NC Essential Standards:5.H.1.3 Analyze the
impact of major conflicts, battles and wars on
the development of our nation. RI5.8 Explain
how an author uses reasons and evidence to
support particular points in texts, identifying
which reasons and evidence support which
points.
Grade Level
5th-Elementary
Summative Performance Task
Persuasive Essay
Compelling Question:
Was the Revolutionary War an Act of Treason?
Supporting Question I
Supporting Question II
Supporting Question III
What are some ways the British
Were the Stamp Act and
Townsend Acts examples of
reasonable taxations?
How did the views of colonists
compare to the views of British
reflect their individual beliefs about
independence?
Historical Sources
Historical Sources
protected and provided for the
colonists?
Historical Sources
A. Newspaper Article about the
Stamp Act of 1865
(digitalhistory.uh.edu)
A. French and Indian War Summary
(duckster.com)
B. “The Colonial Experience”
(ushistory.org)
B. Quartering Act
(americainclass.org)
C. Great Wars for Empire
(digitalhistory.org)
C. Townsend Act Cartoon
Formative Performance Task I
Formative Performance Task II
Bringing history into the present: Create a
“Twitter account” with Tweets going back
and forth between the colonists and British
rule leading up to, during and after the
French and Indian War.
Create your own article or
political cartoon depicting
whether the taxations were
reasonable or not.
A. Colonist vs British Viewpoint
B. Letter from William Smith
C. Benjamin Franklin Quote
D. Political Cartoon-Poor Old
England
Formative Performance Task III
Identify evidence from the colonist
perspective as well as the British
perspective and compare their
beliefs and views
Summative Performance Task:
Decide whether English colonists should revolt against British rule, not revolt and continue to be loyal to British
rule, or English colonists and British officials meet to compromise and make changes to prevent a revolution.
Whichever stance you take, back your reasoning with your resources and valid opinions based on facts. Be
prepared to defend your reasoning with other classmates who may differ in their decision.
SUPPORTING QUESTION 1
Source:
SOURCE A
CAUSE AND EFFECT GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Instructions: List the topic or problem that you are exploring
in the center of the organizer. Under the Causes section record what you think makes the problem
happen. Under the Effects section, record what happens because of these causes.
SUPPORTING QUESTION 1
SOURCE B
2a. The Colonial Experience
They created and nurtured them. Like children, the American colonies grew and flourished under
British supervision. Like many adolescents, the colonies rebelled against their parent country by
declaring independence. But the American democratic experiment did not begin in 1776.
The
COLONIES
had been practicing limited forms of self-government since the early 1600s.
The great expanse of the Atlantic Ocean created a safe distance for American colonists to develop
skills to govern themselves. Despite its efforts to control American trade, England could not possibly
oversee the entire American coastline. Colonial merchants soon learned to operate outside British law.
Finally, those who escaped religious persecution in England demanded the freedom to worship
according to their faiths.
Colonial Governments
Each of the thirteen colonies had a charter, or written agreement between the colony and the king of
England or Parliament.
LEGISLATURE
CHARTERS
of royal colonies provided for direct rule by the king. A
COLONIAL
was elected by property holding males. But governors were appointed by the king and
had almost complete authority — in theory. The legislatures controlled the salary of the governor and
often used this influence to keep the governors in line with colonial wishes. The first colonial
legislature was the
When the first
VIRGINIA HOUSE OF BURGESSES,
PILGRIMS
established in 1619.
voyaged to the New World, a bizarre twist of fate created a spirit of self-
government. These Pilgrims of theMayflower were bound for Virginia in 1620, but they got lost and
instead landed at
PLYMOUTH
in present-day Massachusetts. Since Plymouth did not lie within the
boundaries of the Virginia colony, the Pilgrims had no official charter to govern them. So they drafted
the
MAYFLOWER COMPACT,
which in essence declared that they would rule themselves. Although
Massachusetts eventually became a royal colony, the Pilgrims at Plymouth set a powerful precedent of
making their own rules that later reflected itself in the town meetings that were held across colonial
New England.
Trade and Taxation
Colonial economies operated under
MERCANTILISM,
a system based on the belief that colonies existed
in order to increase the mother country's wealth. England tried to regulate trade, and forbid colonies
from trading with other European countries. England also maintained the right to tax the colonies.
Both
TRADEand TAXATION
were difficult for England to control, and so an informal agreement emerged.
