of what the colonists in America were doing. "Rising arms" was also used in the definition. That also describes many of the battles that we fought against Britain which also means that we are refusing alligiance.

[Averyp4]

I think that our founding fathers were rebels, but I don't think that this was a bad thing. I think that they stood up for what they thought was right, they fought for it, and they refused to give up. Even against the worst of odds they never backed down, and it paid off, because our founding fathers WERE rebels we are free from England today.

[ShelbyP6]

I think that the founding fathers were both Patriots and Rebels because, yes they did go against the Crown by boycotting, and setting up their own decleration. However they were also Patriots because they built their country upon some of the same foundation and general ideas of Britain. So... in this way they are both Patriots and Rebels, depending on how you look at it.

[JoshV1]

I agree with AndyG. Our founding fathers were rebels. It basically was protesting against England for its Colonial rights and taxes. It wasnt fair, but still, an argument is an argument witch is a rebel. We also had many battles, which was caused by rebeling. Although they were doing it all for the love of there country which makes it a little more questionable. But I still think that they were rebels.

[WillC3]

I agree with Averyp4. Our founding fathers were rebels. I think that our founding fathers were a mix of both. The colonists refused allegiance to the British but had a love for America. Many leaders in the Sons of Liberty did not want riots during the boycotting of British goods. They wanted a peaceful protest. The colonists were defending their new country. They were defending there home. But they also took up arms and fought the British. For my final answer I have to say they were both patriots and rebels.

[NicoleA4]

I agree with Avery that our founding fathers were rebels because they stuck up for their country. Like George Washington in the Revolutionary War. He commanded the American forces instead of listening to the British's laws.

[RuebenD1]

I agree with that david kid, that our founding fathers were rebels. they were rebels because if they were patriots, they would have supported and followed Great britan, and not try to break away.Our founding fathers instead stood with the colonist and tried to break away. They also fought for their independence then gained it after the signing of the constituton.

[CodyC1]

I agree with Avery. I think that they were rebels because they stood up for what they believed in. England wasn't being nice to America:(
They put all these taxes on them and didn't let them do what they wanted to do. They were rebels because they made us independent from England because England pushed it to the limit with things like the Intolerable Acts and that was too much for them so they did something about it. England was also to small to be governing such a big country. And the founding fathers knew they could govern themselves so they kicked the British out:)

[AnneU5]

I would definently be a patriot beause Britain was using the colonies, there was nothing on the other side of the deal. It was down right unfair to the colonists, they got nothing out of be connected to Britain in any way!!! When someone says our founding fathers were rebels we think of a definition something like this,
"A person who refuses alligance, resists or rises in arms against the government or ruler of his or her country."
In this case the meaning of rising in arms was a good one, it was the right thing to d obecause Britain had nothing to offer to the colonist for the recorces that they werre taking. But when Britain heard that the colonist wanted to brake apart they thought of us as this kind of rebel:
"A person who resists any athorit, control, or tradition."
I this case, I t really wasn't resisting control or athority, it was making our own, to where we could use the benifits of our own hard work for the colony that already had the potential to overthrow Britain because of its size and strong learders.
I really like David's comment because he shows that the actions taken by the colonist all relate to the definition of "Rebel" ( I mean the part about refusing allegiance).
Britain was compleetley unfair to the colonies, if you've gotten this far I think you can tell I'm really for the Patriots :).

-Anne Urban

[zacharyf4]

I think that our founding fathers were rebels, because they fought aganist the crown of england or other words of Britain. Only because rebel means to refuse allegiance to and oppose by force and established government or ruling authority, and basicly i think that our founding fathers did that they fought aganists Britain. they weren't patriots because they didn't support Britain or defend them and i have to agree with Averyp4 because she also thought that we were rebels because on the Boston Tea Party we were againsts the british and them putting taxes on the tea. So we didn't just sit there and watch them do put taxes on the tea and other things we did something about it and that is why we are rebels i think.

