The Proclamation of Rebellion was King George III’s response to the news of the Battle of Bunker Hill at the outset of the American Revolutionary War. In this Proclamation, King George is speaking against a rebellion that is forming from “dangerous and ill designing men” (George III). He says that they had forgotten their allegiance which “they owe to the power that has protected and supported them” even though they had disturbed the public peace and avowed rebellion. In saying this, I think that George is trying to tell whoever he is talking to that they have supported their people no matter what, and that there should be no reason for their rebellion. He is defending himself and the people he works with. George makes us wonder why these people decided to rebel, and what caused it. King George calls them dangerous, wicked, traitorous, and desperate. It sounds like these people might have betrayed their country in some way, and the king of course is very against them.
The second part of this Proclamation is King George describing how they will suppress the rebellion and bring these rebellious people to justice. He says that the Proclamation declares that not only the officers and military, but the people are bound by law to aid him in the suppression. He then calls them “obedient and loyal subjects”, which seems to lighten the mood a little. King George had to make a law to get the people to help him, instead of trusting them to do it. He either doesn’t trust his people, or they don’t like him. Later, George turns back to talking about the people rebelling. He writes that they made “treasons and traitorous conspiracies” against him or the crown. He says that these rebellious people were loyal, but then became traitors and he needs people to aid him in suppressing them. He even goes as far as to say that whoever who has information corresponding with these people, that they should give it to an officer so the people in the rebellion will be punished.
Therefore, the subject of the Proclamation of Rebellion is rebellion. The theme is suppressing the rebellion. In this Proclamation, King George speaks against those rebelling, calling them traitors and dangerous. He encourages, and creates a law, so that the people will aid him in suppressing it and bring those people to justice. George wants to stop the rebellion and punish those involved in it. He just wants to suppress the rebellion and wants help from his people.
Works Cited
Digital History, King George III,1775, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=4105.
“Proclamation of Rebellion.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Sept. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proclamation_of_Rebellion.