Patriots and Loyalists
Patriots and Loyalists
by Gillian Bailey, Alexandra Wilbanks, Jenna Labbie, and John Lane Everett
Materials Needed: Classroom clock, 3 boxes (2 that can be locked), 2 numerical locks, 1 book, 1 key, and printed copies of all primary sources, eyewitness statements, and clues.
What motivated Patriots and Loyalists to join their cause? This escape room explores the eyewitness statements, primary resources, and Revolutionary War puzzles in order for students to ask themselves--would they be a Patriot of a Loyalist. This escape room is suitable for both middle school, and high school history classes.
Step one
- Kids see riddle on board that states “I have a face that does not smile or frown. I have no mouth, but I make a familiar sound. I have hands, but fingers I do not.”
- They will look at the clock and see the clock is frozen at 3:22 pm and the teacher have them guess this significance of this number.
- The date 03/22 represents the day the Stamp Act was enforced. Once students guess this date correctly the teacher will instruct them to check the back left corner of the room where they will find the 1st box
"I have a face that does not smile or frown. I have no mouth, but I make a familiar sound. I have hands, but fingers I do not."
Box 1
Students open box 1 and and use primary source about sons of liberty and eyewitness testimony to solve word search.
Once they have found all the words (SONS, TAX, TEA, PARTY) they will count all the numbers in each word and get the numbers 4, 3, 3, 5. They will rearrange the numbers and try to unlock the padlock on the next box (they will also find the next box) until it opens. (if students get a bit stuck here---remind them that everything can be quantified---even words!)
box one ew.pdfEyewitness Testmony
box one pm.pdfPrimary Source
clue one.pdfClue to open Box 2
Box 2
Students open box 2 and use primary sources and eyewitness testimony to solve word scrambles.
Once they have unscrambled all words It will spell out “THE BOSTON TEA PARTY TOOK PLACE IN SEVENTEEN SEVENTY THREE” Students will use the code 1773 to unlock box 3
box two ew.pdfEye witness Testimony
Primary Source
clue two.pdfClue to open Box 3
Box 3
Students will use sources and clues to find the name of a book on teachers shelf. They will open book and find it hollowed out to reveal key.
They have now solved the game and escaped the room (or at least they think that they have!)
box three ew.pdfEye Witness Testimony
Primary Source
clue three.pdfClue to find the Escape Room Key
Recollections of a Georgia Loyalist by Elizabeth Lichenstein Find book on Desk
You can simply find an hold book and create a fake label with the title and author's name, and place it some where on your bookshelf where students can easily find it. You can tape in a key into the cover, or go the extreme route and carve out a space in the book to hold the key. The students will think that you are super fancy!
Final Step
How to Escape ?
As soon as the first student grabs a key and makes a b-line for the door (you know that they will!), allow students to open your classroom door, and they will find the following question taped to the front of the door. Students need to answer this question, using the primary sources that they gathered along the way, in order to escape. Have students share their responses as part of your escape room reflection.
What motivated citizens to join the Patriot cause in the face of so much danger? What did they risk if they joined the Patriots? What would have had to occur for you to have joined their in cause?
Reflection Reflection Reflection!
There are some really excellent sources in this escape room--make sure to include the final step so that your students will have a chance to really review and reflect on the great risk that the Patriots were taking in joining the Revolutionary cause.