2015-2016 Curriculum Blueprint
Grade: 8
Course Descriptions: American History & Career Planning
Unit 3: The Road to the Revolution
Approximate
Time:
20 Days
Unit Overview
The purpose of this unit is for students to gain knowledge about the events that led to the Revolutionary War. During colonialism, King George and the British
Parliament enacted polices that dissatisfied many American colonists. These policies will be the focal point of this unit, such as Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Tea Act, etc.
Students will also examine pivotal documents from this time period, including the Declaration of Independence and the Olive Branch Petition. After studying this unit,
students will be able to determine whether the American colonists were justified in declaring independence from Great Britain and fighting the American Revolution.
Learning Goal
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Sample Essential Questions
 How did the relationship between Britain and the colonies fall apart?
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the causes of the
 How did the French and Indian War draw the colonists closer together but
American Revolution by identifying the issues of dissatisfaction that the
increase friction with Britain?
American colonist held against Great Britain.
 How did British tax policies move the colonists closer to rebellion?
 How did the American Revolution begin?
 In what ways did underrepresented groups make an impact on the
Revolutionary Era?
 How did the social and political contributions of the Founding Fathers change
the course of the Revolution?
 What were the main arguments of the Declaration of Independence and how
did they affect the course of the Revolution?
Unit End Product
What grievances led the Continental Congress to conclude that the British colonies needed to throw off British rule and create their own government?
After reading the Declaration of Independence and British Policies 1763-1766, and British Policies 1767-1772, write an editorial for an underground patriot newspaper
from the perspective of a patriot in New England, in which you analyze how British policies and actions show "a long train of abuses and usurpation.” Support your
answer with evidence from the text, class discussion and class notes. LDC Module Resources have suggested mini-tasks for this end product.
Focus Standards for the Unit
SS.8.A.3.1 Explain the consequences of the French and Indian War in British policies for the American colonies from 1763 – 1774. Examples may include, but are not
limited to, Proclamation of 1763, Sugar Act, Quartering Act, Stamp Act, Declaratory Act, Townshend Acts, Tea Act, Quebec Act, and Coercive Acts.
SS.8.A.3.2 Explain American colonial reaction to British policy from 1763 - 1774. Examples may include, but are not limited to, written protests, boycotts, unrest leading
to the Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, First Continental Congress, Stamp Act Congress, and Committees of Correspondence.
SS.8.A.3.3 Recognize the contributions of the Founding Fathers (John Adams, Sam Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson,
James Madison, George Mason, George Washington) during American Revolutionary efforts. Examples may also include, but are not limited to, Thomas Paine, John Jay,
and Peter Salem.
SS.8.A.3.4 Examine the contributions of influential groups to both the American and British war efforts during the American Revolutionary War and their effects on the
outcome of the war. Examples may include, but are not limited to, foreign alliances, freedmen, Native Americans, slaves, women, soldiers, Hessians.
8th Grade Draft | March 2015
SS.8.A.3.5 Describe the influence of individuals on social and political developments during the Revolutionary era. Examples may include, but are not limited to, James
Otis, Mercy Otis Warren, Abigail Adams, Benjamin Banneker, Lemuel Haynes, and Phyllis Wheatley.
SS.8.A.3.6 Examine the causes, course, and consequences of the American Revolution. Examples may include, but are not limited to, Battles of Lexington and Concord,
Common Sense, Second Continental Congress, Battle of Bunker Hill, Battle of Cowpens, Battle of Trenton, Olive Branch Petition, Declaration of Independence, winter at
Valley Forge, Battles of Saratoga and Yorktown, Treaty of Paris.
SS.8.A.3.7 Examine the structure, content, and consequences of the Declaration of Independence.
SS.8.A.3.15 Examine this time period (1763- 1815) from the perspective of historically underrepresented groups (children, indentured servants, Native Americans,
slaves, women, working class).
Recursive Standards
Suggested Texts
LAFS.68.WHST.1.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the
claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and
evidence logically. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate
data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using
credible sources. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify
the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. Establish
and maintain a formal style. Provide a concluding statement or section that
follows from and supports the argument presented.
LAFS.68.RH.2.5 Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially,
comparatively, causally).
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Prentice Hall. America; The History of Our Nation, Beginnings Through 1877.
