Loyalists and Patriots
Why can’t we just get along?
Grade Level: 4
Extension Lesson- Social Studies/History
Sunshine State Standards
Exploration and Settlement of Florida
SS.4.A.1.1 Analyze primary and secondary
resources to identify significant individuals
and events throughout Florida history. (e.g.,
photographs, paintings, maps, artifacts,
timelines).
FL Frameworks for K-12 Gifted Learners
Goal 2, Obj. 1: Identifying Significant
Questions
Trait: Management of Data for Research
(Understand)
Sees potential for questions to explore
broader aspects of knowledge, moving
toward speculative and evaluate
aspects
Goal 3, Obj. 1: Research Tools and
Methodologies
Trait: Cooperative Research (Perform)
Works cooperatively with peers from a
variety of perspectives and abilities
while obtaining valid research and/or
products from research
Subject(s): (To be used during Week 12 on the 4th Grade CCPS Social Studies Curriculum Map)
Description: Students will read four different viewpoints and a brief essay
on the events that led up to the Revolutionary War. The culminating activity the
students will select from the Final Task list a way to present their decision:
Loyalist vs. Patriot.
Closure:
As we wrap up this lesson, we will have discussions on the strong/weak
points of the viewpoints, then we will also take a moment to relate this project to our
own lives and today's society. Most importantly reflecting on just how difficult it is to be
the decision maker and how does your decision affect other people?
Loyalists and Patriots
Why can’t we just get along?
Student Activity Sheet
Goal:
The Revolutionary War brought about great change in our country. There has
been a long debate on the cause and effect it had on the early colonists. In
this activity you will read four different viewpoints and a brief essay on the
events that led up to the Revolutionary War. Then you will select from the Final
Task list a way to present you decision, are you a Loyalist or a Patriot.
Materials:
Viewpoint essays for each student, notebook paper, high lighters,
scissors, colored pencils, assorted color construction paper
Procedure:
1. Read the articles on the four Viewpoints and the brief essay on the
events that led up to the Revolutionary War. You can work in
cooperative groups and read the essays orally.
Final Task
Now that you have read the four viewpoints concerning "Loyalty or Liberty", decide
which side you would take. Use the short essay on the events that led up to the
Revolutionary War for additional information. Re-read any or all of the viewpoints
again if necessary. Present your decision in any of the following forms.
Write a letter to the Editor
Design a Political Cartoon
Develop a Skit
Have a mock Debate
Create a Song
Write a letter to the King
Create a Power Point
Design a Poster
.The
Revolutionary War
When England colonized America it had no master plan on how the colonies would
be governed. Some colonies governed themselves. Other colonies were governed by
the King's officials. The King insisted on his right to create laws governing the
colonies. British parliament also created laws that governed the colonies.
The British passed laws that were in the best interest of England, not the colonies.
For example, they passed the Navigation Act which restricted colonists from
competing with British businesses. They also prevented colonists from selling their
goods to countries other than Britain, even if the country was willing to pay a
higher price than the British. Britain made it difficult for the colonies to trade
with the French and the Spanish.
While the British continued to enforce their control of the colonies, they refused
to allow the colonies government representation in England. The British believed
that their own appointed government officials adequately represented the colonies.
The colonies resented British control. The colonies created their own laws, and
ignored the British laws they did not like. This created considerable tension
between Britain and the colonies.
While England found governing its colonies in America difficult, it also found it
expensive. Britain had recently fought the French and Indian War, which gave it
control of Canada and much of the land east of the Mississippi. The war was very
expensive for England, and it now needed more money to maintain soldiers in all
these areas. In 1764, the British government decided to tax the colonists to pay a
share of the costs.
The British taxed all sugar bought from the French or Spanish. The British then
created the Stamp Act, requiring all newspapers and legal documents to carry a
stamp purchased from the British. These taxes angered the colonists and they
managed to force the British to eliminate the Stamp Act and to reduce the taxes
on sugar.
