The Beanbody Histories:
The American Revolution
Part I
Teacher’s Guide
Written by Barri Golbus
Produced
by
Colman Communications Corp.
Table of Contents
Program Overview
Viewer Objectives
Suggested Lesson Plan
Description of Blackline Masters
Answer Key
Transcript of the Video
Web Resources
Page
3
5
6
9
10
10
18
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THE BEANBODY HISTORIES:
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION,
P AR T I
Grades 4-6
Viewing Time: 15:25
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Intended Audience and Uses
The American Revolution, Part I has been produced for
students in grades 4-6. Its primary purpose is to help
youngsters understand the historical factors that led to the
American colonists' break from England. It also can deepen
student understanding of 18th century U.S. history.
Program Synopsis
As the program opens, Mr. Beanbody, Jeffrey and Lilly are
getting ready to march in an Independence Day parade.
The children are surprised
to learn that the United
States
achieved
its
independence through a
revolution against the
mother country, England.
Using his tablet computer's
Go Back App, Mr. Beanbody transports himself and the
children to Boston in 1763, immediately after the end of
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the French and Indian War. Mr. Beanbody explains that to
understand the American Revolution, one must return to
the end of that conflict, when England needed to pay its
war debts. Four colonists sit nearby in the Green Dragon
Inn and Tavern. They exclaim how proud they are to be
citizens of the most powerful country in the world. Mr.
Beanbody notes that, over time, the citizens' attitudes will
change. He and the children then travel to London, where
Parliament is in session. They see the king's
Prime Minister, Lord George Grenville, clarify the need to
levy taxes on the American colonists. Grenville also states
that to solve the problem of smuggling in America, accused
smugglers will not have a trial by jury. Back at the Green
Dragon, one of the citizens is outraged by the loss of the
cherished right of a trial by jury. Another citizen
complains that the new taxes will result in taxation without
representation. A third states that being Englishmen, they
should petition Parliament to reconsider. Mr. Beanbody
says that Parliament ignored the complaints and gives
several reasons why communication between the colonists
and Parliament was so poor. Because the new taxes did not
raise enough money, Parliament then levied more taxes,
including the Stamp Act Tax, which Mr. Beanbody
explains. He and the children then go to the "Stamp Act
Congress" in New York City, where a boycott of British
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goods is suggested. To retaliate, Parliament passes the
Declaratory Act which gives all control of the colonies to
the English. Soon thereafter, the Townshend Acts dissolve
the Massachusetts legislature and more taxes are levied on
the colonists. Moreover, General Thomas Gage, the British
military leader in America, is ordered to enter Boston in
case protests turn violent. Back at the Green Dragon, the
citizens are angered by the presence of the soldiers and
Parliament's new law that allows colonial protestors to be
tried for treason. Next, the "Boston Massacre" is shown in
some detail, as is "The
Boston Tea Party." At the
Green Dragon, the citizens
discuss the events and their
attitudes by now have
radically shifted against the
mother country (with one exception -- the lone loyalist in
the group). Finally, a member of Parliament, referring to
the colonists as "wretched villains," helps pass the four
"Intolerable Acts," each of which is explained.
VIEWER OBJECTIVES
After viewing this video and participating in the suggested
activities, viewers should be able to do the following:
1. Name at least five actions of Parliament that led to the
American Revolution.
2. Explain what the "Stamp Act" was and why it angered
the American colonists.
3. Recount the events of "The Boston Massacre" and "The
Boston Tea Party."
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4. Explain the specifics of the "Declaratory Acts" and the
"Intolerable Acts."
The producers encourage you to make adaptations and changes
to the following lesson plan whenever you feel it will enhance
your students’ learning experiences. Only by tailoring the
material to your unique classroom situation will you be able
to maximize the educational experience afforded by these
materials.
SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN
Viewing Strategies
Various strategies may be employed when showing The
American Revolution, Part I to your class. If you wish to
use the video as a way to give general information about
the events that led up to the revolution, you may find it
useful to show the entire program in one screening, then
follow up with appropriate questions (see the Suggested
Discussion Questions blackline master) and/or activities
suggested in this guide. Alternately, you may show various
sequences which discuss major events, such as "The Boston
Tea Party" and "The Boston Massacre" as a way to enhance
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your lessons on these topics.
Introduce the Program
The producers encourage you to prescreen the program to
familiarize yourself with its content.
