Dear journal my name is Thomas Williams jr. the 4th, may sound like a noble’s name all though in fact I am just a commoner in England, the greatest country in the entire world. I am writing in this journal because I am going to do the most dangerous thing a man could ever do. I am going to AMERICA! I will go to America because they don’t want to pay their taxes. Let's start in the beginning shell we.
The king, King George the 3rd is the King of Great Britain and he wanted to start to Colonize America before the other european countries did. The british did gain quite a lot of land in the new continent. The french they also got a lot of land in America and that started a 7 year war as to who will get the most land. Britain won but they lost a lot of money more like 60 million pounds! That was a dark time for us most of the people were broke. It was also a hard time for my family because my older brother died in the war. The colonies still had money (so lucky) so we thought they should also pay the money England needed. After all England did protect them from the french. The king raised their taxes so they can help a little. But those Americans were too stubborn to pay so they kept on revolting. They tarred and feathered our soldiers and harassed any one that was on our side. So because the Americans did not listen we raised their taxes, they called it the “Townshend Act ''. But the stubborn Americans still did not learn from last time and DID NOT PAY THE TAXES. Why they did not pay is still a mystery to me, “we are trying to help you!” I always think.
So our wise king only left the tax on tea and sent 1000 troops to the 13 colonies so they can keep Americans under control. Then one day the americans or so called colonists started to throw rocks, stones, and snow balls on a british soldier. The number of british soldiers grew so as the number of colonists grew. Then a gun shot was heard and one after another the british soldiers started to fire on the colonists. I support the british military but why? Why did they shoot the colonists? 5 colonists were killed that day. That day was named the Boston massacre.
But no the colonists did not know where to stop. On December 16 1773 the “Sons of Liberty '' or as I call them the “Sons of Misery” dressed up like native Americans and threw 10,000 pounds of tea in the river. The colonists were not so happy that we sent more troops to Boston. 56 delegates met to hold the first continental congress. This is where my story begins. I was asked to join the military to stop the colonists from rebelling. General Thomas Gage ordered all young men to help fight in the war. His letter said “Dear family we are sorry to inform you with a heavy heart that you sons have to go to war. The young men will help fight in exchange for food, water and shelter. If you do not obey, you will be punished. ”
I did not want to join the military but if I stay much longer my family will run out of food. I will go to honor my country and family, the Williams.
I will be heading to sea in 5 days. I will say my goodbyes and I hope I return safely and unharmed.
It is 1775 July 23 and I am going to sea. We will ----- in 2 months. I packed everything I have: a few work clothes, a picture for my family and this journal. I set sail on the SS Great Britain, a large ship with rooms that 5 can fit in at the same time. I am sharing a room with Harry ,Oliver, Arthur, and Oscar. I don't know them but I hope that sharing a cabin with them will make the trip smoother.
WHY! WHY NOW? 8 days in to our journey to cross The Atlantic Ocean we hit a massive storm. thunder lightning and people falling overboard. I was so lucky and unlucky at the same time that I was sick with the cold that week so I did not need to risk my life. Sadly when Oliver was trying to save a drowning person he was submerged by the salt water and now his soul belongs to the sea. RIP Oliver. But there was no time to wast, as the ship was getting flooded by the giant freak waves we encountered in the storm. I thout that this was the end and then we saw the light of day thou the gloomy Skys and how that we would be safe. After we returned to calmer waters we counted our dead, only 50 of us remain out of 70. The meals after the storm were much smaller than before because we lost a good portion of our food supplies.
This rich noble continued to shot at the cook Because his pork chop was cold. I would love to eat some thing that nice, all the rest of us had to eat was cold soup and a piece of bread and some veggies.