Hi in my 8th grade honors Social Studies class we are doing a courtroom style debate but is this statement bad

Question

So 250 years ago Mary Jemison and her family and neighbors
were killed in a French/Seneca raid on an English town. Her
whole family was killed along with the neighbors sparing her and
a boy. So we all know that George Washington started the offensive creating the war. The two sides in the classroom debate
are Mary Jemison side and French/Seneca side. I was chosen
in the French Indian side by my teacher and my team is the defendents. So as a statement tommorow in Social Studies Im going to say "Why is it that when the English kill Indians and force them out of the land and capture African American slaves it is considered a lesson to mankind 250 years later but when
the French and Indians take the offensive and kill people
it is considered treachery and evil"? " Is it okay for the English to kill innocent natives to move into their land"?

I already know that those statements would silence the other side of the class and my teacher hates the governement but are they
hurtful?

Lol the other times we have had classroom debates I often leave the other side speechless (Im good at that) and
they had to think 2 min before they
make a comeback statement. Is
it too political). And seriously I
do know that the English killed natives children too its fact. And its fact that George Washington killed French first.

Lol the other times we have had classroom debates I often leave the other side speechless (Im good at that) and
they had to think 2 min before they
make a comeback statement. Is
it too political). And seriously I
do know that the English killed natives children too its fact. And its fact that George Washington killed French first.

Lol the other times we have had classroom debates I often leave the other side speechless (Im good at that) and
they had to think 2 min before they
make a comeback statement. Is
it too political). And seriously I
do know that the English killed natives children too its fact. And its fact that George Washington killed French first.

Lol the other times we have had classroom debates I often leave the other side speechless (Im good at that) and
they had to think 2 min before they
make a comeback statement. Is
it too political). And seriously I
do know that the English killed natives children too its fact. And its fact that George Washington killed French first.

Answer 1

Before you go forward with this discussion, you really need to do some more solid research on your topic. First, we don't all know that George Washington started the offensive. I'll go ahead and assume that you're aware of the three previous 'French and Indian Wars' that took place prior to 'THE French and Indian War of 1754-1762'. I'll further assume that you're aware of the poor relations the French and English had had for centuries. Then I'll assume that you know that Washington was an officer of the Virginia Regiment, sent by the Lt. Governor, Robert Dinwiddie to drive the FRENCH from the Ohio River valley. That brings us to Jumonville Glen where Washington and his men met with a party of the FRENCH and ended up in a skirmish. It's been a scholarly debate that's never been settled since that day. The truth is no one knows who fired first but we do know that it was a skirmish between the Virginians and the French. Following the skirmish, the Indians accompanying Washington's party massacred the wounded French and crushed the skull of the French commander, effectively putting the English and the French at war with one another once and for all. Then we move on to Braddock' defeat a year later. If there was a question before that the English and French were at war that settled it. Following Braddock's defeat the French-allied Indians carried out some brutal frontier warfare tactics, murdering and scalping hundreds of English frontier settlers.

In short, during this time frame the English weren't wiping out Indians, it was essentially a three way war between the British, French, and the Indians and the 'Innocent Indians' committed more than their share of the attrocities that took place in this brutal frontier war.

Now, as far as your slavery issue goes, that's essentially totally irrelevant. As bad as those who want to rewrite history want to make it seem, slavery was simply a norm. Right, wrong, or anything in between, that's the way it was. While I'm sure people had their opinions, true social and political questions about the moral issue of slavery really didn't start coming up until the American Revolution. But for the sake of the topic of your argument, slavery is a totally seperate and unrelated issue to this topic.

So, in closing, I suggest that in order to make an effective argument for your discussion, first take some time and truly research your topic. Your arguments will be a lot more effective because no one will be able to question that FACTS you use to back your point, not simply your own little spin on history.

Answer 2

Things to know about history:
The victors always write the history books

Conquering another civilization is part of history.

As for the French and Indian war. I would use the word evil.

As for taking the Indians land. In reality they had already lost the land. They once were a thriving civilization, but the climate had changed. They did not adapt well to the change, and moved back to a much simpler way of life. Then the Europeans came, if it wasn't them it would have been someone else. This is survival of the fittest. I am not saying this is right, but this is how the world works. This is also why we study history, so we can change the future. There is a say that history repeats it self, and so far this has been true. I hope we as a civilization can change this trend.

As for your comments being to harsh, probably not. However, to make a truly effective argument you must understand the other side. Plus, one could always counter your statement with 2 wrongs do not make a right.

Good luck tomorrow!

Answer 3

It might be an effective statement if you are allowed to make it. You should be prepared for an objection by the other side that your statement is not on point and therefore irrelevant to the issue being debated. You need to look at the precise issue being debated and be prepared to immediately go to plan B without hesitation. Are you debating other peoples crimes or whether the French Seneca side did in fact commit an atrocity. The best way to prepare your arguments is to anticipate what would be a good defense and then move into a rebuttal without hesitation or loss of confidence. Never let them see you sweat. An effective debater will immediately object to your statement and move to stop you from continuing with it because it assumes facts not in evidence. Be prepared to take a different tact if necessary.

Answer 4

I my opinion, it's a very open-minded question and not very hateful. You're just saying the truth right? If so, I don't see the harm, I just can kind of tell that there might be a big argument.. well that is if anyone in your class is actually paying attention. [In my class, about 10 people pay attention.. the rest don't even know what we're doing half the time] And that is a very good question, I wonder that as well.

Lol, I would soo love to be in your class. I'd have fun arguing with poeple over this kind of stuff.. or any stuff for that matter... lol.