Course/Grade Level: 5th Grade American History
Lesson Title: The Art of Bias: Who Shot First at Lexington Green?
Teacher: Cheryl Metz
1. Set Induction:
After reading pp. 97-108 of April Morning, review the terms primary source,
secondary source, perspective, and bias.
2. Aims/Objectives and Standards:
Purpose
To raise the question “Who shot first at Lexington Green?” By looking at the
prints students will be left with evidence supporting both sides, providing a purpose for
looking further into the question using primary text documents. These documents should
allow students to better define their own conclusion using both the print and text
evidence.
Reading
1.B.3a Preview reading materials, make predictions and relate reading to
information from other sources.
1.C.3a Use information to form, explain and support questions and predictions.
1.C.3c Compare, contrast and evaluate ideas and information from various
sources and genres.
5.B.3b Identify, evaluate and cite primary sources.
Writing
3.B.3a Produce documents that convey a clear understanding and interpretation
of ideas and information and display focus, organization, elaboration and coherence.
Fine Arts
25.B.3 Compare and contrast the elements and principles in two or more art
works that share similar themes.
27.A.3b Compare and contrast how the arts function in ceremony, technology,
politics, communication and entertainment.
27.B.3 Know and describe how artists and their works shape culture and increase
understanding of societies, past and present.
Social Studies
STATE GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements
shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations: The American
Revolution and early national period to 1820s
16.A.3b Make inferences about historical events and eras using historical maps
and other historical sources.
3. Procedures, Assessments and Materials Required:
Materials
“The Art of Bias: Who Shot First at Lexington Green” PPT slideshow
Art analysis chart (informal assessment)
O’Reilly, Kevin. Critical Thinking in US History Series: Colonies to Constitution.
Critical Thinking Press, Pacific Grove, CA 1990
Fast, Howard. April Morning
Procedures
For each picture, have students verbalize what they see before sharing background
on the prints next. Take time for them to mark down their predictions on the chart as to
how each print may help answer the question, “Who shot first?”
Assessment
Written conclusion in paragraph form (see below in wrap-up.)
4. Resources and Scholarship:
O’Brien, Donald C. Amos Doolittle: Engraver of the New Republic Oak Knoll Press 2008
http://www.oakknoll.com/resources/bookexcerpts/093957.pdf
O’Reilly, Kevin. Critical Thinking in United States History: Colonies to Constitution.
Critical Thinking Press. Pacific Frove, CA. 1990
Ponce & Godefroy “Journee de Lexington” Engraving. Paris, 1784
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgibin/query/h?pp/PPALL:@field%28NUMBER+@1%28cph+3a39930%29%29
Ryan, Michael D. “Doolittle Engraves April 19th for Posterity” Concord Magazine
June/July 1999 http://www.concordma.com/magazine/junjuly99/doolittle.html
“The Battle of Concord and Lexington 1775”
http://www.britishbattles.com/concord-lexington.htm
5. Conclusion/Lesson Wrap-up:
Discuss the preponderance of evidence; have students write a paragraph on their
preliminary conclusion at the bottom of the sheet with the evidence they believe is
strongest. Then introduce the partner lesson and packet using primary/secondary text
sources that will help them further investigate the question.
Teacher Notes
Slide 2: A. Doolittle re‐engraved print , 1832
Slide 3: A. Doolittle engraving of Earl illustration, 1775
(Click on box at top to reveal publishing data)
http://www.oakknoll.com/resources/bookexcerpts/093957.pdf
Slide 4: Print by unknown artist
http://www.britishbattles.com/concord‐lexington.htm
Slide 5: “Journee de Lexington” engraving by Ponce, illus. by Godefroy
printed In Paris newspaper, 1884
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi‐
bin/query/h?pp/PPALL:@field%28NUMBER+@1%28cph+3a39930% 29%29
Slide 6: “First blow for liberty” A.H. Ritchie engraving of Felix Carr print, 1863
Slide 7: “Das erste Burger Blut…” Daniel Berger engraving of Daniel Chodowiecki print, 1784 One of 12 scenes depicting history of American Revolution
Evaluating Viewpoints: Crlticallhinklng In United states History
Book l-Coionies to Constitution
LESSON 17
Who Fired First at Lexington Green?