[ChinmayB5]

I would say that the founders of America are definately [color=green][b]rebels[/b][/color], because if the patriots still ruled America it would be like a [u]second England[/u]. I agree with the friendly braniac david, when he shows how rebelious they are. I also agree with avery, what they did paid off to form America.

[GalenH4]

I have to agree with David on almost all issues about whether the "Founding Fathers" were rebels or patriots. They displayed open acts of trying to destroy British property (Tea Party), and attacked British troops. That fits the definition of rebel perfectly. They disagreed with the British and rebelled with violence, boycotts, and documents.

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I felt like I'd like to put in my extra 4 cents on this issue and express my true view and give resources to the rest of the students who think of the "Founding Fathers" as great people that liberated us.
I'm a little bored, so I put together some quotes and a great link.

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I would also mention that the term "Founding Fathers" I believe is false. I will quote Howard Zinn, a historian, to show my view on this issue.

"The Founding Fathers did lead the war for independence from Britain. But they did not do it for the equal right of all to life, liberty, and equality. Their intention was to set up a new government that would protect the property of slave owners, land speculators, merchants, and bondholders. Independence from England had already been secured in parts of the country by grassroots rebellion a year before the battles at Lexington and Concord that initiated hostilities with Britain. (See Ray Raphael's A Peoples History of the American Revolution, New Press, 2001.) It is one of the phenomena of modern times that revolutions are not favored unless they are led by people who are not revolutionaries at heart.
I would rather recognize the greatness of all those who fought to make sure that the Founding Fathers would not betray the principles of the Declaration of Independence, to make sure that the dead and maimed of the Revolutionary War did not make their sacrifices in vain. And so I would honor the soldiers of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey lines, who mutinied against George Washington and Mad Anthony Wayne. They were rebelling against the luxurious treatment of their gentry officers, and their own mistreatment: 500 lashes for misconduct, Washington decreed, and execute a few mutinous leaders to set an example."

I will also link to Chapter 24 of his book. A great resource.
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/zinncomrev24.html
A very good read in my opinion. =D

[JihoC3]

I think that our founding fathers were rebels. I agree with the idea that colonists were trying to find their rights, but what they did to Great Britain was many illegal things, like Boston Tea Party, illegal protests and avoiding taxes. I know that most of the troubles were form too many taxes. But I think it is fair that Britain collect that many taxes. Because they needed money to control and protect colonists like French and Indian War.

[BrianaW4]

I think our founding fathers were rebels, because our fathers fought the Britain and fought what they beleived in. I also think they are rebels because he refused to back down from fighting the British. and I would be a reble because I fight of what I beleive in too and never stop at what I am doing right.

[AaronD3]

I agree with Averyp4 when she says that the founding fathers were rebels because at the time, they were still a part of England, even though they were fighting for what they thought was right.

[AshleyE4]

I agree with everyone else that our founding fathers were rebles. I think this because they stood up for there country and did not back down. They stood up and fought aginst Birtin. We are the bigger country said Thomas Pain and that is true. Witch means that we need to fight for our country.

[AndyG6]

I agree with Jessica because her information was very true and plus I loved how she put in the quotes from the deffinition! Good Job :)!

[MariahR6]

I agree with Andy and David. I think our founding fathers were rebels because they wanted to be independent, so they went against Britain. They did boycott a few times and they pretty much resisted the government that was ruling their country. They did not support the British.

[EvelynB5]

At first, our founding fathers are rebels because they are deserting Britain and resisting them. However, they soon start to consider themselves Americans. So they are also patriots because they are defending the rights of their country America. I agree with Jessica when she says that our founding fathers were rebels because they fought back against Britain. They deffinitely refused allegiance by doing all the protesting and boycotting certain items that were being taxed. This shows that once Britain started being a tyrant over them, they no longer considered England as "their country" which is why fighting back seemed okay to them.

[AprilL5]

I think that our founding fathers were rebels, like jessicaA says they fought back against the British and wanted to be free and independent, have their own government and country. They fought back, they wrote the Declaration of Independence to state that they truly wanted to be free from British.