UNIT 1: An American Revolution
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
LI: Discuss the causes and effects of various compromises and conflicts in American history.
SC: I can illustrate how an act of legislation led to increased tensions between American colonist and the British.
CRASH COURSE: The Seven Years War (French and Indian War)
Reading
Assignment
- After watching the Crash Course for this lesson and reading the text sections, write a detailed paragraph that answers the following:
1.) Briefly explain the reasons why the British issued the Proclamation of 1763.
2.) Briefly explain why the colonists objected to the Proclamation of 1763.
3.) Briefly explain how effective the Proclamation was.
POPULAR DISSENT AND SMUGGLING
LI: Discuss the causes and effects of various compromises and conflicts in American history.
SC: I can describe how a tradition of smuggling and resisting British authority contributed to the conflict between colonist and the British.
CRASH COURSE: Taxes and Smuggling
Reading
"Popular Dissent and Smuggling"
Assignment
- After reading the text selections and watching the Crash Course for this lesson, complete the guiding questions in the "Popular Dissent and Smuggling" document. After completing the questions answer the following prompt with a 1-2 sentence response.
- Explain why American colonist believed that the British Parliament had no right to tax the colonies.
STAMP ACT CONGRESS
LI: : Evaluate issues in which fundamental values and principles are in conflict.
SC: I can how bias can be used to determine if a historical subject is more or less credible.
Reading
Assignment
Complete the Graphic Organizer. Then, for each primary source, answer the following.
1. Who wrote this, and what is his job? Does he side with England or with the colonists? How do you know?
2. Based on his account, what’s going on in America in 1766? How has the Stamp Act affected him personally? Provide evidence from the document to support your answer
3. Do you believe his account? Give one reason why you would trust his account and one reason why you might not trust his account.
Finally, respond to the prompt below in a well written paragraph.
How does the account in document C compare to the accounts in Documents A and B? Do you think most colonists were upset about the Stamp Act, or do you think a few leaders riled up everyone?
THE TOWNSHEND CRISIS
LI: Describe ways in which citizens participated in early American public life.
SC: I can analyze and explain the various responses to the Townshend Acts.
Reading
Assignment
First, read "Letter From a Farmer in Pennsylvania (excerpt)" in order to answer the following analysis questions.
1. According to Dickinson, does Parliament have the legal authority to regulate trade? What reasons does he give to justify his statement? In what circumstances would imposing certain duties be appropriate?
2. What is preventing the colonist from manufacturing the taxed items themselves in order to avoid paying the taxes altogether?
3. How does Dickinson describe the economic relationship between Great Britain and the American Colonies?
Next, read "Bostonians Protest the Townshend Acts" to answer the analysis questions below.
4. Why are the Townshend Acts harmful to Great Britain, according to John Hancock?
5. Hancock argues that the Townshend acts are unconstitutional, is his argument the similar or very different from Dickinson's? How?
6. According to Hancock, what is the birthright of every Englishman?
THE BOSTON MASSACRE PART ONE
LI: Explain how and why events may be interpreted differently according to the points of view of participants and observers.
SC: I can analyze evidence to determine an accurate version of an historical event.
Media
John Adams Episode One: The Boston Massacre
Reading
Assignment
After watching the clip of the Boston Massacre and reading "The Boston Massacre" text selection, view the images from four different artist depicting the Boston Massacre. For each image answer the analysis questions to reveal the perspective and narrative hidden in each image.
Then, read the London Chronicle and the Boston Gazette articles and answer the following analysis questions.
• What point of view does your author have?
• Who does the author think was at fault for what happened?
• How might the author be biased in their interpretation of the event?
THE BOSTON MASSACRE PART TWO
LI: Explain how and why events may be interpreted differently according to the points of view of participants and observers.
SC: I can analyze evidence to determine an accurate version of an historical event.
Reading
Assignment
Read through the witness testimonies and answer the following analysis questions for each.
• Who is the author?
• Did the author witness the event?
• Who does the author blame for the massacre?
• How might the author be biased in their interpretation of the event?
Finally, you will now act as jury to determine whether the British soldiers are guilty of murder. Carefully consider everything we have looked at so far and think critically about each source and the interpretation of the event that each source proposes. As you make your judgement, you should address the following questions.
• What happened?
• Did the British soldiers act in self-defense or did they murder colonist?
• Was this a massacre?
THE INTOLERABLE ACTS
LI: Evaluate issues in which fundamental values and principles are in conflict.
SC: I can discuss how intentions and results of actions can differ.
