american revolution writing assignment

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American Revolution Free Classroom Activities and Project Ideas

These are free classroom activities and project ideas for teachers to use in your unit study of the american revolutionary war. these activities and projects can be adjusted for any grade. we hope you'll find some ideas you can use..

The Stamp Act - Events leading up to the American Revolution

ROLE PLAY: The King's Taxation with rules of game play, classroom activity

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: Was the Stamp Act fair?

SIMULATION: "No taxation without representation" simulation activity

• The American Revolution

American Revolution Break Up Letters, letters from the colonies to Britain, why they want independence, use humor

5th grade Revolution Research Packet - 10 pages, free from TPT

SIMULATIONS: Easy Simulations - American Revolution

INQUIRY BASED PROJECT: When are revolutions worth the cost?

Writing Prompts and Creative Project Ideas, free from TPT

American Revolution Project Menu, free from TPT

Ben Franklin Bumper Sticker Project, free from TPT

CIA Spy Files

George Washington vs. King George III, compare and contrast

Revolutionary War Living Museum Project - Students research someone during the Revolution, write a short paper, and write a short skit. You can team up with other students, each researching your own, but writing your skit together.

Choose Your Own Adventure from over 70 different classroom activities and possible assignments

American Revolution Free Lesson Plans with Classroom Activities for Teachers

Interactive American Revolution Free Interactive Games

American Revolution Free Powerpoints

The American Revolution for Kids - Reading and Game Play; learning modules on many topics about the American Revolution

Take the Revolutionary Quiz, interactive, with answers

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Brink of the Storm and the Civil War

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The nation grows, world war i, the great war, the roaring 20s, the great depression, world war ii, slavery in america, segregation for kids - civil rights, us holidays.

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Learning About Research and Writing Using the American Revolution

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Internet research can add depth to content area study, as can using the information found in various genres. This lesson combines historical research and acrostic poetry. Students begin the lesson by activating background knowledge about the American Revolution. They then conduct research on a historical figure using a variety of resources. When research is complete, students write an acrostic poem informing their classmates about the historical figure's importance to the American Revolution.

From Theory to Practice

• It is increasingly important for teachers to give their students opportunities to learn using technology, while at the same time helping them to make judgments about the information they find and how it can be used in problem solving.
• The Internet offers a wealth of information that can enhance content area learning.
• Students will not automatically know how to use the Internet as a research tool-they will need instruction in how to scan, skim, summarize, and locate information.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution by Kay Moore (Scholastic, 1998)
• Chart paper or transparencies
• Computer with Internet access
• LCD projector
• Overhead projector
• Peer Editing Checklist
• Using the American Revolution to Teach Research and Writing Rubric
• Suggested Resources
• Historical Figures
• Sample Organizer
• Sample Poem

Preparation

Student Objectives

Students will

• Gain knowledge about the American Revolution by researching a specific figure from that time period
• Learn research skills by observing the teacher model how to find information from a variety of sources
• Apply the research skills they have learned by accessing historical information from a variety of sources, scanning those sources for the type of information they need, and verifying the information they find using multiple sources
• Practice analysis by interpreting a historical figure's importance to the American Revolution and writing a poem about him or her that demonstrates this importance
• Develop presentation skills by reading their acrostic poem to the class

Sessions 3 and 4

Note: If you do not have access to classroom computers, these sessions should take place in the computer lab.

Homework (due at the beginning of Session 5): Students who do not complete their organizers by the end of Session 4 should do so for homework.

Homework (due at the beginning of Session 6): Students who do not complete their acrostic poems by the end of Session 5 should do so for homework.

Homework (due at the beginning of Session 7): Students should finish revising their poems, write out a clean copy, and practice reading them aloud.

• Publish students' poems in a class book or website titled The Who's Who of the American Revolution .
• Have students research and write acrostic poems about important battles, places, or events in the Revolutionary War.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Compare what students are able to share about the American Revolution during the discussion in Session 1 with what they share during Session 7.
• Informally assess students' research skills as you observe them during Sessions 3 and 4.
• Informally assess students' abilities to work collaboratively and to offer feedback on each other's work during Session 6.
• Use the Using the American Revolution to Teach Research and Writing Rubric to assess students' research, writing, peer editing, and presentation skills.
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• Kindergarten K

• Lesson Plans

Our lesson plans are divided into eight collections.

Our lesson plans provide teachers with a wide selection of tools and approaches to teaching their students about the major achievements of the american revolution—our independence, our republic, our national identity, and our ideals of liberty, equality, natural and civil rights, and responsible citizenship. these lessons use images, primary source documents, and period artifacts to help students understand the revolution—the defining event in american history. they introduce students to major historical interpretations of the revolution and teach them to read critically. they provide strategies for teaching students to research and interpret revolutionary events and people, and the introduce students to the global dimension of the american revolution..

IMAGINING THE REVOLUTION Teaching Students to Interpret the Visual Record

The aim of Imagining the Revolution lesson plans is to teach students how to interpret the visual record of the American Revolution, which consists of visual arts—paintings, drawings, prints, and sculpture. Imagining the Revolution asks students to go beyond the obvious questions about the literal accuracy of images to explore the intent of the artists and the meaning they and their contemporaries attached to the people and events they depicted.

REVOLUTION ON PAPER Teaching Students to Interpret Primary Source Documents

The aim of Revolution on Paper lesson plans is to teach students how to interpret primary source documents, acquaint them with the nature of documentary evidence, and to introduce them to some of the most important documents of the American Revolution. Some lessons address great state papers, while other focus on private documents, including letters and diaries.

OBJECTS OF REVOLUTION Teaching Students to Interpret Artifacts as Primary Sources

The aim of Objects of Revolution lesson plans is to teach students how to interpret surviving artifacts of the Revolutionary era and relate them to the contexts in which they were made and used. The things people made and used in the American Revolution complement the documentary and visual record and offer insights about life in the Revolutionary era that cannot be found in other sources.

MASTER TEACHER LESSONS Primary Source-Based Content featuring our Museum and Library Collections

A movement to ensure that all Americans understand and appreciate the American Revolution depends upon thousands of talented teachers sharing the constructive achievements of the Revolution with their students. Each year the Institute gathers the best history teachers in the nation for a week-long seminar to discuss the most important themes to teach young Americans and to create model lessons using the Institute’s rich collection of primary source materials associated with one or more of the four primary achievements of the Revolution—our independence, our republic, our national identity and the high ideals that have shaped our national history.

REVOULUTIONARY EXHIBITIONS Lessons featuring our Library and Museum Collections on Exhibition at Anderson House

The Institute’s temporary exhibitions at our Anderson House headquarters offer intimate and compelling looks at the history of the Revolution through authentic works of art, artifacts and documents. Exploring themes related to the cause for American independence, the people and events of the war and the Society of the Cincinnati, these exhibitions—and the lessons they inspire—contribute to our understanding and appreciation of the Revolution and its legacy.

REVOLUTIONARY CHARACTERS Teaching Students to Interpret the People who made the Revolution

The aim of Revolutionary Characters lesson plans is to teach students to frame valid historical questions about the major individuals and groups involved in the American Revolution and to conduct the basic research and interpretive analysis required to answer them. Revolutionary Characters challenges students to ask and answer questions about the ideas and motives of historical actors by using primary sources.

THE REVOLUTIONARY WORLD Teaching Students to Place American History in Global Contexts

The aim of The Revolutionary World lesson plans is to acquaint students with the international and global dimension of the American Revolution, which was tied to the maritime trade, the rise of consumerism in western Europe, the competition between European powers, questions about slavery and freedom, resistance to imperial regulation in the Americas, and other patterns and trends that can only be understood from the perspective of world history.

LEGACIES OF THE REVOLUTION Teaching Students about the Enduring Consequences of the Revolution

The aim of the Legacies of the Revolution lesson plans is to acquaint students with the consequences of the American Revolution over more than two hundred and thirty years, including the enduring influence of the Declaration of Independence and the relationship between the American Revolution and abolitionism, the shaping of the women’s right’s movement and the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, and less obvious ways in which the Revolution has shaped American life, like the ways in which we honor veterans and relations between Indians and other Americans.

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• Prof. Pauline Maier

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• American History
• Political Philosophy
• American Politics

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The american revolution, course description.

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The American Revolution Assignment

The American Revolution was a triumph of the weak over the strong. In the early stages of the war, the outcome looked bleak for the Americans. But the tide began to turn with the Battle at Saratoga, and it continued in favor of the Americans. Yet, the war lasted six more years after Saratoga. How did Washington's strategies enable the Americans to eventually win the war.

Watch the video below. Then complete the worksheet covering the events of the American Revolution.

