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Saturday 15 November 2014
Centennial High School Model United
Nations Conference – JCC-England
Hello Delegates,
On behalf of Centennial High School’s Model United Nations Club, we welcome you to
CHMUNC 2014! My name is Manisha Vepa, and I will be serving as your chair for the British
Divison of our Joint Crisis Committee. Alongside myself, my co-chair will be Ben Smith. Ben and
I have been involved in Centennial’s Model UN club beginning in our sophomore years, both as
delegates as well as board members. As novices, CHSMUNC provided an excellent opportunity
to hone our MUN skills, and we hope that we can provide a similarly enriching experience. This
year, our Joint Crisis Committee will discuss the American Revolution. As you know, the
American Revolution was an important event in our nation’s history. It was through determination
and belief that America won the war, however any small change in the surrounding circumstances
could have changed the course of history as we know it. We look forward to hear some stimulating
debate, as well as see the outcomes that evolve from our discussion. Who knows, we may even
rewrite history! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at
[email protected]. Good luck, and see you in November!
Manisha Vepa
JCC Division II Chair
JCC Division II (Great Britain) Delegates,
Welcome to the 6th Annual Centennial High School Model United Nations Conference
2014! My name is Ben Smith and I will be serving as one of the chairs for your committee this
year. I am a senior here at Centennial High School and this is my second year participating in
Model UN. I am also the Co-President of the Centennial High School Model Congress Club, an
organization that also participates on the collegiate conference level. Due to this involvement, I
bring a wealth of experience in government simulations to the conference staff. Joining me as
the other JCC Division II staff will be Manisha Vepa and Brittany Murugesan.
Each year CHSMUNC’s pair of JCC committees “fight” and resolve conflicts of
significance between two opposing parties in real time. This year, we have organized a
Historical Joint Crisis experience centered around the American Revolution. This committee
will be based on crises developed by our esteemed crisis staff. Delegates will have the
opportunity to make relevant decisions quickly in order to solve these problems. It is important
to note that JCC utilizes a slightly amended parliamentary procedure rules from General
Assembly committees. All of these changes can be found in the following pages of the
background guide.
I am extremely excited for this opportunity to engage in this unique Model UN
experience. As the committee representing the government of His Majesty King George III and
Saturday 15 November 2014
Centennial High School Model United
Nations Conference – JCC-England
Great Britain it is our job to teach those pesky colonial rebels a lesson. It is our goal to quell the
revolution and regain the territory for the crown. A word of caution however; it has been
rumored that American spies may be along our midst as me meet. We must expose these traitors
in our fight towards victory in this conflict.
One important component of this committee is the ability to represent you character with
a level of historical accuracy while making your decisions. Delegates who both stay in
character by voting for decisions that the actual historical person would have will be look upon
favorably by the staff. As a JCC the events of the war are not scripted nor set in stone. It is up to
the delegates of both committees to determine the outcomes of each crisis and battle that
occurs. Therefore, I expect that events will not be historically accurate as the outcomes are to be
determined by every participant of the two committees.
I encourage you to conduct research on this topic beforehand in order to enrich the
overall experience through more involved debate. This background guide serves as a great
starting point for your research. However, there is a wealth of knowledge available on the
American Revolution throughout the internet and print sources. I look forward to reading all of
your position papers and hope that the entire CHSMUNC 2014 experience will not only help
you grow as a MUN Delegate as well as provide a memorable and awesome
experience. Overall, the most important aspect of this conference is to have fun as you debate
the issues and events of the American Revolution from the British perspective. If you have any
questions at all, no matter how “trivial” or “insignificant” they may sound feel free to email me
at [email protected]. I will try to have a response back to you within two days.
Regards,
Ben Smith
CHSMUNC 2014 JCC Division II
Introduction to JCC:
The Joint Crisis Committee (JCC) is unlike any other committee in Model UN, and the
experience will be challenging yet exceptionally intriguing. This committee is filled with
scandalous espionage, potential spies, heated debates, and fast decision making. JCC entails two
individual subcommittees whose choices and actions will directly affect the crises at hand.
Ultimately, your goal is to settle the crises with your position’s best interest at heart, keeping in
mind the enemy is always on the move and new issues will constantly rise. Unpredictable events
(and crises) are bound to come up in this committee, but with compromises, debate,
perseverance, and old-fashion creativity, delegates are sure to succeed.
