“Imagine a scene in a bar or coffee-house in Boston during 1776. A loyalist printer, a patriotic carpenter, and a patriotic lawyer meet on the day that the Declaration of Independence is published in Boston. They discuss this document.”

A war of independence fought by thirteen American colonies against the British Empire is known as the American Revolution. This revolution has resulted in many social and political changes and transformations in the future state that now is called the United States.

The scene in Boston’s bar would probably look like a sharp discussion with arguments and counter-evidences, because these parties had absolutely different views on the American Revolution and consequently on the Declaration of Independence.

A loyalist printer would express his discontent with the satiation and said that his friends or even himself, fought for the interest of the colony on the Britain’s side. If he is a man of radical views he could call the people who signed the Declaration the traitors, because they betrayed the King of Britain. He also would draw the attention to the fact that he is in minority there (because loyalist had actually one of the leakiest positions specifically in Massachusetts.

To conclude, loyalist printer would be very dissatisfied with the signing of the Declaration of Independence and would demonstrate intent to move out of the country, for example to Canada (the country, where many loyalists have actually ended up).

On the opposite, patriotic representatives would say they fully approve the signing of the Declaration of Independence and would mention their positive opinion of its author Thomas Jefferson. They would disagree regarding the “traitors” claiming and instead would call the document “their hope for the better future, for liberalism, equal religious rights, and democracy”. Patriots would demonstrate support of the independence of the United States and also the equal rights for all the citizens.
The patriotic followers would indicate the moral standard for the population that was set by the signed document. The Declaration in their opinion would become a source of American spirit and American mind. In other words, patriots would start to celebrate the acceptance of the document immediately.
References
Halstead Van Tyne C., The Loyalists in the American Revolution, Peter Smith, 1929
Formisano R., For the People: American Populist Movements from the Revolution to the 1850s; University of North Carolina Press, 2008
Jameson F., The American Revolution Considered as a Social Movement, Princeton University Press, 1926