Reading
Assignment
You will read two interpretations of the Coercive Acts. First, read "Circular Letter of the Boston Committee of Correspondence" and answer the following analysis questions:
Questions to Consider Source #1: Circular Letter
1. How does the author interpret the closing of the port of Boston?
2. What charter rights does the author believe the new bill will deprive the colonists of?
3. What effect would this have on the colonists?
4. How does the author propose to prevent the negative effects of these new bills?
Then read, "Excerpt From General Gage Letter to Dartmouth" and answer the analysis questions for that document.
Questions to Consider Source #2: Excerpt General Gage Letter to Dartmouth
5. How does General Gage interpret the colonial defiance regarding Boston’s town meeting?
6. What does General Gage propose he may need to do in Worcester?
7. On the whole, how does General Gage interpret the response of the colonists to the new laws?
LEXINGTON AND CONCORD
LI: Explain how and why events may be interpreted differently according to the points of view of participants and observers.
SC: I can corroborate evidence to determine what information is credible and what information is too biased to consider.
Assignment
Participate in the class exercise and use close reading skills to determine the correct chronological order of events for the incidents in Lexington and Concord.
LEXINGTON AND CONCORD PART TWO
LI: Explain how and why events may be interpreted differently according to the points of view of participants and observers.
SC: I can corroborate evidence to determine what information is credible and what information is too biased to consider.
Reading
Assignment
Begin by answering the following questions to analyze an image of the battle of Lexington by Henry Sandham in 1886.
- What do you see in this image?
- What evidence does it provide about what happened at the Battle of Lexington?
Then analyze this image by Amos Doolittle in 1775 by answer the following questions.
- What do you see in this image?
- What evidence does it provide about what happened at the Battle of Lexington?
- How is Image 2 similar to Image 1?
- How is Image 2 different from Image 1?
Next, you will analyze conflicting primary sources and to corroborate multiple pieces of evidence to address the essential question "Who Shot First?"
- 1) Who was John Barker?
- 2) What kind of document is this?
- 3) When was this written?
- 4) What do you predict this document will say?
- 5) According to this document, what happened at the Battle of Lexington?
- 6) According to this document, who fired the first shot at the Battle of Lexington?
- 7) Do you think this document provides a trustworthy account of what happened at the Battle of Lexington? Why or why not?
- 1) Who were the authors of this document?
- 2) What kind of document is this?
- 3) When was this written?
- 4) What do you predict this document will say?
- 5) What details about the Battle of Lexington do Documents A and B have in common?
- 6) What details about the battle are different?
- 7) Do you think this document provides a trustworthy account of what happened at the Battle of Lexington? Why or why not?
THE SOCIAL CONTRACT
LI: Trace the development of constitutional democracy in the United States.
SC: I can use my understanding of Hobbes, Rousseau, and Locke's philosophies to demonstrate what ideas were incorporated into American Democracy.
Reading
"Locke: The Reluctant Democrat"
"Montesquieu: The Balanced Democrat"
"Rousseau: The Extreme Democrat"
Assignment
Read up on each philosopher and participate in the class discussion to complete the graphic organizer. After completing the graphic organizer answer the following questions.
1. Of the four philosophers discussed in this article, which two do you think differed the most? Why?
2. Which of the democratic forms government proposed by Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau do you think is the best? Why?
3. Rousseau wrote in The Social Contract, “As soon as any man says of the affairs of the State ‘What does it matter to me?’ the State may be given up for lost.” What do you think he meant? How do you think his words relate to American democracy today?
COMMON SENSE
LI: Trace the development of constitutional democracy in the United States.
SC: I can breakdown and explain an argument to explain how democratic ideas have evolved.
Reading
Assignment
Read through "An Abridged Interpretation of Common Sense" complete the questions in the margins and answer the following analysis questions.
- Who was the intended audience of Common Sense?
- According to Common Sense, why should America declare independence?
- Which argument for independence do you think is most important?
- Which argument for independence do you think is least important?
- How do you think loyalists reacted to Common Sense when they read it?
THREADS OF DEMOCRACY
LI: Identify fundamental values and principles as expressed in basic documents.
SC: I can identify influences of ideas expressed in, and shared between, documents.
Assignment
First look over the "Timeline of the American Revolution" and take note of the chain of events that increased tension between the American colonist and the British authorities. Next, read the "Letter to King George III to Intercede on the Colonist' Behalf" and identify the grievances that the colonist are asking the king to help with. Then, read the "The Olive Branch Petition" and answer the following analysis questions.
- When was each document written?
- Who was the intended audience of both documents?
- What is the main theme of each document?
