Use the excerpt to answer the question.
In the text you read this about the aftermath of the Boston Massacre: The soldiers were arrested and tried in court. John Adams agreed to defend them, saying that they deserved a fair trial. He wanted to show the world that the colonists believed in justice, even if the British government did not. At the trial, Adams argued that the crowd had provoked the soldiers. His arguments convinced the jury. In the end, the heaviest punishment any soldier received was a branding on the hand.
How could John Adams defend the British soldiers but still be seen as a Patriot?
A. Adams knew that many Patriots wanted the British soldiers to be set free.
B. Adams defended the soldiers because many Patriots asked him to.
C. Adams defended the soldiers while defending the Patriots' belief in justice.
D. Adams defended the soldiers because he thought it would make the British pity the Patriot cause.
C. Adams defended the soldiers while defending the Patriots' belief in justice.
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
“Our Colonies must be the biggest Beggars in the World, if such small Duties appear to be intolerable Burdens in their Eyes.”
—“Pacificus,” Maryland Gazette, March 20, 1766
This excerpt is from a citizen in England in response to the colonial outrage toward the Stamp Act. What central argument of the American colonists against the Stamp Act is not understood by the writer?
that trade was heavily restricted due to the taxes, which made it difficult for the colonists to make enough money to live let alone pay the taxes
that although the tax is small, it is the idea that the colonists have to repay the British government for a war they did not support that is unjust
that it is not the amount of tax that is the problem but rather the fact that the colonists were not involved in passing the tax
that the tax may seem small to those in England but for the American colonists it is a very large amount of money
that trade was heavily restricted due to the taxes, which made it difficult for the colonists to make enough money to live let alone pay the taxes
C. Adams defended the soldiers while defending the Patriots' belief in justice.
The correct answer is C. Adams defended the soldiers while defending the Patriots' belief in justice.
To arrive at this answer, we can look at the excerpt provided. It mentions that John Adams agreed to defend the soldiers because he believed they deserved a fair trial and wanted to show the world that the colonists believed in justice, even if the British government did not. This suggests that Adams defended the soldiers not because he personally supported them or the British government, but because he believed in the principles of justice and fairness. By defending the soldiers and arguing that the crowd had provoked them, he was able to demonstrate the Patriots' commitment to justice and due process. Therefore, Adams could defend the British soldiers while still being seen as a Patriot.