By 1780, the American army was still losing battles; however, the help of the French was making a huge difference. The British navy was blockading the Eastern seaboard, but the French navy was a disruption to their blockades. The British throughout much of the South were having trouble mobilizing the Southern Loyalists. The British people were voicing their opinion over the costly war, and Washington’s army was increasing in moral. There was a silver lining for the Americans. In 1781, General Cornwallis led a large squadron of troops to Yorktown, Virginia. The general was hoping to station his men in Chesapeake until new supplies and reinforcements came in from Britain. The French and Americans knew this and had a plan to capture the British before their supplies arrived. Admiral de Grasse led a French naval unit north from the West Indies. At this time Washington and the French troops marched over 300 miles south. They even had fake military maneuvers to keep the British guessing. Once in Yorktown, they launched a siege. The French navy kept the British out of the Chesapeake Bay and on October 19, 1781, Cornwallis was forced to surrender all of his 8,000 troops. Even though the British were losing battles, they continued to  fight against the Americans. The British public was still on the fence about the war, but the Battle of Yorktown was the final straw. The following spring in England saw a new Parliament elected and peace talks began. Those chosen to represent America were Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay. The hope was to secure a peace treaty. In 1783, the British signed the Treaty of Paris. With this treaty the British agreed to recognize America’s independence at least as far as the Mississippi River. In return, they agreed the Americans would honor their debts to British merchants and would end the persecution of British loyalists. The Americans finally had their freedom. The Americans faced and overcame almost impossible difficulties against the British. In the beginning of the war, the Americans did not even have an army. Battles were fought by militia, consisting of local men and boys with little or no military experience. They had no training and no money for supplies. Beginning the war, the British saw more military victories. The colonists, however, had a higher moral with sniper attacks on the British. In 1775, the British won the Battle at Bunker Hill, but the colonists showed their resilience over a better military. A year later, American victories at Trenton and Princeton shifted, lifting American spirits. The Battle of Saratoga was a major turning point with the surrender of the British. In 1778, the tide again turned in favor of the Americans when they formed an alliance with the French. With incoming supplies and help from the French military and navy, the Americans had a real chance. With the loss at Saratoga, the British were frustrated and humiliated. Even capturing the capital of Philadelphia, they needed to keep fighting. The American Continental Army and militias continued to remain. The Americans refused to surrender despite the damage to cities and private properties. The British had never experienced this kind of war before. When the British realized they were not going to win in the North, they turned their attention south. Here they hoped the loyalists would help. The fighting continued. In October of 1781, the war came to an end with the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. Two years later, the Treaty of Paris was signed and America was independent. The victory of the Americans over the British was monumental. The mighty British Empire was defeated in conflict by the Americans. This victory would be an inspiration to many along the road.

149 American Revolution Essay Topics & Examples

If you’re looking for American Revolution topics for research paper or essay, you’re in the right place. This article contains everything you might need to write an essay on Revolutionary war

🗽 Top 7 American Revolution Research Topics

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American Revolution, also known as Revolutionary War, occurred in the second half of the 18th century. Among its causes was a series of acts established by the Crown. These acts placed taxes on paint, tea, glass, and paper imported to the colonies. As a result of the war, the thirteen American colonies gained independence from the British Crown, thereby creating the United States of America. Whether you need to write an argumentative, persuasive, or discussion paper on the Revolutionary War, this article will be helpful. It contains American Revolution essay examples, titles, and questions for discussion. Boost your critical thinking with us!

• Townshend Acts and the Tea Act as the causes of the American Revolution
• Ideological roots of the American Revolution
• English government and the American colonies before the Revolutionary war
• Revolutionary War: the main participants
• The American Revolution: creating the new constitutions
• Causes and effects of the American Revolution
• Revolutionary War: the key battles

Signifying a cornerstone moment for British colonial politics and the creation of a new, fully sovereign nation, the events from 1765 to 1783 were unusual for the 18th century. Thus, reflecting all the crucial moments within a single American Revolution Essay becomes troublesome to achieve. However, if you keep in mind certain historical events, then you may affect the quality of your paper for the better.

All American Revolution essay topics confine themselves to the situation and its effects. Make sure that you understand the chronology by searching for a timeline, or even create one yourself! Doing so should help you easily trace what date is relevant to which event and, thus, allow you to stay in touch with historical occurrences. Furthermore, understand the continuity of the topic, from the creation of the American colony until the Declaration of Independence. Creating a smooth flowing narrative that takes into consideration both the road to revolution and its aftereffects will demonstrate your comprehensive understanding of the issue.

When writing about the pre-history of the Revolution, pay special attention to ongoing background mechanisms of the time. The surge of patriotism, a strong desire for self-governed democracy, and “Identity American” all did not come into existence at the Boston Tea Party but merely demonstrated themselves most clearly at that time. Linking events together will become more manageable if you can understand the central motivation behind them.

Your structure is another essential aspect of essay writing, with a traditional outline following the events in chronological order, appropriately overviewing them when necessary. Thus, an excellent structure requires that your introduction should include:

• An American Revolution essay hook, which will pique your readers’ interest and make them want to read your work further. Writing in unexpected facts or giving a quote from a contemporary actor of the events, such as one of the founding fathers, are good hook examples because they grab your readers’ attention.
• A brief overview of the circumstances. It should be both in-depth enough to get your readers on the same level of knowledge as you, the writer, and short enough to engage them in your presented ideas.
• An American Revolution essay thesis that will guide your paper from introduction to conclusion. Between overviewing historical information and interest-piquing hooks, your thesis statement should be on-point and summarize the goal of your essay. When writing, you should often return to it, assessing whether the topics you are addressing are reflective of your paper’s goals.

Whatever issues you raise in your introduction and develop in your main body, you should bring them all together in your conclusion. Summarize your findings and compare them against your thesis statement. Doing so will help you carry out a proper verdict regarding the problem and its implications.

The research you have carried out and the resulting compiled bibliography titles will help you build your essay’s credibility. However, apart from reading up on the problem you are addressing, you should think about reading other sample essays. These may not only help you get inspired but also give excellent American Revolution essay titles and structure lessons. Nevertheless, remember that plagiarizing from these papers, or anywhere else, is not advisable! Avoid committing academic crimes and let your own ideas be representative of your academism.

Want to sample some essays to get your essay started? Kick-start your writing process with IvyPanda and its ideas!