Ask the class to define the term "revolution." After several
definitions are offered, give the dictionary definition: "an
overthrow or repudiation
and the thorough replacement of an established
government or political
system by the people
governed."
Ask the class if anyone knows about the American Revolution. Elicit several answers. Ask, "Why do revolutions
begin?" Tell the class they will see a video about the
revolution in a few minutes.
Pre-Viewing Activities
Explain that almost all revolutions need people to desire a
change. What makes people want to change a political
system? Help your students understand that people want to
change a political system or a government when corruption
occurs, or when people feel that they are not being treated
with respect and honesty.
They also want a change
when they feel that they are
not listened to.
Why
doesn't the United States
and
other
western
democracies
have
revolutions today like other countries in the world (Latin
America and the Middle East, for example). Tell the class
that the video they are about the see will show four
American colonists who discuss the events that lead to the
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revolution. Ask them to pay close attention to events and
the colonists' reactions to them.
Post-Viewing Activities
Discuss the program, using the Suggested Discussion
Questions if you prefer. Then hand out Window Taxes and
have your students do the exercise. After that, have your
students create a schematic drawing entitled "Action and
Reaction." Start with the French and Indian War and then
add each British action (such as "tax colonists") and the
American reactions from 1763-1774. Help your students
understand the escalation that occurred during period.
Next, hand out Window Taxes, A Pre-Revolution Time
Line, The Sons of Liberty, More on the Stamp Act, More
on the Boston Massacre, More on the Boston Tea Party,
Samuel Adams, and Implications of the Intolerable Acts.
Have your students complete the activities on these
handouts either individually or in small groups, or assign
the activities as homework. After discussing the video,
hand out the Revolution, Part I Evaluation Exercise.
After your students complete the exercise, you will be able
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to determine the level of comprehension of the material in
this lesson.
Description of Blackline Masters
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS – Gives questions that may be asked
after each segment is viewed.
WINDOW TAXES – Provides additional information on a tax
mentioned in the program and gives students an opportunity to
use their math skills to solve a tax problem.
IMPLICATIONS OF THE FOUR INTOLERABLE ACTS – Discusses
the outcomes of the four acts.
A PRE-REVOLUTION TIME LINE – Helps students form a better
understanding of the events that led up to the American
Revolution.
THE SONS OF LIBERTY – Explains the importance of this
organization and gives students an opportunity to role play as
members of this group.
MORE ON THE STAMP ACT – Tells the significance of this
Parliamentary legislation in moving the colonists toward open
rebellion.
MORE ON THE BOSTON MASSACRE – Explores several
historical theories as to how and why the massacre took place.
MORE ON THE BOSTON TEA PARTY – Gives some interesting,
little known facts about this historical event.
SAMUEL ADAMS – Explains the vital role Adams played in the
revolution and provides interesting background on Adam's
character.
REVOLUTION, PART I EVALUATION EXERCISE – Helps teachers
and students determine how well the material has been
comprehended.
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ANSWER KEY
Video Quiz: 1. c.
2. the British paid for the colonists'
protection from French, Spanish and Indian attacks.
3. False
4. b.
5. False 6. c. 7. tea 8. a. 9. True
Window Taxes: 20, 9, 11
A Pre-Revolution Time Line: 1763 -- French and Indian War
ends
1765 -- The Stamp Act, The Stamp Act Congress
1766 --The Declaratory Act
1767 -- The Townshend Act
1770 -- The Boston Massacre 1773 -- The Boston Tea Party
1774 -- The Intolerable Acts, The First Continental Congress
Revolution, Part I Evaluation Exercise: Part I 1. F 2. T
3. F 4. T 5. F
Part II 1. c 2. a 3. d 4. a 5. c 6. b 7. d 8. c 9. d 10. d
Part III 1. b 2. e 3. a 4. c 5. d
Part IV 1. It was the most powerful country in the world. 2. It
levied taxes to pay its war debts. 3.The colonists should pay for
their own protection from the French, Spanish and Indians. 4.
The Declaratory Act gave Parliament all power over the colonies.
5. It was a response to the Intolerable Acts.
TRANSCRIPT OF THE VIDEO
(Underlined words may be used for vocabulary lessons.)
JEFFREY: Wow, I just love riding my bike in these 4th of July
parades!
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LILLY: Me, too, Jeffrey!
MR. BEANBODY: I, also, enjoy 4th of July parades. But it's
always a good idea to remember the historic events that led to
the independence of our country.