When England colonized America it had no master plan on how the colonies would
be governed. Some colonies governed themselves. Other colonies were governed by
the King's officials. The King insisted on his right to create laws governing the
colonies. British parliament also created laws that governed the colonies.
The British passed laws that were in the best interest of England, not the colonies.
For example, they passed the Navigation Act which restricted colonists from
competing with British businesses. They also prevented colonists from selling their
goods to countries other than Britain, even if the country was willing to pay a
higher price than the British. Britain made it difficult for the colonies to trade
with the French and the Spanish.
While the British continued to enforce their control of the colonies, they refused
to allow the colonies government representation in England. The British believed
that their own appointed government officials adequately represented the colonies.
The colonies resented British control. The colonies created their own laws, and
ignored the British laws they did not like. This created considerable tension
between Britain and the colonies.
In 1767, the British passed new taxes on glass, paper, teas, paints and other goods
shipped to the colonies from Britain. Prime Minister Charles Townsend wanted to
raise money to cover the cost for defending the colonies, and pay the salaries of
governors and judges in the colonies. These were known as the Townsend Acts.
The colonists reacted by refusing to buy British goods. The colonists argued that
they shouldn't be taxed since they had no representation in the British
government. The colonists rallied behind the phrase, "No Taxation without
Representation." Again Britain was forced to remove the taxes, all except for the
tax on tea.
Farmer
Since my William joined that army of
Patriots, I've had nothing but misery and
heartache. Why, with fields to tend,
children to feed and a house to keep, I
fear I shall drop dead from exhaustion
soon.
It was when we heard news that Governor Dunmore was going to free
the slaves, turn them into an army and have them march against us.
That's when my William decided he must go enlist in the Patriot
army. He figured it was the only way to defend his home and family
against a man like Lord Dunmore and an army of slaves. So he up and
joined Colonel Woodford's Regiment of volunteers he did.
And that leaves me with all the work to do here on the farm. And I
don't mind telling you
I've been afraid too. I've been afraid that Lord Dunmore's army will
march up to my door. And I've been a might worried about strangers
too.
What do politics matter to a simple farmer? All I want is to raise my
family here on this farm.In normal times we can raise enough food to
keep us through the winter, and harvest enough tobacco to make just
a little money for some finer things. But with Lord Dunmore raising
an army and the Patriots raising a ruckus, well, it looks like we are in
for some hard times. I don't know if I can manage this farm by
myself, without my William.
Milliner
I have imported the best and most fashionable
English goods for sale in this store. I pray
these conflicts of late are soon settled. If the
situation doesn't improve, I may be forced to
return to England.
I cannot allow my personal feelings to
interfere with my business. I provide goods
and services for all Virginians, be they Patriot
or Loyalist. And when the conflict is resolved,
assuming my business has survived these terrible times, I hope to
remain the favored choice for the victors as well as for the
unfortunate defeated party.
Well, with all this talk of war, there are few gentlemen and ladies
interested in purchasing fashionable British dress and the like. But
far worse are these terrible Non-Importation agreements that we
were forced to sign. The Patriots insist that we will not purchase any
merchandise from England. And if you dare to go against these
Patriots, they will put you out of business completely, and worse.
Why some merchants have been threatened with tar and feathering
if they don't comply with the Patriots.
I have no suppliers on this side of the Atlantic and it will be many
months—and even longer if we go to war with England—before I can
restock my shelves with merchandise. How can I live here if I cannot
operate my millinery shop?
Patriot
Taxes! England completely ignored the "No Taxation without
Representation" doctrine of the Magna Carta, and the taxing was
unnecessary and too much. For example, taxes on tea and paper
products such as playing cards and legal documents. The Acts
which they passed were made up of mainly taxes, but also
useless laws and boundaries like the Quebec Act which was
meant to stop settling colonists from pressing further inland,
giving land to Canada, and making problems with colonists who had already settled land
in that territory. The Intolerable acts were acts limited the citizen’s basic rights as
Englishmen and violated the English Bill of Rights which we all hold most dear.
