Discussion Topics for Chapter Two of My Brother Sam is Dead

My Brother Sam is Dead Chapter II: 

Tim provides background information about his town, neighborhood and religion at the onset of chapter two.

Tim: "Redding was divided into two-parts: Redding Center and Redding Ridge"

• you can discuss Redding, Connecticut - where is it and why it was divided in two parts (Anglicans and Presbyterians).

Tim: "Church was practically the only time we ever saw some of the farmers from farther out in the parish - places like Umpawaug. They wanted to keep up with the news…"

• you can discuss how information was shared in colonial times and how these methods led to biased opinions on very important issues.
• you can also discuss Religion in colonial times.

Sam: "This is Tory Country. Father, Mr. Beach, the Lyons, the Couches - most of them in our church are Tories. And they think it's the same everywhere, but it isn't."

• you can discuss how a township could gain a reputation for being "Tory Country".
• you can also discuss who Tories or Loyalists were and why they were opposed to the rebellion, what they endured, etc...

The most important comment Tim makes in chapter two is "What kept confusing me about it was that the argument didn't have two sides the way an argument should, but about six sides." Tim is speaking of "opinions" people had of the British government's policies following the French and Indian War. These new policies hampered America's economic and geographical growth via:

• Taxes
• Trade restrictions
• The Presence of British troops in America (and cost of having them here)
• British efforts to prevent westward expansion of the colonies
• The Political corruption of Royal Governors

The anger over these policies had reached a boiling point and as Tim states: "..it wasn't going to be just arguments anymore." The reason Tim's comment is so important is that the debate over rebellion was a complex topic with many sides that needed to be examined and decided on by the American colonists prior to a rebellion. Issues like: economics, government, religion, and safety in the American Colonies should they gain Independence from Great Britain were very important questions that really did not have answers before the events at Lexington and Concord thrust the American citizens into war with the British.

Below are some examples of the loyalist's concerns regarding the rebellion:

• The British Army was powerful and experienced. Many men, 40 years of age or older, had fought along side the British soldiers in the French and Indian War. They had experienced, first-hand, the skill and tenacity of the enemy.
  
• Land to the West of the Appalachian Mountains was occupied by Indians, the Spanish and the French, not Americans. Would the colonists be able to defend themselves from attacks from any one of them without the assistance of the British Army?
  
• Successful businesses and merchants worried that if America split from England they would be at risk of losing their prosperity. Tobacco farmers are an example of those who actually did suffer as a result of the American Revolution.
  
• Without a plan for self-government in place how would the colonies function politically?

For more chapter discussion topics from My Brother Sam is Dead, visit:
http://mybrothersamisdead.historyofredding.com/my-brother-sam-is-dead-chapters.htm

I will continue to provide free samples of my content at the above link, but for those who wish to have access to all I know, I have created a Dropbox account that has everything I have ever created for the novel. It's AWESOME! I promise. :)

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