JEFFREY: Everybody knows about the Declaration of Independence.
LILLY: Signed on July 4th, 1776!
MR. BEANBODY: Yes, but what I mean is the fascinating story
of the American revolution.
JEFFREY AND LILLY (TOGETHER): There was a revolution?!
MR. BEANBODY: Oh, indeed there was! And it was one of the
most important events in all of human history.
As it happens, I've just made some improvements on my “GoBack- App" and this is a perfect opportunity to test them. Shall
we?
JEFFREY: Where the heck are we, Mr. Beanbody?
LILLY: And what year is, anyway?
MR. BEANBODY: Well, let’s see. Ah, there it is! Boston,
Massachusetts Colony...1763!
LILLY: Gosh, Mr. Beanbody, I thought we were going back
to 1776. But it's...let's see…oh, yes...13 years earlier!
MR. BEANBODY: Well, Lilly, to really understand why there was
a Revolutionary War, we have return to the end of another
conflict -- the French and Indian War.
The British were victorious in 1763, and the American colonists,
who were British citizens, of course, were enormously proud of
the mother country.
CITIZEN ONE: There can be no dispute now, gentlemen. Great
Britain is the most powerful nation in the world!
CITIZEN TWO: And I, for one, take great pride in being a citizen
of such an illustrious nation!
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CITIZEN THREE: Hear, hear! To the mother country!
CITIZENS 1, 2 ,3, 4: Huzzah! Huzzah!
JEFFREY: Gee, Mr. Beanbody, it sure doesn't look like those
colonists are ready to start a revolution!
MR. BEANBODY: You're quite right, Jeffrey. But a chain of
events changed many colonists' opinion of the mother country –
and changed it for the worse!
We need to go to Great Britain to see how those events unfolded.
We’ll begin here, in Parliament, where laws were made for British
citizens wherever they might be – including North America.
That's the King's Prime Minister, Lord George Grenville.
GRENVILLE: Gentlemen, our taxes on windows here in England have not proved to be sufficient. Thus, we are in desperate
need of funds to pay our war debts.
MR. BEANBODY: To pay for soldiers’ salaries, guns, ammunition, ships and so on – things needed in the French and Indian
War.
GRENVILLE: So we must also impose taxes on the American
colonists.
MOP 1: If I may speak, Prime Minister.
GRENVILLE: The chair recognizes Sir Thomas Carter.
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT 1: I am in complete agreement.
After all, his majesty’s army safeguards our American subjects
from the French, Spanish and Indians.
I say it’s only fair that the colonists pay for their own protection.
GRENVILLE: I concur. And any colonist accused of smuggling
in America, must, at his own expense travel to the Vice-Admiralty Court in Nova Scotia, where he will be tried by a judge.
MR. BEANBODY: By a judge? Not a jury? Huh! Well, let’s go
back to the Green Dragon Inn and Tavern a year later to see
what the colonists thought of those two laws.
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CITIZEN THREE: Outrageous!
CITIZEN TWO: A trial by judge only? That’s appalling!
CITIZEN ONE: A trial by jury is the right of every British citizen!
They can’t take that away! Why...why, it’s simply scandalous!
CITIZEN THREE: And what about these new import taxes?
Made without our consent, I might add! That’s taxation without
representation!
CITIZEN FOUR: Gentlemen, gentlemen. Please, let’s not forget
we are English citizens. If we feel the laws are unjust, we should
complain and petition Parliament to reconsider.
MR. BEANBODY: The complaints were made, but they were
ignored. Parliament simply did not understand how the colonists
felt, which is somewhat understandable when you consider that
the mother country was more than 3,000 miles away, a huge
distance in the 1700s.
Also, communication was very slow and difficult – not at all like
today.
Nor did members of Parliament understand that the colonists
were used to governing themselves. Each colony had its own
legislature.
And for the most part, the English government had left the
colonies alone to manage their own affairs for more than 150
years.
Now, all of a sudden, the British seemed to be interfering in the
colonies’ business.
In any event, the new taxes did little to reduce Great Britain’s war
debts. So Parliament announced more taxes and regulations on
the colonies, despite colonial objections.
One was the Stamp Act tax. It required that only special, very
expensive stamped paper could be used for many kinds of
documents – newspapers, contracts, pamphlets, magazines and
more.