- What was the motive for writing each document?
- How do these documents differ from one another?
- What major events led to the creation of the first letter?
- What major events occurred in the time between these documents?
- How might have these events affected the tone/language of the second letter?
- Why would the tone/language change when writing the second letter?
- How successfully does each author make his case?
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE PART ONE
LI: Identify fundamental values and principles as expressed in basic documents.
SC: I can identify influences of ideas expressed in and shared between documents.
Reading
"The Declaration of Independence"
"The Declaration and American Freedom"
Assignment
Use the historian interpretations to complete the graphic organizer.
Then, read the Founding Fathers' thoughts on the Revolution and answer the following prompt.
a) Briefly describe ONE significant difference between Bailyn's understanding and Zinn's understanding of the American Revolution.
b) Briefly describe ONE significant difference between Adams' understanding and Rush's understanding of the American Revolution.
c) Briefly explain how the historians and the Founding Fathers interpretations are similar and how they differ.
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE PART TWO
LI: Identify fundamental values and principles as expressed in basic documents.
SC: I can identify influences of ideas expressed in and shared between documents.
Reading
The Declaration of Independence
Assignment
Use the worksheets for each section of the Declaration of Independence to translate the text into your own words.
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE PART THREE
LI: Identify fundamental values and principles as expressed in basic documents.
SC: I can identify influences of ideas expressed in and shared between documents.
Reading
"Locke: The Reluctant Democrat"
"Montesquieu: The Balanced Democrat"
"Rousseau: The Extreme Democrat"
Assignment
Consider the social contract theories from earlier in the course. Assign a highlighter color to each philosopher. Reread the The Declaration of Independence and highlight sections of the Declaration that share similar ideas or arguments from each philosopher. The finished product should reveal how each philosopher influenced the Declaration of Independence.
AN AMERICAN CRISIS
LI: Analyze the common traits, beliefs, and characteristics that unite the United States as a nation and a society
SC: I can identify an author’s argument and describe how it can improve morale.
Reading
Assignment
Read through the abridged version of The Crisis No. 1 by Thomas Paine and answer the following analysis questions.
- According to the first paragraph, who will shrink from the service of his country? What will the people who do not shrink from service deserve?
- According to the first paragraph, what has Britain declared?
- Of what is Paine confident in the third paragraph?
- According to the final paragraph, what will a person whose heart is firm pursue until death?
- What opinion of offensive war does Paine express in the final paragraph?
- What does Paine mean when he refers to summer soldier and the sunshine patriot?
- What is the point of Paine’s story about the tavern keeper at Amboy?
- What is the main idea of this essay? How does Paine support his idea?
- How might a colonist who had remained loyal to the British react to Paine’s argument?
- How might a colonial soldier who is still serving under Washington react?
THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE
LI: Develop and interpret different kinds of maps, globes, graphs, charts, databases and models.
SC: I can describe the differences between the war in the North and the South.
Reading
Assignment
Use the interactive map to complete the graphic organizer.
VALLEY FORGE
LI: Provide and evaluate examples of social and political leadership in early American history.
SC: I can explain how the Continental Army transformed from an amateur force into a professional military organization.
Reading
Assignment
- Watch the video segment and answer the following questions.
1. Explain why Valley Forge was difficult for the Continental Army?
2. Identify some of the hardships the soldiers faced while camped at Valley Forge.
3. How did the Continental Army address the issue of small pox?
- Watch the next video segment to answer the remaining questions.
4. Who was Baron Von Steuben?
5. What did Baron Von Steuben do for the Continental Army?
6. How had the Continental Army changed while they were camped for the winter?
INDEPENDENCE
LI: Discuss the causes and effects of various compromises and conflicts in American history.
SC: I can describe what gaining independence meant for the newly established United States.
Reading
Assignment
- Read through each article of the Treaty of Paris of 1783 and then complete the graphic organizer to breakdown what the United States had won in the War for Independence.
- After breaking down the treaty, briefly respond to the following prompt in a well-written paragraph.
What three articles of the Treaty of Paris to you think are the most important? Make sure to support your choices with specific information.
WHO WON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION?
LI: Compare and contrast the different cultural and social influences that emerged in the North American colonies.
SC: I can analyze who benefited and who did not benefit from American independence.
CRASH COURSE: Who Won the American Revolution?
Reading
"The Social and Intellectual Legacy of the American Revolution"
Assignment
- After reading the essay above answer the following analysis questions.
1.) What do you think the phrase “The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark” means in relation to the American Revolution?