• The American Revolution and Its Effects It is an acknowledgeable fact that the American Revolution was not a social revolution like the ones that were experienced in France, Russia or China, but it was a social revolution that was aimed at […]
• Sex During the American Revolution American Revolution is one of the most prominent and groundbreaking events in the history of the United States of America. One of the most interesting facts from the video was the usage of clothing and […]
• Summary of “Abraham Lincoln” and “The Second American Revolution” by James M. McPherson According to McPherson, the war, that is, the Civil War, was aimed at bringing about liberty and ensuring the extension of protection to the citizenry which he had a clue of the fact that the […]
• The American Revolution and Independence Day Celebration This article will help us understand the American Revolution and determine whether Americans have a reason to celebrate Independency Day every Fourth of July or not, whether all American supported the war, and whether the […]
• American Revolution: Principles and Consequences One expanded the number of lands of the young country due to the confiscation of territories that were under the possession of the English government and loyalists, that is, people supporting the crown.
• The American Revolution’s Goals and Achievements The Patriots’ goals in the War, as well as the achievements of the revolution and the first Constitution in relation to different groups of population will be discussed in this essay.
• Haudenosaunee’s Role in the American Revolution They also signed treaties in relation to the support needed by the Americans and the Indians to avoid the conflicts that arose between the nations.
• Causes and Foundations of the American Revolution Speaking about what led to the revolution in the United States – the Boston Massacre, the Tea Party, or the Stamp Act – the most rational reason seems to be the result of all these […]
• The American Revolution: Role of the French The revolutionary war became the fundamental event in the history of the USA. For this reason, the rebellion in America became a chance to undermine the power of the British Empire and restore the balance […]
• The Unknown American Revolution In his book, Gary unveiled that the American Revolution’s chaos was through the power of Native Americans, enslaved people, and African Americans, not the people in power. The book boldly explains the origins of the […]
• Causes of the American Revolution: Proclamation & Declaration Acts The Proclamation was initially well-received among the American colonists because of the emancipation of the land and the cessation of hostilities.
• The American Revolution and Its Leading Causes Two acts passed by the British Parliament on British North America include the Stamp Act and the Townshend Act, which caused the Boston Massacre.
• A Woman’s Role During the American Revolution Doing so, in the opinion of the author, is a form of retribution to the people long gone, the ones who sacrificed their lives in honor of the ideals that, in their lifetime, promised a […]
• The Battles of the American Revolution The initial cause of the battle is the desire of the British to take over the harbors in Massachusetts. The battle of Bunker Hill marked the end of the peaceful rebellions and protests and became […]
• American Revolution’s Domestic and Worldwide Effects The American Revolution was a world war against one of the world’s most powerful empires, Great Britain, and a civil war between the American Patriots and the pro-British Loyalists. The main domestic effects of the […]
• The Heroes of the American Revolution However, their role was forgotten by the emergence of heroes such as Washington and Adams, white men who reformed the country.
• Changes Leading to the Colonies to Work Together During the American Revolution Ideally, the two settlements formed the basis of the significant social, political, and economic differences between the northern and southern colonies in British North America.
• American Revolution: Seven Years War in 1763 As a result of the passing the Tea Act in 1773 British East India company was allowed to sell tea directly to the colonist, by passing the colonists middlemen.
• The History of American Revolution and Slavery At the same time, the elites became wary of indentured servants’ claim to the land. The American colonies were dissatisfied with the Royal Proclamation of 1763 it limited their ability to invade new territories and […]
• The Experience of the American Revolution One of such events was the American Revolution, which lasted from 1775 to 1783; it created the independent country of the United States, changed the lives of thousands of people, and gave them the real […]
• Causes of the American Revolution Whereas we cannot point to one particular action as the real cause of the American Revolution, the war was ignited by the way Great Britain treated the thirteen united colonies in comparison to the treatment […]
• Impact of American Revolution on the French One After the success of the American Revolution, there was a lot of literature both in praise and criticism of the war which found its way to the French people.
• The Leadership in Book ‘Towards an American Revolution’ by J. Fresia It’s an indication of the misuse of the people by the leaders in a bid to bar them from enlightenment and also keep them in manipulative positions.
• American Revolution Information People in the colonies were enslaved in tyranny of churches as well as monarchies, and Benjamin, believed that with proper undertaking of education, the colonies would arise to their freedom and Independence.
• American Revolution: An Impact on the Nation The American Revolution can be characterized as one of the milestone events in American history which led to the formation of the state and the nation.
• Benjamin Franklin and the American Revolution Radical interpretations of the Revolution were refracted through a unique understanding of American society and its location in the imperial community.
• The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution: Book Analysis Even these facts from the author’s biography make “The Shoemaker and the Tea Party” a reliable source of the knowledge on the American past.”The Shoemaker and the Tea Party” is based on the story of […]
• Figures of the American Revolution in «The Shoemaker and the Tea Party» The book The Shoemaker and the Tea Party by Alfred Young is a biographical essay describing events of the 18th century and life one of the most prominent figures of the American Revolution, George Robert […]
• The American Revolution Causes: English and American Views The American Revolution was brought about by the transformations in the American government and society. The taxes were not welcome at all since they brought about a lot of losses to the colonies.
• American Revolution and Its Historical Stages The following paragraphs are devoted to the description of the stages that contributed to a rise of the revolution against British rule.
• The American Revolution and Political Legitimacy Evolution At the beginning of the article, the Anderson highlights Forbes magazine comments where they stated that the businesses that would continue to feature in the future Forbes directory are the ones that head the activists’ […]
• American Revolution: Perspective of a Soldier Revolution became the event that radically changed the American society of that period and, at the same time, contributed to its unification.
• American Revolution and the Current Issues: Course The understanding of the critical issues in the history of the American Revolution will make the students intellectually understand the subsequent wars in American History and the events that may occur later.
• American Revolution in the United States’ History Americans had a very strong desire to be free and form their own government that would offer the kind of governance they wanted.
• Vietnam War and American Revolution Comparison Consequently, the presence of these matters explains the linkage of the United States’ war in Vietnam and the American Revolution to Mao’s stages of the insurgency.
• American Revolution in Historical Misrepresentation Narrating the good side of history at the expense of the bad side passes the wrong information to the students of history.
• The American Revolution as a People’s Revolution An idealized conception of a revolution leads to the conclusion that the American Revolution was not a representation of a “people’s revolution”.
• Battle of Brandywine in the American Revolution The Squad’s mission is to reconnoiter the location of the enemy during the night before the battle and prevent the possible unexpected attack of the enemy by enhancing the Principles of War.
• African Americans in the American Revolution Both the slave masters and the British colonizers sought the help of the African Americans during the American Revolution. The revolutionary nature of the American Revolution did not resonate with both the free and enslaved […]
• American Revolution: Reclaiming Rights and Powers As a result, British Government Pursued policies of the kind embodied in the proclamation of the 1763 and the Quebec act that gave Quebec the right to many Indian lands claimed by the American colonists […]
• Women Status after the American Revolution This revolution enabled women to show men that females could participate in the social life of the society. Clearly, in the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century women were given only […]
• Impact of Rebellion on the American Revolution The rebellion was retrogressive to the cause of the American Revolution because it facilitated the spread of the ruling class and further hardened the position of the ruling class regarding the hierarchical arrangement of slavery.
• Was the American Revolution Really Revolutionary? The nature of the American Revolution is considered to be better understandable relying on the ideas offered by Wood because one of the main purposes which should be achieved are connected with an idea of […]
• The American Struggle for Rights and Equal Treatment To begin with, the Americans had been under the rule of the British for a very long time. On the same note, the British concentrated on taxing various establishments and forgot to read the mood […]
• African American Soldier in American Revolution It was revealed that the blacks were behind the American’s liberation from the British colonial rule, and this was witnessed with Ned Hector’s brevity to salvage his army at the battle of Brandywine.
• The Revolutionary War Changes in American Society The Revolution was started by the breakaway of the 13 American Colonies from the British Crown. A significant consequence of the American Revolution is that it led to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence […]
• American Revolutionary War: Causes and Outcomes The colonists vehemently objected to all the taxes, and claimed that Parliament had no right to impose taxes on the colonies since the colonists were not represented in the House of Commons.
• The Ideas of Freedom and Slavery in Relation to the American Revolution Although many Founders discussed the phenomenon of slavery as violating the appeals for freedom and liberty for the Americans, the concepts of slavery and freedom could develop side by side because the Founders did not […]
• French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and the War of 1812 In the course of the war, a peace treaty was signed in 1763 where the Britons acquired most of the territory that belonged to the French.
• American Women and the American Revolution Women’s standing, as much as they, in point of fact, turned out to be narrower and inflexibly defined subsequent to the war, was enhanced.
• Abigail Adams in American Revolution The presidency is a highly celebrated position and in her husband’s capacity, she was elevated to the eyes of the whole nation.
• The American War of Independence The American Revolution denotes the social, political and intellectual developments in the American states, which were characterized by political upheaval and war. The move by the colonizers seemed unpopular to the colonists and a violation […]
• Domestic and Foreign Effects of the American Revolution
• Reasons for English Colonization and American Revolution
• Native Americans During the American Revolution
• The American Revolution: The Most Important Event in Canadian History
• Women’s Rights After the American Revolution
• Philosophical, Economic, Political and Social Causes of the American Revolution
• American Revolution: The Result of Taxation, Military Occupation in the Colonies and the Negligence of the British
• The American Revolution and Women’s Freedom
• Reasons for the American Revolution – Tax, Military Presence, Merca
• Colonial Independence and the American Revolution
• The History, Transformative Quality, and Morality of the American Revolution
• Political and Economic Cause of the American Revolution
• American Revolution and Mexican Independence
• American Revolution: The Result of the French and Indian War
• Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution
• Battles That Changed the Outcome of the American Revolution
• After the American Revolution: Conflicts Between the North and South
• The Reasons Why People Chose to Be Loyalist During the American Revolution
• Identity: American Revolution and Colonies
• The Expansion and Sectionalism of the American Revolution
• The Relationship Between Nova Scotia and the American Revolution
• World Events That Coincided With the American Revolution
• The American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence
• The Republican Ideology and the American Revolution
• The Men Who Started the American Revolution
• Slavery and the American Revolution
• Economic and Political Causes for the American Revolution
• Ideas, Movements, and Leaders in the American Revolution
• American Revolution and the American Civil War
• Cultural Differences, the Ineffectiveness of England’s Colonial Policy, and the Effects of the French and Indian War as the Causes of the American Revolution
• American Democracy, Freedom, and the American Revolution
• Benjamin and William Franklin and the American Revolution
• The Major Factors That Led to the American Revolution
• Labor During the American Revolution
• Finding Stability After the American Revolution
• Autonomy, Responsibility and the American Revolution
• George Washington and the American Revolution
• African Americans and the American Revolution
• British and American Strengths in the American Revolution
• American Revolution and How the Colonists Achieved Victory
• What Was The Catalyst Of The American Revolution?
• Was the American Revolution a Conservative Movement?
• How Inevitable Was the American Revolution?
• Was the American Revolution Inevitable?
• Was the American Civil War and Reconstruction a Second American Revolution?
• How did the French and Indian War shape the American Revolution?
• What Were the Origins of the American Revolution?
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Declare the Causes: The Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence: July 4th 1776.

Library of Congress

Complaints! Complaints! Students have been known to complain at times. (So have their teachers.) Even the Founding Fathers of our country indulged in gripe sessions. In fact, a list of grievances comprises the longest section of the Declaration of Independence; however, the source of the document's power is its firm philosophic foundation. Through the lens of the human propensity to complain, you can encourage students to recognize the principles, motivations, and precedents that underlie the Declaration of Independence. Help your students understand the development of the Declaration as both a historical process and a compositional process through role play, creative writing, an introduction to important documents and a review of historic events.

