DATE
9/26
9/27
TOPIC
9/30
Was it changing British policies or Enlightenment ideas that
led to colonial anger?
Was the American Revolution a revolt against taxes?
10/3
Were the Sons of Liberty akin to a modern day gang?
10/4
Which side had the best arguments in the case of the
Boston Massacre?
Are the beliefs of the colonial tea partiers the same as the
beflefs of the Tea Partiers today?
Would you have been a revolutionary in 1 776?
10/6
10/7
10/10
10/12
Did the colonists of the British have the advantage at the
outset of the revolution?
Did the British beat themselves at the Battle of Saratoga?
10/19
FIELD TRIP: EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY
Was it Washington’s leadership or the help of the French
that led to the colonists victory over Britain?
Review & Reflect: Was the American Revolution a
“radical” revolution?
Revolutionary T-Shirt Project Day 1
10/20
Revolutionary T-Shirt Project Day 2
1 0/24
Revolutionary T-Shirt Project Day 3
10/25
Test Review
10/26
Test: The American Revolution
10/13
10/14
10/18
ASSIGNMENT
DUE
What does it mean to be prepared for the 21st century?
BRING BOOK TO CLASS
(5 points)
Completed “Acts” Chart
(10 points)
Quiz: Patriot or Loyalist
Read February 1 776: A
Moment of Decision &
answer questions
Second Continental
Congress (5 points)
Map Activity: Battles of the
War for Independence
(10 points)
In Class Grade: Flexible &
Self-Directed Learner
(5 points)
Flexible &
Grade:
Class
In
Self-Directed Learner
(5 points)
In Class Grade: Flexible &
Self-Directed Learner
(5 points)
REVOLUTIONARY T-SHIRT
PROJECT_DUE_(50_points)
Study Guide Due (10 points)
QUIZ: LOYALIST OR PATRIOT?
Directions: The purpose of the following quiz is to help you examine your own attitudes about
independence. In order words, where would you have stood with the Patriots or with the
Loyalists? if you agree with a statement, circle “yes”, if you disagree, circle “no.” We will score the
“quiz” in class.
—
1. England has the right to restrict settlement west of the Appalachians.
YES
NO
2. British rule is preferable to rule by colonies.
YES
NO
3. The colonial assemblies should pay the salaries of colonial governors.
YES
NO
4. British soldiers should be quartered in private homes.
NO
YES
5. Parliament represents all Britons, regardless of where they live.
NO
YES
6. All persons smuggling goods into the country to avoid paying customs duties should be caught
and punished.
YES
NO
7. Colonial assemblies do not have the right to pass laws necessary to govern themselves.
NO
YES
8. The British constitution offers all the liberty that is needed.
NO
YES
9. British tax collectors shouldn’t be kept from doing their jobs.
NO
YES
10. I would rather live a life without liberty than die.
YES
NO
11. The people of Massachusetts deserve to be punished for the Boston Tea Party. YES
NO
12. A democratic government is the same as rule by an angry mob.
NO
YES
13. Law and order is better than violent disturbances.
YES
NO
14. Just because some people disagree with the Townshend duties doesn’t mean importing goods
should end.
NO
YES
NO
15. Monarchs are destined to rule by God.
YES
16. Colonies do not have the ability to rule on their own, otherwise they would be independent
NO
YES
nations.
February 1776: The Moment of Decision
Directions: Complete the assigned reading and answer the Part 1 questions below. Then, look at the
“Options in Brief” and answer the Part 2 questions.
February 1776: The Moment of Decision
Reading Questions
1. Describe what happened at Bunker Hill.
2. What was the role of George Washington in the revolution after the Second Continental
Congress met in May 1 775?
3. How did the Continental Congress react to King George Ill and to Parliament?
Options in Brief:
Directions: Put yourself in the shoes of a colonist in 1 776. Read the four options below, then write
down the possible pros and cons of each option.
PROS
Option 1: Restore the Ties of
Loyalty
Option 2: Create a More
Perfect Union
Option 3: Defend Our Rights
as Englishmen
Option 4: Fight for
Independence
CONS
A More Perfect Union: American
independence and the Constitution
February 1776—The Moment of Decision
he spark of rebellion struck in Massachu
setts on April 19, 1775 did not die out
as many hoped. On the contrary, it spread
throughout the New England colonies. In
May, a joint force of Massachusetts militiamen
under General Benedict Arnold and fron
tier settlers under Ethan Allen captured Fort
Ticonderoga in upstate New York from the
British. By mid-June, Boston was surrounded
by nearly ten thousand minutemen. General
Gage, the British commander, remained in
control of Boston Harbor but lacked the forces
to break through the land blockade.