Background Information
On April 19, 1775, a group of British
soldiers marched into Lexington on their
way to seize some colonial military sup­
plies stored in Concord, They were met
on Lexington Green by colonial militia
led by Captain John Parker. In the next
few moments shooting started and sev­
eral colonists were killed. One question
that has arisen about this event is "Who
fired first?"
Why do you think it is important in a
. war to know who fired the first shot?
Look at the map below and :'the evidence
on the following pages,' Write the
strengths and weaknesses of each piece
ofevidence on the worksheet, then make
up your mind who you think fired first.
Spelling, capitalization, and punctuation
were modernized throughout the evi­
dence presented.
'
To Bsdford
Colonia!s
(Parksr's Company)
~
'PItcairn
•..........•......:
10 ·
Belfry
Figure 6: Map ofLexington Green. April 19. 1775.
[Continued on next page.]
80
e
1990 MIDWEST PUBLICATIONS. P.O. 80)(448. PacIfic Grove, CA 93950
Unit 3 - Lesson 17
The American Revolution
1 Official deposition (testimony written down. under oath) of John Parker, com­
mander of the colonial militia.
2 Personal diary ofLieutenant John Barker, a British officer.
3 Sworn testimony ofThomas Fessenden, a colonial onlooker, to the Justices of the
Peace in Middlesex County.
[Continued on next page.]
If> 1990 MIDWEST PUBLICA TJONS. P.O. Box 448. Pacific Grove. CA 93950
81
Evaluating Viewpoints: Critical thinking In United States History
Book l-Colonies to Constitution
[Continued from previous page.]
4 Official report of Major Pitcairn, commander of the advanced British party that
first entered Lexington Green, to General Gage, his commander in Boston.
5 Swom deposition of thirty-four colonial militiamen, submitted to the Justices of
the Peace in Middlesex County.
•. Jiif£o~Aprit25,.·.1775·iYi~.~athaIli~l.i14Ulleltiri.p1tili~~\l'~il,~~sj"
Harnilt;ton.Junior ,··Tboinas. andDani~lHarringt()nJ·Wil1iam GriIner;Wil1i3.ni
'~~~i~?~1~[J~~~¥~~~~:~~~Et
•.• third,Joshga·i~eed.EbenezerJ?arker,JolID
• Harrlrigwn.;Enoch<w:il1ington;.·.. .
John Hpsmer, Isa,ac Green,P;hinea.sSierns; Isaac.Durant, aridth0IIlilsFIeaclly,i.
ar. ;aU oflaWful age ,.?l1d inhabitan~sofLeXingt()n, iiltheC&Urityof1\fiddlesex,
'andc;olonyofthe. M~ssa.ch\.ls~t~s~:Bay,inN~w··EnglatldJ·d()~stifyan.d
deClarei·.··.,·
thatontheii!nefeenthofApriliIlstMt,aboutoIleprtwo·()'cloc:kiDtllem~rmiig;,
\JelngiIlforIried thatsev:eral()ffic~rsofthe '[Bri tishT Regti}atsilild, the'¢v~hiIlg .
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··.iContihiJ.~rJ oiinextpai~.J.
82
© 1990 MIDWEST PUBLICA TfONS, P.O. Box 448. PacifIC Grove, CA 93950
Lesson
Urit 3 -
17
The American Revolution
Samuel
The United States: Story ofa Free People
Allyn and Bacon, 1963), p. 92.
6
Steinberg (historian).
...
::.:: ..::.:'.::..':: ..
(Boston:
'
t~~Jlflt~~~!b~~Z~~;:lti£~=~~~
··.\)¢ell'B-pped··~frbyP,atir~eyere?barredtheViay.The"rebels~VI1ere
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The .~llglishfiredaVolleyOf shots· :tl!at.•. .
,Jijlled ~ightpa.triots~It.wasllQt lorigbeforethc sWin~ridirigPaul.ReY~resptea4
·.• th¢il¢vv~pf ~s 'newattQci tytothe l1eighboritlg c()lonies.Th~ P:itJ:i()t~of~llof• .