2.) Who led the first movements towards abolition of slavery in America? Why did this group seek to abolish slavery?
3.) What was the conflict between the domestic sphere and public sphere for women?
- Then, complete the graphic organizer.
THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
LI: Identify fundamental values and principles as expressed in basic documents.
SC: I can identify and explain flaws in the Articles of Confederation.
CRASH COURSE: The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism
Reading
"The Articles of Confederation"
"The Confederation's Weaknesses"
Assignment
Read through the Articles of Confederation to answer the following questions.
1.) What is the role of the state governments under the Articles of Confederation?
2.) What specific things can the state governments NOT do, according to the Articles of Confederation?
3.) What are the responsibilities of Congress under the Articles of Confederation?
4.) What are the specific powers of Congress?
5.) How are delegates selected for Congress?
6.) What is the process for voting on resolutions in Congress?
7.) What is the procedure by which Congress was to raise funds?
SHAYS'S REBELLION
LI: Discuss the causes and effects of various compromises and conflicts in American history.
SC: I can explain how Shays’s Rebellion demonstrated weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation.
Reading
Assignment
You will read two letters that Thomas Jefferson wrote within the same year concerning the Articles of Confederation, Shays' Rebellion, and the pending Constitutional Convention. Answer the analysis questions that follow each document.
A Letter From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, January 30th, 1787
1.) Describe the three form of societies that Jefferson defines.
2.) Why does he feel that "a little rebellion now and then is a good thing"?
3.) What happens when a rebellion is unsuccessful?
A Letter from Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith
4.) Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Do you think he wanted to see America form a strong central government? Why or why not?
5.) According to Jefferson, have the colonies been peaceful or chaotic? Support your answer with evidence from the document.
6.) Jefferson thinks the people at the Constitutional Convention are overreacting to Shays’ Rebellion. What does he worry they might do as they write the new Constitution? (Note: this answer is not in the document; you need to think).
7.) What does Jefferson mean when he says, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants?”
8.) How does this document challenge or expand the information you read in the textbook?
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
LI: Evaluate issues in which fundamental values and principles are in conflict.
SC: I can discuss and explain some of the fundamental issues raised at the Constitutional Convention.
Reading
Assignment
Use this graphic organizer to breakdown the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution.
SLAVERY AND THE CONSTITUTION
LI: Describe the role of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and national origin on the development of individual/political rights.
SC: I can use examples based on analysis, how the issue of slavery was addressed at the Constitutional Convention.
Reading
"The Division and Separation of Powers"
Assignment
- Read the deleted "Slavery Grievance" from the original draft of the Declaration of Independence and answer the following questions.
1.) How does the Slavery Grievance describe slavery? Who does Jefferson blame for the continuation of the slave trade?
2.) Why does Jefferson italicize the word ‘Christian’ at the end of the first paragraph?
3.) Why do you think that Thomas Jefferson wrote a paragraph about slavery when he wrote the Declaration of Independence?
- Next, read the "Framers Thoughts on the Issue of Slavery" then read "A Collection of Historian Interpretations of the Issue of Slavery" to complete this graphic organizer.
THE CONSTITUTION
LI: Explain how the executive, legislative, and judicial powers are distributed and shared among the three branches of national government.
SC: I can explain how and why power is distributed among different branches of government.
Reading
Assignment
Answer the following questions for each section of the U.S. Constitution.
PREAMBLE: What does the Constitution do? What is the PURPOSE of the government?
ARTICLE I: How does the LEGISLATIVE branch create laws? What powers do the states have?
ARTICLE II: How does the EXECUTIVE branch execute laws?
ARTICLE III: How does the JUDICIAL branch interpret the laws?
ARTICLE IV: How should the STATES get along with each other?
ARTICLE V: How can the Constitution be AMENDED, or changed?
ARTICLE VI: How does FEDERALISM work? Which law is supreme?
ARTICLE VII: What STEPS have to be taken to make the Constitution the law of the land?
AMENDMENTS: What changes have been made to the CONSTITUTION?
FEDERALIST VS. ANTI-FEDERALIST
LI: Explain how and why powers are distributed and shared between national and state governments in a federal system.
SC: I can explain the fundamental issues during the ratification debate to adopt the Constitution.
Reading
Assignment
Read both the Anti-Federalist position and the Federalist position to complete the graphic organizer.
THE JOURNEY TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
LI: Trace the development of constitutional democracy in the United States.
SC: I can explain and discuss how American Democracy evolved and was integrated into the U.S. Constitution.
Reading
Assignment
Participate in the class discussion, noting milestones in the development of American Democracy.