T
When the colonial militia commanders
decided to fortify two small hills overlooking
the harbor, the first real battle of the rebellion
resulted. On June 17, Gage ordered a naval
bombardment and an infantry assault against
the colonial positions. While the British suc
ceeded in dislodging the patriots, the Battle of
Bunker Hill added to their concern. In a single
day, more than one thousand British troops
were killed or wounded. Moreover, the colo
nists demonstrated their resolve and courage.
The rebellion in the New England colonies
seemed to be sliding toward full-scale war.
The colonists appreciated the gravity of
the situation as well. In May 1775, they had
convened the Second Continental Congress
and called on George Washington to take
charge of the colonial forces. Although Wash
ington missed the Battle of Bunker Hill, he
WIW.CHOlCES.EDU
•
gradually transformed the rag-tag collection of
patriot militias in New England into an effec
tive army.
A military stalemate developed around
Boston. Without artillery, Washington could
not force the British out of the city. For his
part, Gage needed reinforcements to lift the
siege of his forces. The only serious fighting
that took place in the second half of 1775 was
a failed colonial effort to seize British bases
in Canada. Although the colonists captured
Montreal, their surprise attack on Quebec in
December 1775 was repulsed.
On the political front, positions on both
sides of the Atlantic hardened. King George
III proclaimed the colonies in a state of rebel
lion in August 1775. The Continental Congress
responded by reaffirming its loyalty to the king
but rejecting the authority of the Parliament.
In the public squares and popular newspapers,
colonists debated the consequences and objec
tives of the rebellion that had broken out in
Massachusetts.
The lull in the fighting brought on by the
winter of 1775-76 gave the colonists an oppor
tunity to take stock of their future. They faced
fundamental issues involving war and peace,
and their relationship with the mother coun
try. While a huge range of opinions existed,
four principal options had emerged by Febru
ary 1776.
WATSON INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STuDIEs, BROWN UNIvER5Im’
•
CHOICES FOR THE 21sT CENTURY EDucATIoN PROGRAM
I6
A More Perfect Union: American
Independence and the Constitution
Options in Brief
Option 1: Restore the
Ties of Loyalty
Option 3: Defend Our
Rights as Englishmen
Damn those rabble-rousing radicals in
Boston and Philadelphia! The actions of these
mad, power-hungry fools are threatening
to sever the ties that bind us to our beloved
mother country and our gracious king. To take
up arms against Britain is both treasonous
and suicidal. How short are the memories of
these rebels! They have forgotten that we are
here thanks to the crown and the Parliament.
Consider how we have prospered within the
British empire. Now, reflect for a moment on
what awaits us if, God forbid, the radicals are
successful in severing our ties of blood and
tradition with Britain. In such circumstances,
the thirteen colonies would immediately begin
to squabble among themselves, much like self
ish children deprived of parental guidance.
Instead of the imagined tyranny of the king,
we would suffer the real tyranny of the demo
cratic mob.
It is with great reluctance that we have
taken up arms to protect our homes and villag
es. As the minutemen of Lexington, Concord,
and Bunker Hill have shown, we will not put
down our weapons until our rights have been
restored. King George has been misled by his
ministers. In following their misguided advice.
he has approved measures that deprive us of
liberty and prosperity. He should know that
we are not rebelling against his legal authority.
On the contrary, we are defending ourselves
against flagrant violations of the British con
stitution. We hold that Parliament does not
have the right to legislate over us without our
consent. By taking up arms to resist tyranny,
we are acting in the best English tradition. All
we ask is for a return to the harmonious rela
tionship we enjoyed with the mother country
before the tragic events of the past ten years.
Option 4: Fight for
Independence
Option 2: Create a
More Perfect Union
Cooler heads must prevail! Certainly, there
are legitimate grievances on both sides. But
there is nothing that cannot be resolved if we
are willing to sit down with one another and
settle our differences in a spirit of brotherly
compromise. Ve should be building bridges to
our allies in London, not tearing them down
through acts of rebellion. Let us find common
ground on which to build a peaceful future.