'New 'Erigland~· although still a haridful, were Iiow ready tOfighttheErig1ish~::
:;Ey~ri in fataway~()tthGar()liIla;patriotsbrganized.t<>.
r~~i~ttfrm'."':« ::>,
·ditJperS~~Tliey:st()odtl1eir :grolirld~
7 Sworn testimony given by Sylvannus Wood (colonist) on June 17, 1826, to the
Justices of the Peace.
···::The·BritiS~• troo~s·~P~~o~Ghed··u~.:·r~pid1y·iri • P.lato()ns;.···witIi·••~. ·G~~~r~· • ()ffiget.~~ • •:·
·.··hofseb'acK·st· theirheatf .Tllt~ .·bffice~·came up .• towithin.about ·two l'ods of the./
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distant (awa). The . . there halted. The.()fficer then •. swun his sword arid said;::
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[Continued on next page.]
e
J990 MIDWEST PUBLICATIONS. P.O. Box 448, Pacific Grove. CA 93950
83
Evaluating Viewpoints: CrltJcol Thinking In Unlted States History
Book l-Coionies to Constitution
[Continued from previous page.]
8 Sworn testimony given on April 23, 1775, by John Bateman, a British Regular
captured by the colonists.
:"
\.
. .... ::;
Yot~~r:;:~~l~~;¥~;:~·~~~i~PA~~{1fai'~· . .' theparty'~chiIlg top(m~or4,b¢il1ga.t Le~irigtoIli~. ~hep()t111.tyofMid~esex; .•.
:. llemg·nigh <pear) thezrieetiilg~hoUs~ iri:sa.idLex:irigton~ tl1erewasa~maU party.
;ofmeri gatller~dtOgethe1\iP;th~~place'WlleriOUI'rrOoperstl1archedby. Itestify ••
;~i~t~I~\r~1~i~~~~I~~:t4?{~~;
9 On June 10, 1775, a British newspaper, The LonckJn Gazette, printed this article
about the Lexington affair.
:. ·.·.Lieu~n8l1t • ·N~;··.:6fthe.:~~v§.~··:·~rrl~·~d:liri~.·ihotl"1th~.·atLbfd.I)~i-1;mouth~~, •·aIld··:
broughtlettersJroriiGeli~raIGage~Ldrd)?ercy,and
liieuten~t~Colon~rSi:nith,.···
··.containing tllefollowil1gparticillarsof :What passed aD th~niri.eteentJ:iofApril
.
.lastbetwecnadetachirientofthe Kin(sTroopsin the proVinceo(Massa.ch\isetts; .
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six Conip~piesofLi~ht~IIlfal1t.rY inordertosectire two bridges .•.•
'. (>n(}iffereIltrb~ds beyozidConco!d: .• ~ pqIi>theirarri'Var~t~Xi~onHihese . .•.
•. ·.·.tro()ps] f'0t1!1da: boc:liof t9.e coiiritry. people,lJriderarxns;. on 11 green close to· the"
•. "raa<l;: ";/I1i~I\iI).g'sTroops·lI1arclriIlgupw them;•mordertOillqwretnereaso.n:
'o(theirheing s08sseillpled.' They \veIlt ~ff in gre~tcoDfusi()h,aIldseverargUiiS:
. . werefiredtipon the' Kiiili'sTroQps; fioDlbehiIld·. a stonEr wall· andaIsofro~the··
'P):ee~irili hous¢·llrid()~her·liop.ses,bYwhichorie .mari'waswounded, "andMajot<
;.p
Pitcairn'shorseshotint\VQPlace~.Inc6riseqtierice()fthis~ttackbythe~bels,.·
~~~;t·~f~~~·~~t~fi~~~~h~H~e~~~~:th~t~~~~~[,1'j;
84
© 1990 MIDWEST PUBLICATIONS, P.O. Box 448. Pacific Grove. CA 93950
U~t 3
- Lesson 17
The American Revolution
Using a Chart to Evaluate Strengths and Weaknesses of Evidence
\r:tl
Using a chart like the one shown below, evaluate the evidence given in this
~ lesson about who fired first at Lexington Green.
Evidence
number
Author?
Who fired
first?
Strengths
ofthe evidence?