Guiding Questions

What precedents exist for specific elements in the Declaration of Independence, both in previous documents and in historical events?

How is the Declaration structured?

Learning Objectives

Describe and list the sections of the Declaration of Independence and explain the purpose of each.

Give an example of a document that served as a precedent for the Declaration of Independence.

Identify and explain one or more of the colonists' complaints included in the Declaration of Independence.

Demonstrate an awareness of the Declaration of Independence as a historical process developed in protest of unfair conditions.

Lesson Plan Details

Opponents of the Stamp Act of 1765 declared that the act—which was designed to raise money to support the British army stationed in America after 1763 by requiring Americans to buy stamps for newspapers, legal documents, mortgages, liquor licenses, even playing cards and almanacs—was illegal and unjust because it taxed Americans without their consent. In protesting the act, they cited the following prohibition against taxation without consent:

"No scutage [tax] ... shall be imposed..., unless by common counsel..."

The source? The Magna Carta , written in 1215, 550 years earlier. American resistance forced the British Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act in 1766. In the succeeding years, similar taxes were levied by British Parliament and protested by many Americans. The American Revolution brewed in a context of Americans' concern over contemporary events as well as awareness of historic precedents. Mindful of both, the framers created the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in which the colonies declared their freedom from British rule.

NCSS.D2.Civ.1.3-5. Distinguish the responsibilities and powers of government officials at various levels and branches of government and in different times and places.

NCSS.D2.Civ.2.3-5. Explain how a democracy relies on people’s responsible participation, and draw implications for how individuals should participate.

NCSS.D2.His.3.3-5. Generate questions about individuals and groups who have shaped significant historical changes and continuities.

NCSS.D2.His.4.3-5. Explain why individuals and groups during the same historical period differed in their perspectives.

Review the lesson plans. Bookmark or download and print out any materials you will use. Make copies of a transcript of the Declaration for every student. You may wish to provide students with a copy of the Written Document Analysis Worksheet , available through the Educator Resources section of the National Archives website, to guide them as they review primary source documents.

Activity 1. Complaints, Complaints...

Discuss with students that you have overheard them, at times, make various complaints about the treatment of young people. Complaints not unlike those motivated the Founding Fathers at the time of the American Revolution. Give the students a short time in small groups to list complaints they have about the treatment of young people. The complaints should be of a general nature (for example: recess should be longer, fourth graders should be able to see PG videos, etc.). Collect the list. Choose complaints to share with the class, so you can guide the discussion to follow. Save the lists for future reference.

There are moments when all of us are more eager to express what's wrong than we are to think critically about the problem and possible solutions. There is no reason to think people were any different in 1776. It's important to understand the complaints of the colonists as one step in a process involving careful deliberation and attempts to redress grievances. Ask questions to help your students consider their concerns in a deliberate way. WHO makes the rules they don't like, WHO decides if they are fair or not, HOW does one get them changed, WHAT does it mean to be independent from the rules, and finally, HOW does a group of people declare that they will no longer follow the rules?

Activity 2. So, What are You Going to Do About It?

Ask the students to imagine that, in hopes of effecting some changes, they are going to compose a document based on their complaints to be sent to the appropriate audience. As they begin to compose their document, they should consider the following questions. (Note to the teacher: The following questions correspond to the sections of the Declaration, as noted in parentheses, which will be discussed later. This discussion serves as a prewriting activity for the writing assignment.)

• To whom would you send your complaints? Why? What reasons would you give for your decision to write out your complaints? (Preamble)  
• What makes you think your complaints are worthwhile? Aren't there good reasons why things are the way they are? Why should things as they are be changed? Would it be possible to summarize the thinking behind your desire for change in a single sentence? (statement of beliefs, or the thinking behind the complaints)  
• Is there anything in particular the reader should notice about your complaints? Is there anything you need to keep in mind to make sure your audience understands and appreciates your complaints? What kinds of events inspired your complaints? (the list of complaints)  
• Have you already tried to make any changes in the treatment of young people? In what way? (prior attempts to redress grievances)  
• Is it possible to say in a single sentence what it is you really want to happen? It would take time to change the system to accommodate all of your complaints. What should happen right away? (Declaration of Independence)  
• Who would be willing to sign his/her name to this list of complaints even if it were going to be seen and read by many people? (the signatures)

Activity 3. The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America

The Declaration of Independence was created in an atmosphere of complaints about the treatment of the colonies under British rule. In this unit, students will be given the opportunity to compose a document based on their own complaints; however, the resulting "declarations" might be more convincing if based on some models already proven effective.

The above video from Schoolhouse Rock  is entitled "Fireworks" and focuses on the Declaration of Independence.  Provide every student with a transcript of the Declaration . There is no need to do a close reading of the entire document at this point. The immediate goal is to understand the structure of the document and the basic intent of each section. Discuss the Declaration with students, using the following section-by-section questions help students relate this overview of the Declaration to the previous discussion.

• Preamble: the reasons for writing down the Declaration (from "WHEN, in the Course of human Events" to "declare the Causes which impel them to the Separation."). What reason(s) did the Founding Fathers give for their decision to write out a declaration?
• Statement of beliefs: specifying what the undersigned believed, the philosophy behind the document (from "We hold these Truths to be self-evident" to "an absolute Tyranny over these States"). What beliefs did the Founding Fathers declare they held?
• List of complaints: the offenses that impelled the declaration (from "To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid World" to "unfit to be the ruler of a free people"). What are a few of the complaints? Are any specific events mentioned? If not, is the information given sometimes sufficient to figure out to which events the complaints refer?
• Statement of prior attempts to redress grievances: (From "Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren," to "Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.") In what way(s) did the framers claim to have already tried in addressing the complaints?
• Declaration of independence: (From "WE, therefore" to "and our sacred Honour.") What will change in the colonies as a result of the Declaration?
• The signatures: Which signers do students recognize?

Activity 4. When, in the Course of Human Events ...

Working alone or in small groups, students draft their own declarations. The transcript of the Declaration of Independence will serve as a model; student documents should contain the same sections. They should start with their reasons for writing (preamble), as discussed above. Tell students they can model their statement after the Preamble to the Declaration. For example, they can begin with the words "When, in the course of human events ..."

Activity 5. What Experience Hath Shown

After a session of work on their declarations, introduce to students the idea of earlier documents that set a precedent for the Declaration. Let students know that the committee members who drafted our Declaration (John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia) were aware of documents from earlier years. Some of these documents served as models as the committee members wrote the Declaration. Perhaps seeing precedents for the Declaration will help students in composing theirs. Ask students to work in small groups to review some of the earlier documents and find common features between the historical documents and the Declaration. If desired and appropriate for your class, this would be a good time to read the entire Declaration. Students should look at the historical documents for similar structures (the document has a preamble, for instance) or phrases or passages that relate to the Declaration. As they read the excerpts, students should refer back to their transcript of the Declaration of Independence. Students should not attempt close readings of the documents. Instead, they scan key passages for similarities. (If you wish, you could have students locate documents on their own, using The Avalon Project At The Yale Law School website, accessible through EDSITEment.) The following documents are available through The Avalon Project unless otherwise noted.

• The Magna Carta (June 1215). Of structural interest is the preamble and the last section (#63). What differences and similarities do the students notice? Section 1 and Section 12 also have relevant content. The National Archives website features a translation of its 1297 copy of the Magna Carta and videos about the document's conservation  and  encasement .  
• The First Charter of Virginia  (April 10, 1606). A relevant section begins "And we do also ordain, establish, and agree, for Us, our Heirs, and Successors, that each of the said Colonies shall have a Council" and ends "pass under the Privy Seal of our Realm of England;" a statement of the colonists' ability to pass laws. Also of interest is the section beginning, "Also we do, for Us, our Heirs, and Successors, DECLARE" to "any other of our said Dominions."
• The Mayflower Compact (November, 1621).
• English Bill of Rights (1689) for comparison to the list of grievances (such as quartering troops, a standing army, suspending of laws).
• The Royal Proclamation (October 7, 1763) issued at the conclusion of the French and Indian War. Look at the section beginning with "for the security of the Liberties and Properties" and ending with "and call General Assemblies."
• The Resolutions of the Continental Congress , also known as The Stamp Act Congress (October 19, 1765). Especially relevant is the list of complaints (such as the complaint beginning "That the only representatives of the people of these colonies...").
• The Articles of Association (October 20, 1774). For comparison to the list of grievances, look at the passage from "the present unhappy situation of our affairs is occasioned by a ruinous system of colony administration" to "whenever a wicked ministry shall chuse so to direct them." Students should also look at the statement beginning "To obtain redress of these grievances."
• The Virginia Declaration of Rights (June 12, 1776), written by George Mason. Especially pertinent are the first three sections.