Below are some helpful guidelines for JCC:
Saturday 15 November 2014
Centennial High School Model United
Nations Conference – JCC-England
Guidelines for Crisis Committees:
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Crisis Committees follow a similar structure to General and Ecosoc Committees in terms of
flow of debate, and moderated and unmoderated caucuses as well as points and motions. The
regular structure, though, is interrupted by crises which are implemented by the Crises
Committee. The committee must then react quickly to the introduced crises and has four
tools handy which take the place of resolutions and are implemented promptly and
throughout the course of the committee: directives, communiqués, press releases, and
portfolio requests.
o Directives:
 The main tool used in committee to address an issue
 Actions the committee wants to carry out
 Need to be voted on
 Shorter resolutions only using operative clauses (do not waste precious time
on overly complex language, make directives concise and specific)
 Bullet points can be used
 Examples:
 Authorizes 50 assault rifles to be sent to forces on the West Bank.
 Establishes refugee camps in areas under attack
 Orders all airborne vehicles in the region to be shot down
o Communiqués
 Messages from the committee as a whole to another organization,
government, person, or group of people
 Need to be voted on
 Serve as methods of communication with other groups in a crises and can be
used to negotiate or request aid
 Example:
 Dear Doctors Without Borders,
An outbreak of a deadly but unknown virus has occurred in Liberia and
has claimed thousands of lives in the course of less than a month. We seek
your support and request that forty of your finest doctors can be sent to aid
the sick and suffering.
Sincerely,
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
President of Nigeria
o Press Releases:
 Messages from the committee to the public
 Require a vote to be implemented
 Used to sway public opinion, cause outrage, drum up support
Saturday 15 November 2014
Centennial High School Model United
Nations Conference – JCC-England

Example:
 The United States Department of Homeland Security has issued a
statement that terrorists within United States Borders are receiving
shipments of weapons from their allies in the Middle East.
o Portfolio Requests:
 Actions taken by one member of the committee, do not need to be voted on
 The action taken must be within the power of the individual in real life; The
head of an NGO has the power to fund relief efforts but cannot authorize a
military attack
 Can be used to maintain secrecy
 Example of uses:
 Meeting in secret with a group or individual
 Authorizing funds for relief efforts
 Authorizing weapons or military supplies
 Leaking false information
Note: We will be using all of these methods throughout committee, with the exception of press
releases, which I expect will be used very little or not at all.
Introduction to the topic:
The late sixteenth and early seventeenth century marked the beginning of large scale
European colonization of the “New World” [North & South America]. In particular English
settlements in what are now Virginia and Massachusetts flourished. Over the next century the
English colonies grew in size and added land from Maine to Georgia with the absorption of the
Dutch Colony New Amsterdam (New York) in 1664. To the north was French-held Canada and
to the south and west was Spanish Territory. After the conclusion and British Victory of the
Seven Year’s War (A worldwide war between Great Britain and France; the American theater is
known today as the French & Indian War) the British crown had incurred a large financial debt.
In order to recoup some of the money that was spent in defense of the American Colonies and to
gain control of Canada parliament levied various taxes and tariffs on goods such as tea, stamps,
and sugar. The American colonists were not happy about the application of these policies, as
they had no electoral representation in the British Parliament. In 1770 a group of British soldiers
fired on protesters in Boston killing five in the Boston Massacre. Later in 1773 as a response to
the tax on tea colonists of a pro-Independence group known as the “Son’s of Liberty” dressed as
Native Americans and pillaged a tea ship in an infamous event now known as the Boston Tea
Party.
The war began in earnest in 1775 when the British expeditionary force occupying Boston
marched on Concord to seize a militia arsenal. Thanks to Paul Revere’s midnight ride they were
met with colonial resistance at both Lexington and Concord. The day saw a colonial victory and
the British retreated. Later battles occurred in and around Boston in locations such as Bunker
Saturday 15 November 2014
Centennial High School Model United
Nations Conference – JCC-England
Hill. In response to these events the Second Continental Congress convened to discuss
Independence. The body met and called for the creation of a national army under the direction of
George Washington. In addition the body drafted the Declaration of Independence that officially
separated the two countries. Around this time the British expeditionary force having secured
Boston set its sights on New York City. Faced with an untenable position with a disadvantage in
troop numbers, General Washington vacated the borough of Manhattan and instead built
fortifications in Harlem Heights. It is here in the historical narrative that our committee starts.