Weaknesses
ofthe evidence?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Based on this evidence, who fired first at Lexington Green? Give two reasons
for your answer.
e 1990 MIDWEST PUBLfCAnONS. P.O. Box 448. Pacific Grove. CA 93950
85
Unit 3 - Lesson 17
The American Revolution
I Lesson 17: Who Fired First
at Lexington Green?
Objective
To evaluate evidence about a specific historical event
Teaching Ideas
This lesson asks students to chart information to evalu­
ate evidence or sources of information. Ask the students
to read through the evidence and complete the work­
sheet, paying particular attention to the strengths and
weaknesses of the evidence according to the PROP ques­
tions. The last part of the assignment asks them to de­
fend their decision on "Who fired first?" by writing a
paragraph.
USING THE WORKSHEET
When the students have completed the assignment, have
them discuss their answers in groups of three or four,
Each group should agree on its answer of who fired first.
As the class discusses the overall answer, many of the
strengths and weaknesses ofindividual pieces ofevidence
should emerge. You can then decide whether to point out
strengths and weaknesses that students do not mention.
AOAPTING THE LessON
Suggested Analysis
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
The lesson can be shortened by having the students read
and evaluate only the first four pieces of evidence. You
might also want to go over some of the difficult vocabu­
lary with students before they read the evidence: sworn
deposition, testimony, militia, regulars, troops, instant,
rod (5 1/2 yards), brandish, volley, Justice of the Peace,
atrocity, and patriots.
1. Parker (Colonist); "British fired first."
Primary source; was in a good position to see the
event; swore to his testimony, (which was a serious
thing in the 18th century).
Reason to lie (doesn't want people to think his men
started it); was probably nervous (which might af­
fect what he thought he saw); probably expected
British to fire first (which would influence his per­
ceptions).
2. Barker (British); "Colonists fired first."
Primary source; good position to see the event; per­
sonal diary (probably not trying to influence any­
one); reported the same day as the event.
Some possible reason to lie (but not a big factor in a
diary unless he thought someone would read the
diary); probably nervous; probably expected Colo­
nis ts to fire first.
Teacher's Guide
101
Evaluating Viewpoints: Critical Thinking in United Stotes History
Book l-Coionies to Constitution
3.
Fessenden (Colonist); "British fired first."
Primary source; sworn testimony; reported soon
after the event (although he may have forgotten
some important details in four days).
SIRENG1HS
Reason to lie; probably nervous; may not have been
WEAKNESSES
in good location to see who fired first (no mention
made of where he was in relation to either group of
soldiers).
4.
STRENGTHS
Primary source; good location; professional soldier
(should know what was happening),
WEAKNESSES
Reason to lie (would not make himself look bad in a
report to his commander); possibly nervous; ex­
pected the other side to start trouble.
5.
Nathaniel MuUekin and 33 others (Colonist);
"British fired first."
STRENGIHS
Primary source; given shortly after the event (al­
though six days may have allowed them to "get
their stories straight"); good location; sworn testi­
mony; other people (thirty-four of them) say the
same thing,
WEAKNESSES
Reason to lie; all 34 men saying the same thing
isn't such a strength (one person probably wrote it
out and the others agreed to it; how likely is it that
all 34 saw exactly the same thing. as stated in this
testimony?); sounds more like a justification than
an objective description.
6.
Steinberg (Historian); "British fired first."
SIRENGTHS
Professional historians are supposed to have skills
necessary to decide what really happened.
WEAKNESSES
Secondary source; use ofemotional words (embattled
farmers,patriots, atrocity) makes him seem biased
toward the Colonists; no sources ofhis information
given.
7.
STRENG1HS
WEAKNESSES
102
Pitcairn (British); "Colonists fired first."
Teacher's Guide
Wood (Colonists); "British fIred first."
Primary source; good location.
Reason to lie; testimony given more than 50 years
after the event (memory fades and changes in that
length oftime).
Unit 3 - Lesson 17
The American Revolution
8.
Primary source; good location.
STRENGTHS
Reason to lie (as prisoner he may think he will be
harmed ifhe says the colonists fired first; very likely
that he lied about the colonists not firing at all, as
there were apparently several British wounded.
WEAKNESSES
9.
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
Bateman (British); "British fired first."
London Gazette (British); "Colonists fired first."
None
Secondary source; nonobjective point of view, fa­
vorable to the British side.
Teacher's Guide
103