England regulated trade but allowed colonists the right to levy their own taxes.
SMUGGLERS
soon
exploited the English inability to guard every port by secretly trading against Parliament's wishes.
This delicate agreement was put to test by the FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. The war was expensive, and
from the British point of view, colonists should help pay for it, especially considering that England
believed it was protecting the colonists from French and Indian threats. The new taxes levied by the
Crown nevertheless horrified the colonists. British naval measures to arrest smugglers further incited
American shippers. These actions served as stepping stones to the Revolution.
http://www.ushistory.org/gov/2a.asp
Based on the text in Source B, fill in the Circle map to list all the ways the British
ruled over or helped colonists. In the second bubble map, list all the ways colonists
were moving away from or rebelling against British rule. Finally create your own
circle map using evidence from the source.
Ways British
Governed
Colonists
How Colonists
Governed
Themselves
SUPPORTING QUESTION 1
SOURCE C
Great Wars for Empire
Digital History ID 657
Author: Minavavana
Date:1761
Annotation: In this address to an English trader named Alexander Henry, Minavavana, a
Chippewa or Ojibwa chief, warns the English that France's defeats during the French and
Indian War do not mean that England can assert sovereignty over Indian lands.
Document: Englishman!--You know that the French King is our father. He promised to be
such; and we, in return, promised to be his children. This promise we have kept.
Englishman!--It is you that have made war with this our father. You are his enemy; and
how then could you have the boldness to venture among us, his children? You know that his
enemies are ours....
Englishman!--Although you have conquered the French, you have not yet conquered us! We
are not your slaves. These lakes, these woods and mountains, were left to us by our
ancestors. They are our inheritance, and we will part with them to none....
Document Inspector
Using Source C, to fill in the table. Write down any other evidence
you noticed from the text.
What is the tone of the speaker?
Who are they speaking to?
What are they talking about?
What could be the possible
outcomes from this address?
SUPPORTING QUESTION 2
SOURCE A
While Reading “Stamp Act and Virtual Representation” (Source
A), list the examples of reasonable taxation and non examples of
taxation. Think about which side you would defend and why?
Examples Supporting Reasonable Taxation
Examples Supporting Unreasonable Taxation
TAXATION
SUPPORTING QUESTION 2
SOURCE B
While reading Source B, list the stipulations of the Quartering Act of 1765.
Determine who bears the responsibility of each need. Decide if the Quartering Act
was completely reasonable, completely unreasonable or some parts were and others
were not.
Housing
Food and Drink
Supplies
Who Bears the Responsibility?
SUPPORTING QUESTION 2
SOURCE C
Use the thinking cloud to create a thought that an English
colonist might have when they read this taxation posting.
SUPPORTING QUESTION 3
SOURCE A
SUPPORTING QUESTION 3
SOURCE B
Reconciliation Better than Independence
Anglican clergyman and educator William Smith wrote a series of public
letters in 1776 under the name “Cato” in reply to Thomas
Paine’sCommon Sense.
We have already declared ourselves independent, as to all useful
purposes, by resisting our oppressors upon our own foundation. And while
we keep upon this ground, without connecting ourselves with any foreign
nations, to involve us in fresh difficulties and endanger our liberties still
further, we are able, in our own element (upon the shore), to continue
this resistance; and it is our duty to continue it till Great Britain is
convinced (as she must soon be) of her fatal policy, and open her arms to
reconciliation, upon the permanent and sure footing of mutual interests
and safety.
Upon such a footing, we may again be happy. Our trade will be revived.
Our husbandmen, our mechanics, our artificers will flourish. Our
language, our laws, and manners being the same with those of the nation
with which we are again to be connected, that connection will be
natural; and we shall the more easily guard against future innovations.
Pennsylvania has much to lose in this contest and much to hope from a
proper settlement of it. We have long flourished under our charter
government. What may be the consequences of another form we cannot
pronounce with certainty; but this we know, that it is a road we have not
traveled and may be worse than it is described.
Source: Teresa O’Neill, ser. ed., Opposing Viewpoints: The American
Revolution, American History Series (San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1992),
p.151.
SUPPORTING QUESTION 3
SOURCE C
ACTIVITY: If you were William Smith living in our time, how
would you paraphrase this letter?
 What are the Acts of Oppression?
 What was the message Benjamin Franklin was
trying to convey? Who was he talking about and
who was he talking to?