Chapter 5 (pgs 136-165)
Proclamation of 1763 – This text gives background to and offers the original
text of the Proclamation of 1763. Students can analyze the purpose of the
Proclamation and identify the perspectives of King George III, Colonists, and
Native Americans. SS.8.A.3.1
Declaration of Independence Breakup Letter – Engage / Hook. This letter gives
real-world application to the Declaration of Independence in what seems to be
a “breakup letter” between significant others. Students will be able to relate to
the content through this activity. SS.8.A.3.2, SS.8.A.3.3, SS.8.A.3.7
Patriot, Loyalist, or Neutral. You Decide! Students will read and analyze various
scenarios and determine the point-of-view; Patriot, Loyalist, or Neutral.
SS.8.A.3.2
“Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” This gives background and the actual
speech of Patrick Henry from 1775.
Join or Die and Don’t Tread on Me flags, a brief history and visuals of both.
3.1/3.2
Letters from Abigail Adams to John Adams before and during the Revolution
These letters are from Abigail Adams to John Adams and some of them do a
great job describing what it was like to be a Patriot woman on the home front
before and during the war. 3.5
Sample Activities and Tasks
Flow Map / Timeline: As students read and acquire information about the events that led up to the
American Revolutionary War, have them create a flow map or annotated timeline to organize the order of
events that led to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. SS.8.A.3.1
Socratic Seminar: Was Great Britain (Parliament) justified in imposing new taxes on their American
colonies? Students will use the texts that they have acquired (see Suggested Texts) regarding Britain’s tax
DBQ Suggestions
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Ideals of the Declaration: Which is Most
Important?
8th Grade Draft | March 2015
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policies to support respond to the question in a structured class discussion. The culminating activity would
be for students to respond to the question, in writing, using evidence from multiple sources. SS.8.A.3.2
A lesson on the Boston Massacre This lesson gets students thinking about the difference between primary
and secondary resources as well as having students write a letter to the editor of a British or American
newspaper. 3.2
Political Cartoon Creation: Have students look at the “Join or Die” and “Don’t Tread on Me” flags that were
used during the French and Indian War as well as the American Revolution. Have a discussion about their
meaning and how they united people. Then have students create their own political cartoon to inspire
people for the American Revolution. 3.2
Abigail Adams letter: After reading one or two of the letters Abigail Adams sent to John Adams (see the
link in Suggested texts), have students write a letter from a woman or child’s perspective in New England to
a loved one discussing the tension and issues facing people in the area. 3.5
Debate: Would You Have Been a Patriot or a Loyalist? Students will chose a side as to whether they would
have been a Patriot or a Loyalist after reading Patriot, Loyalist, or Neutral. You Decide! Students on either
side will state their claim as to why those chose that side in order to convince students to move sides.
Students may also stand/sit in the middle until they are convince to join either side. The culminating activity
would be for students to write a position statement as to why they chose the side they did over the other. A
part of this position statement should include a detailed differentiation between the Patriots and the
Loyalists. SS.8.A.3.2
People, Places, and Events to Know
George Washington
Petition
Writ of Assistance
French and Indian
War
The Albany Congress
Proclamation of
1763
Stamp Act
John Adams
Samuel Adams
Repeal
Minutemen
Mercenary
Committees of
Correspondence
Tea Act
Boston Tea Party
Patriots
Loyalists
Second Continental
Congress
Militia
Boycott
Battle of Bunker Hill
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Duty
Sugar Act
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Quartering Act
The Boston
Massacre
Monopoly
Intolerable Acts
Blockade
Olive Branch Petition
The Declaration of
Independence
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Links and Resources
Video Clip: Sons of Liberty & Boston Tea Party - This video clip provides an
audiovisual account of the Boston Tea Party. SS.8.A.3.1
Video Clip: The Battle of Bunker Hill - This video clip provides an audiovisual
account of the Battle of Bunker Hill. SS.8.A.3.6
Minuteman National Historic Park – a variety of lesson plans on events leading
to the American Revolution
Letters from John and Abigail Adams Correspondence from both before,
during and after the American Revolution.
Boston Massacre website dedicated to the Boston Massacre.
Link to Webb’s DOK Guide
8th Grade Draft | March 2015