Olive Branch Petition Essay

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For starters, the American Revolution was waged as a war of last resort because the colonists could not execute any more plans to make truce with Britain peacefully. The principle of last resort states that a war can only be waged after all the peaceful options are considered and force must be conducted as the last alternative. In the “Olive Branch Petition”, John Dickinson, a representative of the colonists wrote: “We therefore beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before-mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of our Dominions, with all humility submitting to your Majesty’s wise consideration, whether it may not be expedient, for facilitating those important purposes, that your Majesty be pleased to direct some mode, by which the united applications of your faithful Colonists to the Throne, in pursuance of their common counsels, may be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation; and that, in the mean time, measures may be taken for preventing the further destruction of the lives of your Majesty’s subjects; and that such statutes as more immediately distress any of your Majesty’s Colonies may be repealed.” (Dickinson, John). As inscribed in the “Olive Branch Petition” the colonists’ will was not to detach from Great Britain but to maintain union and peace. Throughout the entire plea, the colonists disclose their

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