Secondly, the English soldiers roaming around during peace time in the colonies. The
Boston Massacre was an unnecessary event which should have not occurred. Protesting
taxes in front of a tax collectors house is no reason to kill five people. We can plainly
see through Paul Reeves' engraving of this horrific event that the men, women, and
children who had gathered outside the Customs House meant no harm. Additionally, tax
paying colonists should not have to worry about armed soldiers during times of peace.
Though there was a law that made colonists house soldiers during wartime, the
Quartering Act placed these armed
soldiers on our sacred lands during peace time. This is a way that King George III and
the British rulers bent the laws so that the laws would fit their needs.
The Final argument that we present is the Proclamation of 1763. This law cut off the
colonists from the western frontier. These lands, were homes of many trailblazers and
frontiersmen. Because of war costs, Britain set up this law, and told the colonists a lie.
They said they were trying to keep the colonists safe, when actually they were trying to
cut down on military costs and keep the soldiers in the colonies to enforce marshal law
on peaceful citizens during this time of peace.
The colonies needed to expand and support their own government, so all the reasons
listed helped lead to the breaking away of the colonies from the tight grip of English
tyranny and rule. Also, the Second Continental Congress sent the Olive Branch Petition
to try for peace, but England turned it down bringing the revolution upon them self. So,
Parliament can blame no one else but themselves. The colonies have good, strong
reasons to stand up and fight for freedom.
Loyalist
Tarred and feathered, beaten and mocked, this is
the treatment we receive for being loyal to the
king. The Patriots are constantly trying to convert
us from the crown. We disagree with the colonists
as they try to gain freedom through false logic,
complaining about unfair taxes, and revolts against
British laws. With this information, we are against
the Patriots decision to become independent from
our mother country.
During the French and Indian War, Britain served for the colonies to protect them but
lost most of their supplies and was in deep debt. Since the colonies started the war by
moving west onto the natives land for farming, Britain tried to enforce taxes, lower
than the previous ones, to decrease the debt and to maintain the protection of the
colonies, for British armies, they had a need for supplies and food to serve in future
battles. Since the British pay 26 shillings and the colonies pay only 1 shilling of taxes
per year, there was no reason to act violently and foolishly.
The mockery and humiliation we loyalists receive is inhumane. Patriots are constantly
mocking, beating, or tarring known loyalists. For example, the Boston Massacre was
brought on buy colonists mocking and throwing objects at soldiers on duty. When a
random shot was fired from the crowd, the soldiers then fired to defend themselves.
The soldiers were the ones blamed for this, not the colonists who deliberately provoked
them. Their innocence was proven by the Patriots own John Adams in a colonial court of
law.
In the Declaration of Independence, it states a numerous amount of false logic that
really only applies to the rich, landowning, white men. Thomas Jefferson writes that all
men are created equal and are entitled to have life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
But during that time, the slave population in the colonies was the largest in the world.
Britain offered freedom to any slave who was to stay loyal to the crown.
The colonies disobeyed the British law, and they try to become independent through
incorrect statements. We, the Loyalists, believe we are following the right path in
trying to stay connected to Britain through the many good reasons supported.
Grading Rubric
NAME:_____________________________
KNOWLEDGE: 4 3 2 1 0
Shows an understanding of the material
Able to answer questions
PARTICIPATION: 4 3 2 1 0
Does their “fair share” in presenting the material
Participates in each part of the presentation
LENGTH: 4 3 2 1 0
Long enough to adequately cover assigned material
CONTENT: 4 3 2 1 0
Topic covered thoroughly
Enough information given to understand topic
Did not exclude any important information or include
any unnecessary information
DESIGN: 4 3 2 1 0
Very creative
Easy to see and follow
Did not include any unnecessary graphics
HANDS-ON ACTIVITY: 4 3 2 1 0
Included class in the learning process
Did more than lecture to the class
TOTAL ________
23-24 A
21-22 B
18-20 C
16-17 D
0-15
F