Revolution- Preparing for Revolution

In this lesson students will use primary sources to construct, as a class, a detailed timeline on several major events leading up to the American Revolution. Students will discuss what they have learned, in the context of the timeline, in order to understand how the legislative acts of the British parliament and the responses of the colonists contributed to the eventual outbreak of hostilities.

Weblink address (URL):

Preparing for Revolution

Main Web Page- Source

Standards & Objectives

Academic standards

8.22: Analyze the social, political and economic causes of the American Revolution and the major battles, leaders and events, including:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.6: Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.8: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.9: Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts,...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.3: Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
GLE 0801.2.7: Participate in work teams and group discussions.
GLE 0801.3.3: Organize ideas into an essay with an introduction, developing paragraphs, conclusion, and appropriate transitions.
GLE 0801.4.2: Gather relevant information from a variety of print and electronic sources, as well as from direct observation, interviews, and surveys.
GLE 0801.4.3: Make distinctions about the credibility, reliability, consistency, strengths, and limitations of resources, including information gathered from websites.
GLE 0801.5.5: Explore the concept of premises, including false premises.
SPI 0801.1.19: Recognize and use grade appropriate and/or content specific vocabulary.
SPI 0801.2.7: Select the most appropriate strategies for participating productively in a team (e.g., gain the floor in orderly ways, meet or set deadlines for completing each...
SPI 0801.2.8: Identify the functions and responsibilities of individuals within an organized group (i.e., reporter, recorder, information gatherer, leader, timekeeper).
SPI 0801.3.5: Select appropriate time-order or transitional words/phrases to enhance the flow of a writing sample.
SPI 0801.4.2: Identify levels of reliability among resources (e.g., eyewitness account, newspaper account, supermarket tabloid account, Internet source).
SPI 0801.5.9: Make inferences and draw conclusions based on evidence in text.
SPI 0801.8.14: Identify the authors purpose for writing.
TSS.ELA.8.RI.CS.6: Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
TSS.ELA.8.RI.IKI.8: Delineate and evaluate the rgument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims and the...
TSS.ELA.8.RL.CS.6: Analyze how similarities and differences in the points of view of the audience and the characters create effects such as suspense, humor, or dramatic irony.
TSS.ELA.8.SL.CC.1: Prepare for collaborative discussions on 8th grade level topics and texts; engage effectively with varied partners, building on others' ideas and expressing...
TSS.ELA.8.SL.CC.3: Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence; identify when...
TSS.ELA.8.W.RBPK.7: Conduct research to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on multiple sources and generating additional related, focused...
TSS.ELA.8.W.RBPK.9: Support interpretations, analyses, reflections, or research with evidence found in literature or informational texts, applying grade 8 standards for...
TSS.ELA.8.W.TTP.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
TSS.ELA.8.W.TTP.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of...

Alignment of this item to academic standards is based on recommendations from content creators, resource curators, and visitors to this website. It is the responsibility of each educator to verify that the materials are appropriate for your content area, aligned to current academic standards, and will be beneficial to your specific students.

Learning objectives:

Analyze a set of primary sources for details about the causes of the Revolution.
Draw conclusions based on analysis of the sources.
Synthesize information in small groups to present what they have learned to the class as part of a discussion of a timeline.

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level:

Analyzing

Extension suggestions:

EXTENSIONS:

If each day’s timeline has been recorded as a poster (or in another permanent form), create a classroom display linking each day’s work into an overall timeline which can serve as a resource for further study of the period.
Have students consider how the colonists’ objections to the various Acts of Parliament correspond to those rights later included in the Bill of Rights.
Have students analyze the colonists’ language for references to slavery. How does the colonists’ characterization of the British as attempting to “enslave” them conflict with the colonists’ own practices in regard to slavery?

Helpful Hints

MATERIALS:

“The American Revolution –For Teachers”
America During the Age of Revolution, 1764-1775 (Overview timeline)
Primary Source Analysis Tool
Teacher’s Guide: Analyzing Primary Sources
Primary source sets (Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, Boston Massacre, Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party, Coercive Acts) Provided within the lesson