The following list consists of major battles/campaigns of the war that it would be helpful to have
some knowledge about.
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Boston Campaign (1774-1776)
Ethan Allen’s Invasion of Canada - 1775
New York Campaign - (1776-1777)
Battle of Trenton - 1776
Upstate New York Campaign (Saratoga Campaign) - 1777
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) Campaign (1777-1778)
Valley Forge (1777-1778)
US Navy and English Coastal Raids
Western Front (West of the Appalachian Mountains)
Southern Theater (In Georgia and South Carolina)
Guerilla warfare throughout the southern colonies
US Navy and English Coastal Raids
Naval battles between England, France, and Spain
Yorktown (Virginia) Campaign - 1781
Government and Military:
Government
United States of America:
Prior to 1776, the United States of America had been known as the thirteen British
Colonies in the Americas. After several upsetting events with their mother country, a Continental
Congress was created in the fall of 1774 to serve as the government during the Revolutionary
War. Later, the Second Continental Congress met to further solve issues that the colonies faced.
John Hancock presided over this government as the second President of Congress. This position
lacked a great amount of authority, as most of the power was spread to various speakers and
chairmen of several committees. The Committee of Whole, or the entire group of approximately
56 delegates, met to discuss important issues and unanimously passed the Declaration of
Independence proclaiming 13 states sovereign under one nation. The Congress also took care of
Saturday 15 November 2014
Centennial High School Model United
Nations Conference – JCC-England
matters such as sending ambassadors abroad, receiving loans, raising an army, and taking care of
military supplies.
In 1775, George Washington was appointed as commander-in-chief, and he directly
reported to the Board of War and Ordnance within the Second Continental Congress. This
particular committee made recommendations to the Congress regarding the war because of its
job to oversee the American Continental Army’s administration.
Great Britain:
Historically, Great Britain has maintained a parliamentary monarchy. George III was the
king of Britain during the American Revolution. At that time, Prime Minister George Grenville
and the Parliament had enforced several laws upon the American colonies. There was a lack of
representation of the Americans in this government when such legislation was being passed,
creating conflict.
Militia & Tactics
United States of America:
The United States entered the war as underdogs, only having few advantages. Many of
the tactics used by American officers were inherited from the British. This insight helped to
counteract future actions the redcoats would take. Additionally, homeland terrain proved to be
difficult for the British to handle, so the Americans used it to their benefit. Guerilla warfare,
which consisted of ambushes, hit and run raids, and surprise attacks, successfully created
casualties for the opponents.
Great Britain:
On the other hand, the British Army was well accomplished particularly with its long list
of victories in brigades, acquisitions, and battles. The campaign in North America needed newer,
better tactics to conquer the war, and so the British brought out their best. Formations were
changed to put up a fight against the Americans, or by maintaining them in such a fashion that
they could be changed instantaneously. In addition to this, Europeans in the seventeenth century
had access to many new weapons. The most important of which were the musket attached to a
bayonet and the cannon. These destruction machines were quick and easy to reload and effective.
Military Ranks of the British Army:
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Commander-in-Chief (General Sir William Howe, succeeded by Sir Henry Clinton)
General
Major General
Colonel
Saturday 15 November 2014
Centennial High School Model United
Nations Conference – JCC-England
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Major
Captain
Lieutenant
2nd Lieutenant
Sergeant-Major
Company Sergeant Major
Quartermaster Sergeant
Color-Sergeant
Lance-Sergeant
Second Corporal
Lance Corporal
Private
Military Ranks of the Continental Army:
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Commander-in-Chief
Major General
Brigadier General
Colonels
Brigade-Major
Major
Aide-de-Camp
Captain
Subaltern
Sergeant
Corporal
Private
The Continental Army developed most of its ranking structure from the British Army. This
idea of having such insignia and class for soldiers was constantly being developed during the war
since General George Washington insisted that certain positions needed to be regulated.