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Now, let’s go to October, 1765. A group of concerned citizens
met in New York City. The meeting was called “The Stamp Act
Congress.”
The assembly decided that, among other actions, the colonists
should no longer buy British goods.
In other words, they wanted a boycott.
To retaliate and to show the that it was in charge, Parliament then
passed the Declaratory Act which stated that it would have ALL
legal control over the colonies!
Not only that, the so-called “Townshend Acts" dissolved the legislature, to which many militant colonial leaders belonged, and
threatened to close down others.
On top of that, even more taxes were passed!
Moreover, the British military leader in New York, Gen. Thomas
Gage, was ordered to prepare his troops to enter Boston in case
there was any trouble.
And trouble there was!
So the soldiers marched into Boston in 1768.
As you can imagine, the colonists were very upset about that.
CITIZEN THREE: With soldiers here to keep us in line, it’s as
clear as the nose on my face, we are becoming a suppressed
people.
CITIZEN TWO: And listen to this: “Parliament proposes that
colonial protestors be tried for treason!”
My law! All we want is some representation! That’s not
treasonous! That’s our right as British citizens!
MR. BEANBODY: At that point, things went from bad to worse.
Let’s move on to March 5, 1770 -- the date of the so-called
Boston Massacre.
There were a series of street fights in Boston that day between
angry colonists and soldiers. They continued into the evening.
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TAUNTER: You big bully lobster! Why don’t you go back to
England where you belong? Uh!
CROWD PERSON 1: What happened?
TAUNTER: That simpleminded brute struck me!
CROWD PERSON 2: What’s that? A fire?
CROWD PERSON 1: There’s no fire! But that goon of a soldier
over there beat up this defenseless patriot.
CROWD PERSON 2: He did, eh? Well, we’ll have to teach that
red-coated thug a thing or two about proper manners! Follow me!
CAPTAIN PRESTON:
Halt! Disburse and no one will be hurt!
MOB PERSON 1: Go ahead and shoot! Shoot if you’re brave
enough!
MOB PERSON 2: Shoot us, you lobster-back weaklings!
MOB PERSON 3: You craven mice!
CAPT. PRESTON: Don’t shoot!
MR. BEANBODY: Five colonists’ lives – gone.
CITIZEN FOUR: It is tragic, but surely the soldiers were afraid
the mob would attack them.
CITIZEN ONE: Well, you’re a loyalist, Malcolm, so naturally
you’d see it that way!
CITIZEN THREE: Have you heard about the resounding success
of the boycott, Malcolm?
CITIZEN ONE: I have! Indeed, Peg and I no longer buy any
British-made clothing nor drink any tea! I’ll not spend a tinker’s
pence on tea imported from England!
MR. BEANBODY: Speaking of tea, let’s now move on to late
November,1773, when posters went up in various places around
Boston announcing the arrival of tea-bearing ships.
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On December 16th, several groups of colonists – many disguised
as Indians – boarded the vessels carried all the tea chests up to
the top deck, chopped them open with their tomahawks, and
dumped their contents Boston Harbor to protest Britain’s tax
policies on tea.
This incident became known as “The Boston Tea Party.”
JEFFREY: Gosh, Mr. Beanbody, I don’t understand why the
colonists were so upset about tea!
LILLY: Right! Tea’s just so…so boring!
MR. BEANBODY: It wasn’t boring to the colonists, Lilly.
Tea was a very important drink at social gatherings and was also
an essential, everyday beverage.
Remember, in those days there weren’t all the sodas and health
drinks available to us today.
Thus, tea was one of the few flavored liquids to be had.
So, how to you think Parliament reacted to the Boston Tea Party?
JEFFREY: They were upset, right?
MR. BEANBODY: Well, let’s see, shall we?
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT 2: These colonists have shown
themselves to be scandalously disloyal to the crown!
They are treacherous, wretched villains who need to be taught a
lesson, which these four laws will do!
They will show those hooligans that we will no longer tolerate
their brazen impudence!
MR. BEANBODY: Those laws became known as the “Intolerable
Acts,” or the “Coercive Acts.”
The first closed the port of Boston until the shippers were paid for
the destroyed tea.
The second allowed British soldiers to live in colonists’ houses
without having to ask.
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The next act said that colonial governors, appointed by the king,
would have vastly increased powers.
The Final intolerable Act allowed British soldiers to change
judges if they felt they wouldn’t get a fair trial.