Guide to Independent Searches for Precedent Setting Documents The Avalon Project contains many relevant documents and is fully searchable. Students can search for terms such as "rights" or "taxes" or "standing armies" within the Colonial Charters, Grants, and Early Constitution collection listed in the pull-down menu on the search page. Students should be aware that search results will include documents created after 1776, which are irrelevant to the task at hand. The Avalon Project website has amassed a list of documents under the title The American Constitution: A Documentary Record , including forerunners to the United States Constitution. There you may find additional relevant documents. Of special interest are the sections "The Roots of the Constitution" and "Revolution and Independence."

Activity 6. Share and Declare

Once student groups have analyzed the historical documents that preceded the Declaration of Independence, ask them to share their findings with the rest of the class. In what ways were the earlier documents similar to the Declaration? You may wish to create a display of the information students have uncovered. For example, on a large bulletin board, center the text of the Declaration. Highlight relevant excerpts. Use a colored strand of yarn to lead from each Declaration excerpt to a posting of the name and date of a related document. Classes with the necessary technology, skill, and computer access can do this same exercise on the computer, creating hyperlinks to the precedents. Students should continue to work on their declarations, either during class or as a homework assignment. They can use what they learned through the study of relevant documents created before the Declaration as a guide for the information they wish to include in their documents. By this time, students should be working on the statement of beliefs and the complaints section of their declarations.

Activity 7. Eighty-Six It: Changes to Jefferson's Draft

Now students can look at some drafts of the Declaration. Every class should view actual images of these drafts with corrections written in Jefferson's handwriting. Some classes might benefit from a closer look at the kinds of changes that occurred. The committee and Continental Congress are said to have made a total of 86 changes to the document. American Memory has a collection of Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, 1774-1789, containing many historic documents, including images and transcripts of original copies of various drafts of the Declaration. Students may be especially interested to view an image of a fragment of the Declaration and a transcript of the earliest known draft of the Declaration . You can also access an image and transcript of a later draft of the Declaration via this page at the Founding Documents section of the National Archives website. Reading just a small portion of the later draft will demonstrate the significant changes that took place as the Congress worked on the Declaration. Did the final version improve on the draft? If so, how? Students should continue to work on their declarations. They should be nearing completion of a first draft, including a statement of prior attempts to redress grievances, and a declaration of independence. Take some time to discuss the writing process within the student groups. How did they proceed? Did they ever go back and make changes? What kinds of changes? Did more than one person have input?

Activity 8. Publish and Declare

Now, the student groups should complete and present their "declarations." If typed on a computer, these can be printed out in an appropriately ornate font. The paper can be stained using tea to give the appearance of age. Students should sign the document on which they worked. If students have access to the necessary technology, they can create hyperlinks from sections of their computerized declaration to specific precedents in the Declaration. Students should now reflect on their experience writing a declaration and the process that created it. What part of their own declaration would they say most resembles the 1776 Declaration of Independence? Which complaint? Which part of their beliefs? What changes did they make in the course of writing their documents? How did the group decide how to proceed? Student declarations should be posted and, if practical, sent to the intended audience (parents, principal). For a culminating activity, the documents can be read in class in ceremonial fashion. The documents' reflection of the structure of the Declaration will help the teacher assess the success of the activity.

• Have students conduct research into the historical events that led to the colonists' complaints and dissatisfaction with British rule. What were some of the specific complaints? After reviewing the complaints, the students look for specific events related to the grievances listed. They can use their own textbooks and other sources available at school. The historical events students choose could also be added to the bulletin board by connecting an excerpt of a particular complaint to a brief, dated summary of an event. The complaints relate to actual events, but the precise events were not discussed in the Declaration. Why do the students think the framers decided to do that? (Someone might notice that, in the fragment of the early draft discussed below, the complaint referred to a specific event.) Would the student declarations also be more effective without specific events tied to the complaints?
• This unit can serve as a model for studying any of our nation's important historical documents. A study of the Constitution could begin with a role-play in which students imagine themselves marooned on a desert island, with little hope of rescue. Working in groups, students should come up with the 10 most important concepts for ensuring harmonious living in the new community and write them down in a list. After the initial round of listing, ask some "what if," "what about" and "what would happen" questions to help cover their omissions. Then post the revised lists on the classroom bulletin board or, if you have a computer in your classroom, post them electronically. At this point, you could introduce students to the Constitution, relating the concepts the students have come up with on their own to articles in the Constitution and talking about why a particular tenet is as important now as it was then. You could then compare your "living classroom constitution(s)" with the U.S. Constitution (especially the Bill of Rights) and selections from the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, etc, depending on the age and sophistication level of your students. The Avalon Project's The American Constitution - A Documentary Record contains many relevant documents for this type of study.
• Students can now look at the American Declaration as a precedent for documents that came after it. Fruitful comparison can be made with the French Declaration of the Rights of Man—1789 , available through The Avalon Project. This declaration is also known as the French Declaration of Independence.
• Students could attempt to conduct a Declaration Convention in which they use the small group declarations as the basis of a single document representing the entire class.
• Volunteers could stage a dramatic reading of the entire Declaration.
• Students may be interested in seeing an image of the original Declaration , now exhibited in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, this version has faded badly. The most frequently reproduced version of the Declaration is taken from the engraving made by printer William J. Stone in 1823 . This image also is available online and has not faded as much as the original Declaration.

Additional Resources

• Here is an annotated version of the final draft of the Declaration , with links to an earlier draft and other materials such as Jefferson's letters. Passages in parentheses in the draft surround items that were crossed out; it is believed that some of those changes were made by John Adams.
• The Continental Congress made important changes to the Declaration in two places. An analysis of these changes is accessible through the EDSITEment resource American Memory at the Library of Congress site.
• American Memory's special collection A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation contains an annotated version of the Declaration with notes from Jefferson as to which committee member made specific changes (with which he apparently did not wholeheartedly agree) on pp. 491-502 of volume five of the Journals of the Continental Congress , 1774-1789, the record for Friday, June 28, 1776.
• The Articles of Confederation of the United Colonies of New England (May 19, 1643). A precursor of the Constitution's requirement for a census is found here in Article 4, "that the Commissioners for each Jurisdiction from time to time, as there shall be occasion, bring a true account and number of all their males in every Plantation."
• Ordinances for Virginia July 24-August 3, 1621, including article IV with its discussion of a representative assembly.
• Articles of Confederation  (March 1, 1781)
• The Madison Debates , James Madison's notes taken during the Federal Convention of 1787. 
• Image of the original Declaration
• Engraving of the Declaration made by William J. Stone, 1823

Related on EDSITEment

Mission us: for crown or colony the game, frederick douglass's, “what to the slave is the fourth of july”.

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Presentation U.S. History Primary Source Timeline

The american revolution, 1763 - 1783.

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American revolution: writing a breakup letter to king george.

History and/or Social Studies

6th to 8th grade

Lesson Objective

To identify the purpose and key points in the Declaration of Independence.                   

Common Core Standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2 . Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

• Printouts of the Declaration of Independence
• Highlighters
• Pencil     

Say:  "Now, I know some of you have a significant other... and don't lie, I see you making goo-goo eyes with each other during lunch, but have you ever felt like breaking up with your significant other? (Allow a response). Without getting too personal, what was the reason for wanting to break up? (Allow a reply).

Possible answers may include:

• Not spending enough time with each other
• Like someone else
• Don't want to be in a relationship anymore
• Want more freedom as a single person

Say:  "Those are all excellent answers, but wait, uhhh, what is this? Who dropped this note with hearts on my table?" (The students will be unaware that you had placed the note on the table before the lesson began). "Should I read it aloud??" (Your students will be giddy at this point, proceed with opening and reading the note).

Say:  "I'm not sure where to begin, but I need to get this off my chest. Recently, I've been thinking a lot about us. Things used to be fantastic, and I truly believed we would last forever, but things have changed. I feel like I lost value in your eyes, and you don't consider my opinion anymore. And worst of all, you do whatever you please without thinking about us as a couple. I deserve Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. So, I've been thinking about it for a while, but we need to break-up." (At this point, your students will be interested to know who wrote the letter, so wait for them to convince you to read out the name). "Sincerely, the 13 Colonies."

(Students will be rowdy thinking that you really received a note from a love interest, but this is a fun way to introduce the lesson.)

Say:  "Today, we will learn about one of the most famous break-up letters in history, known as the Declaration of Independence. The 13 Colonies wrote this break-up letter to King George." The word "declaration "means to announce, while the word" independence" means self-rule. The Declaration of Independence was written because the 13 Colonies felt that the British government wasn't supporting their rights, so they wanted to rule themselves."

Say:  "Before you write your own break-up letter to King George, we need to explore the Declaration of Independence. We will divide the Declaration of Independence into three parts. 

• The first part includes the preamble, which inspired and united the 13 Colonies by envisioning a better life. 
• The second part is a list of grievances that the 13 Colonies weren't happy about. 
• The last part is the declaration of separation from Britain and its King.

Say:  "As we read the Declaration of Independence together, pay attention to the three parts and underline/highlight any words that stand out to you. When we finish reading the Declaration of Independence, you will read it again but to yourself." 