Characters:
Only 10 characters from each committee will be revealed in this guide. The rest will be
revealed at the conference. It is important to thoroughly research your own character, the other
characters given in this guide, and other historic figures that were your allies/enemies or were
important to you in another way. Not being dedicated to your research will be detrimental to
Saturday 15 November 2014
Centennial High School Model United
Nations Conference – JCC-England
yourself, the other delegates, and the overall committee experience. Below are the character lists
and brief descriptions of the figures.
Colonists:
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George Washington (Army)- Commander of Colonial Forces
Benjamin Franklin (PA)- Statesman, vital in French relations
John Paul Jones (Navy)- most well-known Navy commander during American
Revolution
John Jay (Foreign Diplomat)- Served in Continental Congress before the war, visited
Spain, France, etc. during war as a foreign diplomat
Horatio Gates (Army)- Army general, former colonel of British army
Patrick Henry (VA)- Wartime governor of Virginia, against Cherokee Indians
Henry Knox (Army)- Chief artillery officer
Richard Henry Lee (VA)- Served in Continental Congress before and during war
Anthony Wayne (Army)- Brigadier general, general in chief of the army, involved in
many battles, involved with Indians
John Dickinson (PA)- Represented Pennsylvania politics during war, militia officer,
believed in reconciliation rather than war
British:
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Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford [Lord North]- Prime Minister and Chancellor of
the Exchequer for the majority of the war, held various other government posts
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe [William Howe] (Army)- Commander-in-Chief of
British army
Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe [Richard Howe] (Navy)- British naval officer
William Franklin (NJ)- Illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin, governor of New Jersey,
president of the Board of Associated Loyalists
William Allen- Loyalist, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Philadelphia at
time of war, believed in constitutional means rather than war
Joseph Brant (Indian)- Mohawk military leader, most important American Indian leader
King George III- King of England
William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne [William Petty]- British prime minister
during last few months of war, succeeded in securing peace with Colonies
Sir Henry Clinton [Henry Clinton] (Army)- Succeeded General William Howe as British
Commander-in-Chief
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis [Charles Cornwallis] (Army)- British
leading general
Saturday 15 November 2014
Centennial High School Model United
Nations Conference – JCC-England
Note: All research must be completed before the conference. Delegates are not allowed to
research on laptops/electronic devices during the conference. This includes both in committee
session and out of committee session.
Bloc Positions:
British:
The British want to keep the Thirteen Colonies under their rule. They have a massive
army, Hessian reinforcements, and an organized government back in England. However, since
they are not fighting on their own soil, it is difficult to communicate with their government and
to receive resources from England. The British are willing to use other methods, though, and
offer slaves freedom in exchange for fighting for them and become friendly with Indian tribes.
Their foreign ally is Germany.
Indians:
The Indians are not all united when it comes to the war. They have to defend their
territories and sustain trade while a war is taking place on their homeland. Different tribes have
different alliances; some side with the British because they hope for Western expansion and are
angry at the colonists for taking over their land, while others fight with the Colonists. Some
remain neutral. The Cherokees and Mohawks (an Iroquois nation) side with the British. The
Shawnees and the Delawares try to stay neutral, and the Iroquois split and become the enemy of
both sides.
Foreigners:
Foreign countries involved in the war include France, Germany, Spain, and Canada.
France and Spain are allies of the Colonies, Germany is a British ally, and while Canada does not
join the war, both sides try to gain its allegiance. Fighting erupts on Canadian ground and the
country is also invaded due to conflicts with the Iroquois and French-Canadians.
Questions to Consider:
1. What is our overarching and most effective military/diplomatic strategy regarding the
colonies?
2. Is war the only possible solution to this dilemma?
3. What allies do we have/can recruit to help us in this conflict?
4. How/should we punish the leaders of the Independence movement if we are successful?
5. How should we continue to supply our troops in North America both financially &
physically if the war lasts longer than expected?
Saturday 15 November 2014
Centennial High School Model United
Nations Conference – JCC-England
Further Research:
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8.
http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/american-revolution-history
http://www.revolutionary-war.net/causes-of-the-american-revolution.html
http://www.history.org/almanack/life/politics/4thjuly.cfm
http://www.ushistory.org/us/10e.asp
http://www.ushistory.org/us/11.asp
http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/battles.aspx
http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/people.aspx
http://www.mountvernon.org/educational-resources/encyclopedia/appointmentcommander-chi