LILLY: Wow, I can just imagine how upset the colonists were
when they heard about those “Intolerable Acts!”
MR. BEANBODY: Yes, Lilly, they were quite upset.
So in September 1774, fifty-five men gathered in Philadelphia for
First Continental Congress.
They proclaimed the “Intolerable Acts” to be unlawful and said
that Massachusetts should create a new legislature.
They advised people to arm themselves in case of a British
attack!
Finally, they declared that if any patriot was jailed, colonists had
the right to jail British officials.
My goodness! Look at the time! We’d better get back for the
parade!
JEFFREY: Gee, Mr. Beanbody, I didn’t know there were so many
things that led up to the revolution!
MR. BEANBODY: Oh yes, Jeffrey, there certainly were! Starting
from the need to pay for the French and Indian War, to each side
becoming more angry and distrustful – many events made a
revolution more and more likely.
LILLY: Then what about the revolution itself, Mr. Beanbody?
MR. BEANBODY: Oh, no time for that now, Lilly. The parade is
about to begin!
After the parade, we’ll talk about the revolution and George
Washington, the commander-in-chief of the American forces!
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Web Resources
American Revolutionary War
http://www.americanrevolutionarywar.net/
A comprehensive, well-researched and excellently written
site for information on the Revolution
The History Place - American Revolution
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/rev-prel.htm
A year-by-year of the Revolution's major events
The Library of Congress American Revolution Site
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/amrev/
Includes teacher and student activities
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Discussion Questions – American Revolution, Part I
1. What year did the French and Indian
War end? (1763)
2. What item did the English tax to pay for
the French and Indian War? (windows)
3. From what did the British Army provide
protection for the Americans? (French,
Spanish and Indian warriors)
4. What right did the English take away
from the Americans following the
French and Indian War? (trial by jury in
some instances)
5. Why didn't the members of Parliament
understand how the Americans felt?
(England was far away and communication was slow and difficult.)
6. Did the British import taxes help reduce
England's war debts when they were
first passed? (no)
7. What things did the Stamp Tax tax?
(paper for contracts, newspapers,
magazines, pamphlets, etc.)
8. How did the "Stamp Act Congress"
react to the Stamp Act? (decided
colonists should no longer buy British
goods)
9. How did Parliament react to the Stamp
Act Congress's decision to create a
boycott? (passed the Declaratory Act)
10. What did the Declaratory Act do?
(gave Parliament complete control
over the colonies)
13. What was the "Boston Massacre" and
when did it occur? (answers will vary,
March 5, 1770)
14. How many colonists were killed in "The
Boston Massacre?" (five)
15. What was "The Boston Tea Party" and
when did it occur? (To protest British
tax policies on tea, colonists, many
dressed as Indians, boarded a ship in
Boston Harbor and tossed the tea overboard. December 16, 1773)
16. Why was tea so important to the colonists? (one of the few flavored drinks to
be had)
17. How did Parliament react to "The
Boston Tea Party?" (passed the
Intolerable Acts)
18. What were the four parts of the Intolerable Acts? (closed Port of Boston
until the tea was paid for; allowed British soldiers to live in colonists' houses
without permission; gave colonial governors, appointed by the king, greater
powers; allowed British soldiers to
change judges)
19. How did the colonists react to the Intolerable Acts? (called First Continental
Congress which proclaimed the Acts
unlawful; said Massachusetts should
create a new legislature; declared if
patriot was jailed, colonists could jail
British officials; advised people to prepare for a British attack)
11. What did the Townshend Acts do?
(dissolved the Massachusetts legislature and threatened to close others)
12. What American city did British soldiers
march into in 1768? (Boston)
The Beanbody Histories: The American Revolution, Part I
© 2013 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
Window Taxes
In the program, Prime Minister George Grenville mentioned that taxes on windows did not
produce enough money to pay down England's war debts. Window taxes were used for a
long time in Great Britain because tax collectors could easily establish how much a
person owed by simply counting the
windows in his or her house.
However, as the picture above shows,
people were able to get around the tax by
boarding or bricking up their windows -which they did. When people boarded or
bricked their windows, little sunlight was
able to get into crowded apartments.
Doctors complained their patients, especially those in crowded cities, didn't get enough
sunlight. So in the mid-19th century, the window tax was replaced by a house tax, which
prompted the newspaper cartoon, above right.