Proceed with reading the Declaration of Independence together. This may take time as students ask questions or as you define various words. Don't rush this step, as students need to understand the ins and outs of the document.

Say:  "Now that you understand the Declaration of Independence, it is time for you to write your own break-up letter. Your break-up letter must include the following parts:"

• State your ideal relationship
• State your rights that are being denied and express your grievances
• Declare your independence

"You may choose to write a break-up letter to the following entity or person:"

• Your favorite fast food place
• Your favorite sports team
• Your neighbor
• Your homework
• Your chores
• Your cell phone

"You have a few rules you must also follow:"

• Get approval from me for a break-up for things/person not on the list above.
• Include at least one line from the Declaration of Independence in your break-up letter.
• Be respectful; no unkind words. This is meant to be fun!

Your students can write their break-up letter in class or as a homework assignment. Make the activity fun and allow your students to be creative. For extra credit, students can read their break-up letter aloud.

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Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more! No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education! COPYRIGHT 1996-2016 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2024 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SchoolNotes.com The Educator's Network ELA  /  4th Grade  /  Unit 4: Examining Our History: American Revolution Examining Our History: American Revolution Students examine the ideas and values behind the American Revolution, and what drove the colonists to seek independence, through nonfiction texts including Liberty! How the Revolutionary War Began . Text and Materials Unit Summary In this unit, students explore factors that influence change by examining the events that led up to the American Revolution. Over the course of the unit, students will build a deeper understanding of the significant ideas and values at the heart of the American Revolution, what drove the colonists to seek independence, and how the conflict between England and the colonists ultimately influenced change in our country. Students will see the American Revolution from multiple perspectives, starting with analyzing the difference in perspectives between the British and the colonists and how each side’s actions often instigated the other. Students will also explore how class structure influenced colonists' perspectives. Later in the unit, students will think about the perspectives of Black people, women, and Native Americans who were forced to choose a side and why they may have had a different point of view of the events of the revolution.  An important part of this unit is pushing students to focus on seeing history from multiple different perspectives. The core text Liberty! How the Revolutionary War Began offers one perspective on events, however, the perspective is limited to that held by white elite colonists. Therefore, students also read excerpts from A Young People's History of the United States to build a deeper understanding of all sides of the Revolution.  By reading multiple accounts, students will be challenged to notice how an author’s point of view or perspective on events shapes the information they give. Additionally, in order to fully understand the historical events in the text, students will notice the author’s use of cause and effect, sequence, and chronology. Students will also work on summarizing a text, noticing which ideas from the text are important.  When discussing the text, students continue to work on elaborating and supporting their own ideas, using examples and evidence to justify their own thinking. Doing so sets students up for success with discourse in later units when students are pushed to engage with the thinking of others. Students continue to build their fluency by writing daily in response to the text and crafting sentences that show a nuanced understanding of the content. In the second half of the unit, students write both informational and opinion paragraphs and essays, focusing on stating a topic, providing evidence, and elaborating on that evidence to support a point or teach about a topic. Please Note:  In August 2023, we enhanced lesson plans for this unit, including answers to key questions and related student supports. We will also be removing three texts from the unit: If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution by Kay Moore; Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, illustrated by Ted Rand; Let It Begin Here! Lexington and Concord by Dennis Brindell Fradin. Fishtank Plus for ELA Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress. Texts and Materials Some of the links below are Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you click and make a purchase, we receive a small portion of the proceeds, which supports our non-profit mission. Core Materials Book:  Liberty! How the Revolutionary War Began by Lucille Recht Penner (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2002)   —  780L Book:  A Young People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn, Adapted by Rebecca Stefoff (Seven Stories) Supporting Materials Book:  Black Heroes of the American Revolution by Burke Davis (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1992) Book:  Great Women of the American Revolution by Brianna Hall (Capstone Press, 2015) Article:  “William Barton’s Opinion Letter” (Retrieved from Engage NY Grade 4, Module 3B, Unit 3, Lesson 1) Article:  “Just Say No: The Daughters of Liberty” by Jennifer Barefoot (CommonLit) Article:  “Native Americans in Colonial America” by National Geographic (National Geographic) Article:  “Betwixt & Between: Growing up African American in Revolutionary Times” by Leslie Anderson Morales (Appleseeds) Rubric:  Grade 4 Literary Analysis and Opinion Writing Rubric Rubric:  Grade 4 Informational Writing Rubric Template:  Single Paragraph Outline Template:  American Revolution Research Note-Taker Various websites for research Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading These assessments accompany this unit to help gauge student understanding of key unit content and skills. Download Cold Read Assessment Download Cold Read Assessment Answer Key Download Content Assessment Download Content Assessment Answer Key Intellectual Prep Suggestions for how to prepare to teach this unit Before you teach this unit, unpack the texts, themes, and core standards through our guided intellectual preparation process. Each Unit Launch includes a series of short videos, targeted readings, and opportunities for action planning to ensure you're prepared to support every student. Essential Questions The central thematic questions addressed in the unit or across units What key events led to the outbreak of the American Revolution?  How did opinions differ on the idea of independence?  Were the colonies really a land of equality and liberty?  Why is it important to look at history from multiple perspectives?   Reading Focus Areas To explain key events in a historical text, readers think about what happened and why. To do so, readers notice the author’s use of cause and effect, sequence, and chronology. Summarizing a text involves deciding which ideas from the text are most important and synthesizing them to show the main points or ideas in the text. An author’s point of view or perspective on events shapes the information they give. Writing Focus Areas Opinion writing. Write strong topic sentences that clearly state the opinion. Provide reasons and evidence to support a particular opinion. Elaborate on the reasons to show understanding of the text and topic. Informational Writing Introduce a topic clearly and group related information into paragraph sections. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, or other information. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary. Speaking and Listening Focus Areas Elaborate to support ideas. Provide evidence or examples to justify and defend a point clearly. Use specific vocabulary. Use vocabulary that is specific to the subject and task to clarify and share thoughts. Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text alliance alliance allies ambush ammunition authorized bombarded boycott class condemn delegate defied desert demonstrations disguise elite enforce enlist fort heroines insults infuriate intolerable indentured jeers liberty loyal local loyalists merchant militia mourn monopoly mutiny neutral oppression possessions rebel repeal rebellion retreated riot settle seized tyranny unite will -sion -tion en- in- To see all the vocabulary for Unit 4, view our 4th Grade Vocabulary Glossary . Content Knowledge and Connections Fishtank ELA units related to the content in this unit. Previous Fishtank ELA Connections 3rd Grade ELA - Rediscovering Thanksgiving: Fact vs. Fiction 3rd Grade ELA - Honoring Indigenous Peoples Future Fishtank ELA Connections 4th Grade ELA - Politics and People: U.S. Government Supporting All Students In order to ensure that all students are able to access the texts and tasks in this unit, it is incredibly important to intellectually prepare to teach the unit prior to launching the unit. Use the intellectual preparation protocol and the Unit Launch to determine which support students will need. To learn more, visit the Supporting all Students teacher tool. Defend if the actions of the French and Indian War support the idea that America was the land of liberty. Defend if the colonies really were a land of liberty and equality.  RI.4.3 RI.4.6 Describe the relationship between the colonists and the British after the French and Indian War.  RI.4.2 RI.4.3 Liberty! pp. 12 – 15 Black Heroes of... pp. 26 – 35 Summarize what happened during the Boston Massacre. RI.4.2 RI.4.3 RI.4.6 Black Heroes of... Summarize what happened during the Boston Massacre. Use subordinating conjunctions to write more interesting and complex sentences in summaries. RI.4.2 W.4.2.a W.4.2.b W.4.9 Analyze and explain the unrest felt by colonists in the lead up to the Revolutionary War.  Summarize what happened during the Boston Tea Party. Discussion & Writing A Young People's History of the United States Discuss and analyze unit-essential questions by preparing for and participating in a class discussion using evidence from the text. Use subordinating conjunctions to write more interesting and complex sentences. L.4.1.f L.4.2.c W.4.9 Describe what happened at the First Continental Congress. Defend whether one should side with the Loyalists or the Patriots. SL.4.1 SL.4.3 W.4.1 Summarize the events in the days leading up to the start of the American Revolutionary War. Summarize how the Battle of Bunker Hill showed both sides how terrible war would be.  A Young People's History of the United States pp. 67 – 70 Liberty! pp. 34 – 37 Analyze why the Declaration of Independence was written and who it represented.  RI.4.2 RI.4.3 SL.4.1 Describe the role poor people, Indigenous people and black people played in the Revolution.  Explain the role of Indigenous people in the colonies once the European colonists arrived. RI.4.2 RI.4.3 SL.4.3 SL.4.4 Great Women of... “Just Say No: The Daughters of Liberty” Analyze the role women played in the American Revolution and why they were referred to as everyday heroines. RI.4.3 SL.4.1 SL.4.3 SL.4.4 W.4.9 Analyze the role of a few individual heroines  in the American Revolution and why they were referred to as  heroines . Black Heroes of... — pages vii-viii and 1-2 “Betwixt & Between: Growing up African American in Revolutionary Times” — CommonLit Analyze the role of Black people during the American Revolution. RI.4.2 RI.4.3 SL.4.3 SL.4.4 W.4.9 Analyze the role of Black heroes in the American Revolution and why they were important. Informative Writing  – 4 days All unit texts Single Paragraph Outline American Revolution Research Note-Taker Grade 4 Informational Writing Rubric Write an informational report about a person that participated in the American Revolution, describing their cause, action, obstacle, and outcome. SL.4.4 W.4.2 W.4.2.a W.4.2.b W.4.2.d W.4.5 W.4.6 W.4.7 W.4.8 Opinion Writing  – 4 days Write an essay defending if the colonists were or were not justified in declaring independence and fighting the Revolutionary War.  