The foundation of the British constitution rests
on the principle that no man may be taxed or
deprived of his property without representa
tion. To restore harmony between the colonies
and the mother country, a British-American
council should be formed with representatives
from each of the thirteen colonies. Let us focus
on what unites us as Englishmen.
a
CHoicEs FOR THE 21ST CENTuRY EDucAnoN PROGRAM
S
Damn the king and damn Parliament! The
ties that once bound us to the mother country
have been broken by British force. Now we
must stand up for ourselves. Britain has not
protected our interests, but its own. Trade
regulations were not intended to benefit the
colonies, but to enrich Britain. There is no
longer good reason to remain tied to Britain.
Our population is growing rapidly and in fifty
years will surpass that of Britain. Our land is
fertile and without limits, and our God-given
resources dwarf those of the British Isles.
Independence will permit us to develop along
the path we have set for ourselves. A glorious
future awaits us. In this New World, we can
build a new nation founded on freedom, lib
erty, and economic opportunity. We can break
the chains that link us to the corruption and
strife of Europe. There is no turning back. We
must strike out for freedom.
WvrsoN INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, BROWN UNivERsrY
S
WWWCHOICES.EDU
Name
Date
Second Continental Congress
What should we do to protect ourselves from
our mother country?
It is June 1775. You are members of the
Second Continental Congress. Two months
ago, the British attacked colonists in Lexing
ton and Concord, Massachusetts. They tried
to take away our gunpowder and supplies. We
need these supplies to defend ourselves. Even
though the British are the strongest army in
the world, our brave farmers and shopkeepers
fought back. Ninety-five of our men were
killed or wounded, but we got almost three
times that many redcoats!
The king and Parliament are really
against us. Now they send more soldiers here.
They force us to let the soldiers sleep and eat
in our houses. Boston Harbor is still closed.
They stop us from meeting. They still tax
our imports.
Many colonists, especially in the south
ern colonies, are still loyal to England. They
do not want to separate. They think the war is
mostly between the New England colonies
and England.
A second Continental Congress is meet
ing in Philadelphia. Representatives from all
13 colonies are here. We have just learned of
another battle near Boston. The Americans
made a fort on a hill, and the British tried to
force them to leave, Almost 400 Americans
died in the Battle of Bunker Hill. But the Brit
ish lost more than 1,000 soldiers! This is our
mother country we have been fighting with.
Britain has the strongest army and navy in the
world! We have many decisions to make.
I
I
:
Battle between the New England colonists and the Brftish
© 1997 1 Weston Waich, Publisher
5l
Key Decisions in US. History Vol.1
SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
Directions: Complete the reading entitled “Second Continental Congress: What should we do to
protect ourselves from our mother country?” When you are finished reading, answer the questions
below.
1. When were the battles at Lexington & Concord and why was there a fight?
2. How many British soldiers were killed at Lexington & Concord?
3. What do the Southern colonies want to do?
4. Why did the second continental congress meet?
5. In your opinion, what should the colonists do to protect themselves from England? Choose
from the list below.
V Create an army & navy with men from all the colonies
V Pay the taxes
V Pay for the tea destroyed in the Boston Tea Party
V Stop boycotting British goods
V Join all the colonies together & break from England
V Ask other countries to help
V Make peace with England
V Write the king and ask him to stop Parliament from levying taxes.
V Other:
6. Why did you choose the options you did? Explain.
MAP ACTIVITY
BATTLES OF THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE
Directions:
1. Using the maps on page 129 (War for Independence 1775-1778) & 135 (War for Independence
1778-1781) in your textbook plot the following battle sites on the map provided. Use one color
for British victories, and another for American victories. Note these colors in your key.
Fort Ticonderoga
> Lexington
> Concord
Breed’s Hill/Bunker Hill
Boston
Brooklyn Heights
Long Island
Philadelphia
> Germantown
> Brandywine
Trenton
Princeton
,-
Valley Forge
Monmouth Court House
> Guilford Court House
King’s Mountain
Cowpens
> Camden
> Charleston
Savannah
Vincennes
Yorktown
Saratoga
‘-
2. In what region were most of the battles fought?
3. In what area did the British enjoy it’s greatest successes?
4. In what region would you say most of the significant battles were fought? Explain your
answer.
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