Count the windows in the picture at the top of the page, including those that have been
boarded up. How many windows are there? Suppose the owner had to pay a tax of one
shilling per window -- and they weren't boarded up. How many shillings would he have to
pay? After boarding up the windows, what would his new tax be? What is the difference
between the two tax rates?
The Beanbody Histories: The American Revolution, Part I
© 2013 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
A Pre-Revolution Time Line
Directions: Using the list in the box, fill in the events and laws that led up to the
American Revolution. Write the event or law below each year. You may need to
do some online research to complete this exercise.
Boston Tea Party, Stamp Act Congress, Intolerable Acts, The French and Indian
War ends, The First Continental Congress, The Boston Massacre, The Boston
Tea Party, The Stamp Act, The Townshend Act, The Declaratory Act
1763
____________________________________________________________
1765
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
1766
____________________________________________________________
1767
____________________________________________________________
1770
____________________________________________________________
1773
____________________________________________________________
1774
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
The Beanbody Histories: The American Revolution, Part I
© 2013 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
The Sons of Liberty
At first, The Sons of Liberty was a small group of shopkeepers and craftsmen who
demonstrated against various British policies. But the organization grew quickly
after it was founded, in 1765. In the picture above, members of the group are
raising a "liberty pole," around which people would gather to voice their anger at
British laws and actions. The British army would take down these poles, but new
ones would quickly spring up. As The Sons of Liberty organization grew, some
new members included lawyers and publishers and other educated persons, but
most members were not of the educated class. In short order, there were Sons of
Liberty groups in all 13 colonies.
The Sons of Liberty started many demonstrations and a few violent actions. To
protest the Stamp Act, they burned down the office of Andrew Oliver, a man who
sold the stamps. They burned a British ship, the HMS Gaspée, used to enforce
unpopular trade regulations.
The Sons of Liberty were the persons who planned and took part in the Boston
Tea Party.
Many of America's most famous patriots, including John Hancock, Patrick Henry,
Paul Revere, Haym Solomon and Benjamin Rush, among others, were members
of the organization.
Pretend you are are a member of the organization, and write a speech, "Why
the Stamp Act Must be Abolished," to be given at a liberty pole.
The Beanbody Histories: The American Revolution, Part I
© 2013 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
More on the Stamp Act
A Stamp Act Demonstration in New York, 1765. The sign says, "The Folly of England and the Ruin of America."
According to some historians, the Stamp Act of 1765 was the "spark that lit the
paper that became the American Revolution." The colonists' reaction to the new
law was swift and sometimes violent. There were several reasons for the anger.
First, it was the first time that Americans were directly taxed. Before, taxes were in
the form of duties on imported goods. Although people were aware of the tax, it
was mostly hidden in the cost of purchased goods. Now, people who had to buy
the paper -- and the stamps -- had to pay extra money every time the stamps were
purchased. They saw the tax at every purchase. Second, most of the people who
were taxed were the most educated and influential colonists -- among them,
lawyers and publishers. If they were angry, they could let everyone know about it.
As previously mentioned, a Sons of Liberty group in Boston burned down the
office of a stamp merchant. In New York, a poster went up saying that stamp
merchants and their property could be in danger. Stamp merchants, fearing for
their safety, began to resign their posts.
Benjamin Franklin was called to testify about the Stamp Act before Parliament.
His testimony lasted four hours and he answered 174 questions. Franklin was
adamant. He said the law must be repealed if relations between the mother
country and her colonists were to be healed. Parliament repealed the act one year
after it passed. But the Declaratory Act, which came after it, also angered the
Americans because it reaffirmed that Parliament could tax colonists as it pleased.
The Beanbody Histories: The American Revolution, Part I
© 2013 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
More on the Boston Massacre
The picture above is a famous painting of the incident by Paul Revere, a man who
wanted as many people as possible to see the event as a "massacre," although
normally it would be called a riot. In addition to warning about the British Army's
march to Lexington and Concord, Paul Revere was a well-known silversmith and a
clever propagandist for the colonial cause. His picture was shown throughout the
colonies to anger Americans and push them toward open rebellion. There are many
versions of what exactly took place before the British soldiers fired into the crowd of
colonists in front of the Boston Custom House on December 5, 1770. What is known,
however, is that the crowd had been in another fight with soldiers earlier in the
evening and that a soldier guarding the Custom House struck a colonist with the butt
of his musket. Some accounts say the attacked person was a child. Others say he
was a young man. Many accounts mention that the crowd threw snowballs at the
soldiers who arrived as reinforcements, and that church bells began ringing. Why did
the bells rang out if there was no fire? (At that time, church bells were rung when
there was a fire.) Some historians have suggested that some radical leaders,
including Samuel Adams, planned to have an incident and they wanted a lot of people
around as witnesses. The church bells would bring a large number of people into the
streets to see the occurrence. Another theory is that the Americans in the mob dared
the soldiers to fire on them, thinking that the British would merely fire warning shots
above their heads. As it turned out, however, the Boston Massacre became a key
event on the road to revolution. On the back of this paper, draw a picture of any
aspect of the massacre -- before, during or after. Then, in a sentence or two, tell
what is happening in your picture.