L.4.1.f L.4.2.a W.4.1 W.4.1.a W.4.1.b W.4.8 W.4.9 Create a free account to access thousands of lesson plans. Already have an account? Sign In Common Core Standards Core standards. The content standards covered in this unit Language Standards L.4.1 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. L.4.1.f — Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons. L.4.2 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. L.4.2.a — Use correct capitalization. L.4.2.c — Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence. Reading Standards for Informational Text RI.4.2 — Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. RI.4.3 — Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. RI.4.6 — Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided. RI.4.7 — Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears. Speaking and Listening Standards SL.4.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. SL.4.3 — Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points. SL.4.4 — Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace. Writing Standards W.4.1 — Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information W.4.1.a — Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose. W.4.1.b — Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details. W.4.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. W.4.2.a — Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. W.4.2.b — Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. W.4.2.d — Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. W.4.5 — With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. W.4.6 — With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting. W.4.7 — Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. W.4.8 — Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. W.4.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Supporting Standards Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit L.4.1.a — Use relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why). L.4.3 — Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. L.4.4 — Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. L.4.4.b — Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph). L.4.6 — Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation). Reading Standards: Foundational Skills RF.4.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. RF.4.4 — Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. RI.4.1 — Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. RI.4.4 — Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area. RI.4.9 — Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. RI.4.10 — By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4—5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. SL.4.2 — Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. SL.4.6 — Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task and situation. W.4.4 — Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1—3 above.) W.4.9.b — Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text"). W.4.10 — Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. Interpreting Perspectives: Greek Myths Believing in Yourself: The Wild Book Request a Demo See all of the features of Fishtank in action and begin the conversation about adoption. Learn more about Fishtank Learning School Adoption. Contact Information School information, what courses are you interested in, are you interested in onboarding professional learning for your teachers and instructional leaders, any other information you would like to provide about your school. We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students We've got you covered with rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free History Classics Your Profile Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window) Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window) Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window) Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window) Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window) This Day In History History Podcasts History Vault Writing of Declaration of Independence By: History.com Editors Updated: June 22, 2023 | Original: February 22, 2010 At the Second Continental Congress during the summer of 1776, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia was charged with drafting a formal statement justifying the 13 North American colonies’ break with Great Britain. A member of a committee of five that also included John Adams  of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert Livingston of New York and Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Jefferson drew up a draft and included Franklin’s and Adams’ corrections. At the time, the Declaration of Independence was regarded as a collective effort of the Continental Congress ; Jefferson was not recognized as its principal author until the 1790s. Jefferson’s Early Career Born into one of the most prominent families in Virginia (on his mother’s side), Jefferson studied at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg and began practicing law in 1767. In 1768, Jefferson stood as a candidate for the Virginia House of Burgesses; he entered the legislature just as opposition was building to the taxation policies of the British government. That same year, Jefferson began building Monticello , his hilltop estate in Albemarle County; he would later greatly expand his holdings in land and slaves through his marriage to Martha Wayles Skelton in 1772. Did you know? After leaving Washington, Thomas Jefferson spent the last two decades of his life at Monticello. He died on July 4, 1826—hours before his good friend and former political rival John Adams—on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. In 1774, Jefferson wrote “A Summary View of the Rights of British America,” in which he claimed that the colonies were tied to the king only by voluntary bonds of loyalty. Published as a political pamphlet without Jefferson’s permission, this document extended Jefferson’s reputation beyond Virginia, and he became known as an eloquent voice for the cause of American independence from Britain. In the spring of 1775, shortly after skirmishes broke out between colonial militiamen and British soldiers at Lexington and Concord, the Virginia legislature sent Jefferson as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. At the Second Continental Congress The 33-year-old Jefferson may have been a shy, awkward public speaker in Congressional debates, but he used his skills as a writer and correspondent to support the patriotic cause. By the late spring of 1776, more and more colonists favored an official and permanent break from Great Britain; in mid-May, eight of the 13 colonies said they would support independence. On June 7, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia formally presented a resolution before the Congress, stating that “[T]hese United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.” It became known as the Lee Resolution, or the resolution for independence.  On June 11, Jefferson was appointed to a five-man committee–alongside John Adams of Massachusetts , Roger Sherman of Connecticut , Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York–that was charged with drafting a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain. Jefferson was the only southerner on the committee and had arrived in Philadelphia accompanied by three of his many slaves. Still, it was he who was given the task of drafting the Declaration of Independence , which would become the foremost statement of human liberty and equality ever written. How the Declaration of Independence Was Printed—and Protected America’s earliest founding document survived war, fire, mistreatment, insects and the ravages of time prior to landing at its current home in the National Archives. The Declaration of Independence Was Also a List of Grievances The document was designed to prove to the world (especially France) that the colonists were right to defy King George III's rule. Why Thomas Jefferson’s Anti‑Slavery Passage Was Removed from the Declaration of Independence The Founding Fathers were fighting for freedom—just not for everyone. According to an account Jefferson wrote in 1823, the other members of the committee “unanimously pressed on myself alone to undertake the draught [sic]. I consented; I drew it; but before I reported it to the committee I communicated it separately to Dr. Franklin and Mr. Adams requesting their corrections…I then wrote a fair copy, reported it to the committee, and from them, unaltered to the Congress.” “We Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident…” The body of Jefferson’s draft contained a list of grievances against the British crown, but it was its preamble to the Constitution that would strike the deepest chords in the minds and hearts of future Americans: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The Continental Congress reconvened on July 1, and the following day 12 of the 13 colonies adopted Lee’s resolution for independence. The process of consideration and revision of Jefferson’s declaration (including Adams’ and Franklin’s corrections) continued on July 3 and into the late morning of July 4, during which Congress deleted and revised some one-fifth of its text. The delegates made no changes to that key preamble, however, and the basic document remained Jefferson’s words. Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence later on the Fourth of July (though most historians now accept that the document was not signed until August 2). The Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence Delegates from all 13 colonies signed the Declaration of Independence. All were male, white landowners. Two would go on to be president of the United States. One signed his name so large that he became an idiomatic expression. When someone asks you to sign something by telling you to “put your John Hancock here,” they are referencing John Hancock’s outsized signature on the Declaration of I ndependence. Below are the document's signees: Connecticut : Samuel Huntington, Roger Sherman, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott Delaware : George Read, Caesar Rodney, Thomas McKean Georgia : Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton Maryland : Charles Carroll, Samuel Chase, Thomas Stone, William Paca Massachusetts : John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry New Hampshire : Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton New Jersey : Abraham Clark, John Hart, Francis Hopkinson, Richard Stockton. John Witherspoon New York : Lewis Morris, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, William Floyd North Carolina : William Hooper, John Penn. Joseph Hewes Pennsylvania : George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, John Morton, Benjamin Rush, George Ross, James Smith, James Wilson, George Taylor Rhode Island : Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery South Carolina : Edward Rutledge, Arthur Middleton, Thomas Lynch, Jr., Thomas Heyward, Jr. Virginia : Richard Henry Lee, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Jefferson, George Wythe, Thomas Nelson, Jr. A Complicated Legacy Thomas Jefferson wasn’t recognized as the principal author of the Declaration of Independence until the 1790s; the document was originally presented as a collective effort by the entire Continental Congress. Jefferson had returned to the Virginia legislature in the late summer of 1776 and in 1785 had succeeded Franklin as minister to France. He served as Secretary of State in the cabinet of President George Washington and later emerged as a leader of a Republican party that championed state’s rights and opposed the strong centralized government favored by Alexander Hamilton’s Federalists. Elected as the nation’s third president in 1800, Jefferson would serve two terms, during which the young nation doubled its territory through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and struggled to maintain neutrality during the Napoleonic Wars between England and France. Despite his many later accomplishments, Jefferson’s principal legacy to the United States arguably remains the Declaration of Independence, the eloquent expression of liberty, equality and democracy upon which the country was founded. His critics, however, point to Jefferson’s admitted racism, and the negative views (common to wealthy Virginia planters of the time) that he expressed about African Americans during his lifetime.  