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Name _________________________
More on the Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was the final event in a long series of arguments about
taxing tea in the American colonies. The dispute was mainly between a group of
colonists -- many were members of "The Sons of Liberty" -- and Parliament. The
main point of the argument was whether Parliament could tax colonists without the
colonies having representation in Parliament. According to the Americans, the
British constitution stated that British subjects could not be taxed without the
consent of their elected representatives. But the colonists had no one sitting in
Parliament to voice and protect their interests.
In the fall of 1773, seven tea-bearing ships left England. Four headed to Boston
and three others headed to either New York, Philadelphia or Charleston. The
Sons of Liberty went to tea dealers in the latter three cities and convinced them to
refuse their tea shipments. However, Massachusetts Governor Thomas Hutchinson would not hear of it. He insisted that the Dartmouth, the tea-bearing vessel in
Boston Harbor, unload its tea and pay the import duty before setting its course
back to England. The Sons of Liberty, many of whom dressed as Mohawk warriors, boarded the ship and informed the captain that they were going to throw the
tea overboard, and would harm neither the captain nor his crew. All 342 chests of
tea aboard the Dartmouth were chopped open and their contents dumped overboard. In today's money, the tea would be worth roughly one million dollars.
Research Samuel Adams' role in the Boston Tea Party and write a paragraphy
about it on the back of this paper.
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Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams was one of the most important leaders in the colonies' resistance
to British rule. As a member of the Massachusetts legislature in 1768, he wrote a
famous "circular letter" (correspondence to be circulated among the colony legislatures) in which he argued that Parliament's recent tax levies in the Townshend
Acts -- on glass, paint, paper, lead, and tea -- were unlawful because Americans
had no representatives in Parliament. He further argued that any tax law passed
by Parliament should not be obeyed in the colonies. According to Adams, only
laws made by colonial legislatures had any legal authority in America. England
responded by sending troops to occupy Boston and that action led, in time, to the
Boston Massacre.
Adams came from a wealthy merchant family and graduated from Harvard
University. He tried his hand at business, but had no real interest in being a
businessman. He failed at several ventures until his wealthy father gave him a
job. In time, he became a tax collector, but he didn't collect taxes from many
people, which made him popular among many colonists. Adams was active in the
protests against almost all English tax laws in the late 1760s and early 1770s. He
was one of the leading colonists who fought the Coercive Acts, also. As such, he
was a thorn in the side of the English authorties. In April, 1775, when Adams and
another leading patriot, John Hancock, were at Hancock's childhood home in
Lexington, General Gage instructed his soldiers to bring back the two men so they
could be tried for treason (in addition to telling his men to find the arms hidden in
Concord). Adams and Hancock weren't found. After conducting some web
research, write on the back of this page a paragraph about Adam's actitivies to
provoke the British in order to strengthen the colonist's cause.
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Implications of the Four Intolerable Acts
The cartoon above appeared throughout the colonies after Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts.
It was entitled "America is Forced to Take a Bitter Pill" and shows the English forcing the acts down
the throat of an American as Justice, in the background, bows her head and cries. Look up the
word "cannonade" to find out what the words, "Boston cannonaded" mean.
Closing the port of Boston, at that time one of the main ports in North America, could
deal a terrible economic blow to merchants in the area, many of whom depended on the
import of goods from Europe. The merchants were terrified their businesses would be lost
and hoped that the $1,000,000 (in today's money) would be paid to cover the cost of the
tea destroyed during the Boston Tea Party . The English thought closing the port would
separate the unruly Bostonians from the rest of the colonies, but the plan backfired. Other
colonies came to the aid of Boston's merchants and supplied them with needed items. So
the act brought together, instead of separated, the colonies.
Allowing soldiers to live in colonists' houses (The Quartering Act) without asking
permission was very unpopular. It also required colonists to feed the soldiers. Families
everywhere have always valued their privacy and this law wiped out that cherished
principle. Even though all the colonies except Pennsylvania found ways to prevent the act
from being enforced, the Quartering Act further estranged the colonies from the
mother country.
Increasing the power of colonial governors angered and frightened the colonists even
more than the Quartering Act because it could destroy self government. The colonists
now looked at the British government with deep distrust.
The Administration of Justice Act, the fourth Intolerable Act, allowed soldiers and
British officials to change courts -- even to England -- if they felt they would be convicted
of a crime in the colonies. George Washington called the law "The Murder Act," because
he believed it would allow British officials and soldiers to "get away with murder." The law
said witnesses would be paid to travel to the court, but as a practical matter, most
colonists could never take the time to travel to England. The colonists now felt there
was little justice under British law.
On a separate sheet of paper write a story, "My Family Quarters and Feeds Three
British Soldiers."
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Revolution, Part I Evaluation Exercise, p. 1
I. True or false. Put a "T" next to the statement if it is true, or an "F" if it is false.
1. _____ The American colonists were ready to revolt immediately after the
French and Indian War.
2. _____ England's taxes on windows didn't raise enough money to pay its
war debts.
3. _____ Some members of Parliament felt Americans should pay for their
own protection from the Spanish, French and Mexicans.
4. _____ Colonists were upset when Parliament said smugglers would be
tried by a judge in Nova Scotia.
5. _____ At the end of the French and Indian War, Sir Thomas Carter was the
king's Prime Minister.
II. Circle the letter next to the phrase that best completes the sentence.
1. An important right of every English citizen in the 1760s was
a. the right to choose his or her judge.
b. the right to choose his or her jury.
c. the right to a trial by jury.
d. none of the above.
2. Taxation without representation
a. angered American colonists.
b. was never practiced by Parliament.
c. was a popular phrase used by loyalists in England.
d. b. and c.
3. The Stamp Act taxed
a. stamps.
b. tea.
c. lead.
d. paper.
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Revolution, Part I Evaluation Exercise, p. 2
4. One of the major actions of the Stamp Act Congress was
a. a boycott of British goods.
b. a boycott of stamps.
c. a recognition that Parliament controlled the colonies.
d. none of the above.
5. The Declaratory Act
a. was Parliament's reaction to the Stamp Act Congress.
b. stated that Parliament had all legal control over the colonies.
c. both a. and b.
d. none of the above.
6. During the Boston Massacre
a.
b.
c.
d.
two British soldiers were killed.
five colonists were killed.
no one was killed, but five colonists were injured.
three British soldiers and six colonists were killed.
7. The Boston Tea Party
a.
b.
c.
d.
was a response to England's tax policies on tea.
saw colonists dressed up like Indians.
saw tea dumped into Boston Harbor.
all of the above.
8. An important flavored drink in the 1770s was
a.
b.
c.
d.
coffee.
almond milk.
tea.
Dr. Pepper.
9. Parliament's response to the Boston Tea Party was
a. giving up and leaving the colonists alone.
b. sending troops into Boston.
c. allowing the port of Boston to open if everyone signed a loyalty oath to
the king.
d. passing the Intolerable Acts.
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Name _________________________
Revolution, Part I Evaluation Exercise, p. 3
10. Another name for The Intolerable Acts was
a. The Cataclysmic Acts.
b. The Horrible Acts.
c. The Legislative Acts.
d. The Coercive Acts.
III. Place the letter next to phrase that best matches the name.
_____1. Lord George Grenville
a. a colonial loyalist
_____2. Thomas Gage
b. a prime minister
_____3. Malcolm
c. king of England
_____4. George III
d. a member of Parliament
_____5. Thomas Carter
e. a British general
IV. Answer the question in one or two sentences.
1. What was Great Britain's place in the nations of the world at the end of
the French and Indian War?
2. Why did Parliament levy taxes on the American colonists at the end of
the French and Indian War?
3. What was Parliament's reasoning for taxing the colonists at that time?
4. What did the Declaratory Act do to retaliate against the boycott of
British goods?
5. Why was the first Continental Congress held?
The Beanbody Histories: The American Revolution, Part I
© 2013 Colman Communications Corp.