Meanwhile, recent DNA evidence seems to support much-disputed claims that Jefferson had a longstanding intimate relationship with one of his enslaved women, Sally Hemings and that the couple had several children together. Given these circumstances, Jefferson’s legacy as history’s most eloquent proponent of human freedom and equality–justly earned by his words in the Declaration of Independence–remains complicated by the inconsistencies of his life as a slave owner. HISTORY Vault: The American Revolution Stream American Revolution documentaries and your favorite HISTORY series, commercial-free. Sign up for Inside History Get HISTORY’s most fascinating stories delivered to your inbox three times a week. By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States. More details : Privacy Notice | Terms of Use | Contact Us > >                     Major Battles of the American Revolution Printable Outline   Revolutionary War Printable Outline               Our free printable outlines can be highly beneficial to United States History students studying the American Revolution for several reasons. : Outlines provide a clear and structured framework for organizing information about the American Revolution. They help students break down complex topics into manageable sections and subtopics. : Outlines encourage students to condense information about the Revolutionary War into concise and digestible bullet points or headings. This promotes the synthesis of key concepts and facts, making it easier to review and retain information. : Outlines help students understand the chronological sequence of events during the American Revolution. They can see how various battles, developments, and key figures fit into the broader narrative of the conflict. : They allow students to recognize hierarchical relationships between ideas and details. They can distinguish between main ideas, supporting details, and sub-points, which aids in prioritizing and organizing information. : Outlines present information in a visually clear and organized manner. This visual structure helps students see the connections between different aspects of the American Revolution and facilitates comprehension. : They can serve as effective study guides for exams and assessments. Students can use them to review essential concepts, events, and individuals of the Revolutionary War, ensuring they cover all necessary material. : Outlines can be used as a note-taking tool during lectures or while reading textbooks and primary sources. Students can capture key points, main ideas, and supporting evidence in an organized manner. : Outlines encourage students to identify and prioritize the most important concepts, turning their attention to the critical aspects of the American Revolution. : Constructing an outline requires students to think critically about the material they are studying. They must decide what information is most relevant and how it fits into the broader context. : When it comes time to review for exams or complete assignments, students can quickly reference their outlines to refresh their memory on key topics and concepts. : Students can create outlines tailored to their specific needs and study preferences. They can include headings, subheadings, or bullet points that align with their learning style. : Outlines can serve as a foundation for research papers and essays. They help students plan their arguments, structure their writing, and ensure that their content flows logically. : They can be used to organize and track sources, such as books, articles, and primary documents related to the American Revolution. This aids in effective research and citation. Overall, our free printable Revolutionary War outlines serve as a valuable tool for United States History students studying the American Revolution. They promote organization, comprehension, and retention of key information, helping students to master the complexities of this pivotal period in American history. > > All materials on this website are © www.studenthandouts.com unless otherwise noted. Please contact us via Facebook or Twitter with any questions. - - - Note: Product links are paid affiliate links. All links are deemed relevant and are not placed merely for profit. Purchase through these links helps to keep this educational website online and free. 480 COMMENTS American Revolution Free Classroom Activities and Project Ideas Writing Prompts and Creative Project Ideas, free from TPT. American Revolution Project Menu, free from TPT. Ben Franklin Bumper Sticker Project, free from TPT ... Choose Your Own Adventure from over 70 different classroom activities and possible assignments. See Also: American Revolution Free Lesson Plans with Classroom Activities for Teachers. PDF Acri Voices of the American Revolution Assignment13 Assignment: Now it is your turn to take on the role of someone who was affected by the American Revolution. I.) Choose an individual or group listed in your packet to research and learn about. After completing your research, you will write five diary entries, editorials, or letters, from the perspective (point of view) of the individual or group. Learning About Research and Writing Using the American Revolution 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information). Materials and Technology. If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution by Kay Moore (Scholastic, 1998) Chart paper or transparencies. American Revolution Essay Questions Answers will vary. Road to Revolution Essay Questions - 1 Explain the concept of "no taxation without representation." 2 Summarize the events of the Boston Massacre. 3 Describe the causes and effects of the Boston Tea Party. 4 Illustrate the events at Lexington and Concord. 5 How might your life be different had George III accepted the Olive ... Lesson Plans The aim of Imagining the Revolution lesson plans is to teach students how to interpret the visual record of the American Revolution, which consists of visual arts—paintings, drawings, prints, and sculpture. Imagining the Revolution asks students to go beyond the obvious questions about the literal accuracy of images to explore the intent of ... Writing Activities Authentic Writing Assignment: For the authentic writing assignment, students can write a daily warm- up journal entry talking as if they were a ten year old during the American Revolution. They could talking about their home life, chores, jobs, feeling about the Revolution and anything else they would like to write about. Assignments All topics must be approved on or before Week 9. The final papers must include footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography composed in a correct and comprehensible form. General Guidelines for References in History Research Papers ( PDF) The assignment section contains infromation about a research paper which is of about 15 pages in length, based ... The American Revolution This course is concerned primarily with the revolutionary origins of American government. Topics covered include: English and American backgrounds of the Revolution; issues and arguments in the Anglo-American conflict; colonial resistance and the beginnings of republicanism; the Revolutionary War; constitution writing for the states and nation; and effects of the American Revolution. Readings ... The American Revolution Assignment The American Revolution Assignment. The American Revolution was a triumph of the weak over the strong. In the early stages of the war, the outcome looked bleak for the Americans. But the tide began to turn with the Battle at Saratoga, and it continued in favor of the Americans. Yet, the war lasted six more years after Saratoga. 149 American Revolution Essay Topics & Examples American Revolution, also known as Revolutionary War, occurred in the second half of the 18th century. Among its causes was a series of acts established by the Crown. These acts placed taxes on paint, tea, glass, and paper imported to the colonies. As a result of the war, the thirteen American colonies gained independence from the British Crown ... PDF The American Revolution, 1763-1815 Please see Sakai for additional information, including more guidelines for the writing assignments and a copy of the honor code, which is in effect for all classes at UNC. Class Schedule Week 1—Introduction to the American Revolution Wed., Aug. 24 Introduction Fri., Aug. 26 Historiography of the American Revolution Reading Assignment: AMERICAN REVOLUTION: AMERICAN FRONTIER Flashcards false. George Washington was chosen to lead the Continental army by the First Continental Congress. false. The 1781 Treaty of Paris ended the hostilities, giving the colonists their independence. false. As a result of the Battle of Yorktown, the French began to openly aid the American cause. true. Declare the Causes: The Declaration of Independence The American Revolution brewed in a context of Americans' concern over contemporary events as well as awareness of historic precedents. Mindful of both, the framers created the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in which the colonies declared their freedom from British rule. The American Revolution, 1763 The Colonies Move Toward Open Rebellion, 1773-1774 After the Boston Massacre and the repeal of most of the Townshend Duties (the duty on tea remained in force), a period of relative quiet descended on the British North American colonies. Even so, the crises of the past decade had created incompatible mindsets on opposite sides of the Atlantic. PDF The American Revolution: Step-by-Step Activities to Engage ... The American Revolution Description of the Unit The focus of this unit is on the major events that led to the American Revolution, including the struggles the citizens endured to gain their freedom. The many complexities of the American Revolution cannot be covered in these short lessons. This unit serves as an introduction to American Revolution: Writing a Breakup Letter to King George Assignment. Say: "Now that you understand the Declaration of Independence, it is time for you to write your own break-up letter. Your break-up letter must include the following parts:" State your ideal relationship. State your rights that are being denied and express your grievances. Declare your independence. Khan Academy Khanmigo is now free for all US educators! Plan lessons, develop exit tickets, and so much more with our AI teaching assistant. 4th Grade ELA In this unit, students explore factors that influence change by examining the events that led up to the American Revolution. Over the course of the unit, students will build a deeper understanding of the significant ideas and values at the heart of the American Revolution, what drove the colonists to seek independence, and how the conflict ... K20 LEARN Students read a scenario of a colonist prior to the American Revolution and determine whether that colonist was likely to be a loyalist, patriot, or neutralist. Evaluate. Students choose a short RAFT writing assignment and write as if they were a loyalist, patriot, or neutralist. Writing of Declaration of Independence ‑ Authors, Summary & Text On June 11, 1776, Congress selected a "Committee of Five," including John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman of Connecticut, to draft a declaration ... American Revolution Outlines and PowerPoints This promotes the synthesis of key concepts and facts, making it easier to review and retain information. Sequential Understanding: Outlines help students understand the chronological sequence of events during the American Revolution. They can see how various battles, developments, and key figures fit into the broader narrative of the conflict. PDF American Revolutionary Unit Grade 5 Created by: Kelsey Morris Grade 5. Created by: ris5th Grade Social Studies Unit: American Revolutionary WarTheme: The. eme of my unit is focused on the American Revolutionary War. Students will be engaged in many lessons that will exemplify the core stand. ds that need to be met in the fifth grade in social studies. The unit will go in chronological o. Android Apps on Google Play Enjoy millions of the latest Android apps, games, music, movies, TV, books, magazines & more. Anytime, anywhere, across your devices. essay homework paper phd project resume review study thesis