The American Revolution
Learning Objectives
For this unit, students will be able to:
- Understand why the American colonists sought independence from Britain
- Economic Factors (a transition from Mercantilism to Capitalism in the Atlantic Basin)
- Political Factors (a transition from Autocracy to Democracy in the Atlantic Basin)
- Social-Cultural Factors (American colonists began to see themselves as separate from the British homeland.)
Introduction
Following the Seven Years' War (aka the French-Indian War in North America), the British colonial holdings doubled, and their debt soared to more than 100 million pounds. Following this conflict, Britain's relationship with its North American colonies began to change in the following ways:
Activity: Select one of the following acts. Find creative ways to show both the British and American points of view on these topics. For example, you might create a public service announcment explaining to the colonists the reason for this new act, and then as a response, you may create a skit of two Colonists debating these issues on a talk show.
You will be evaluated on the following:
- Britain was unprepared to handle the enormous costs of securing the North American frontier, so they established policies to prevent colonists from expanding westward. The colonists wanted to expand in to this territory.
- Following a long tradition of Salutary (or Benign) Neglect, the British Crown began to strictly enforce mercantilism policies towards the American colonies in order to raise revenues. Within a short period to time, prices on almost all commodities would have doubled or tripled in price. In addition, the British Crown created taxes. Even though, these taxes were extremely low (1 to 2%) they became symbols of British Imperial policies being thrust on the colonies.
Activity: Select one of the following acts. Find creative ways to show both the British and American points of view on these topics. For example, you might create a public service announcment explaining to the colonists the reason for this new act, and then as a response, you may create a skit of two Colonists debating these issues on a talk show.
- Navigation Acts
- Sugar Act
- Currency Acts
- Quartering Act
- Stamp Act
You will be evaluated on the following:
- How well did you explain the purpose of the act?
- How well did you show each side's (the British and the Americans) views of this act?
Boston Massacre
Campaigns
American Political Thought
Focus Questions: How have Revolutionary Documents (such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution) shaped American ideals? Why are these important documents? In what ways were they 'revolutionary'?
School House Rock!: Preamble to the Constitution
School House Rock!: Preamble to the Constitution
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Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederations were the United States first attempt at a government. Because the reasons behind the Revolution (see the Declarations of Independence), it was deliberately made very weak. By the end of this activity, you should be able to explain what was good about this form of government, but also, why it ultimately failed.
Create a chart showing the: Pros/Cons; Strengths/Weaknesses; What they could do/What they could not do
Following 13 years of rule using the Articles of Confederation, they were finally replaced by the Constitution.
Select on the following key documents that were created during the American Revolutionary Period
Possible focus questions to address:
Find a fun and creative way to share the contents of the document with a wider audience. Here are some potential project ideas: create a School House Rock-type video; design a comic book version; make a children's book; put the main ideas into a rap or song; design a series of posters that share the main ideas; re-write in an update form; dress in costume as town crier as you share part of these documents by memory.
This should be a brief interpretation of the document. It should take no longer that 5 minutes to share the main ideas with the class.
Evaluation: You will be graded on the following.
The Articles of Confederations were the United States first attempt at a government. Because the reasons behind the Revolution (see the Declarations of Independence), it was deliberately made very weak. By the end of this activity, you should be able to explain what was good about this form of government, but also, why it ultimately failed.
Create a chart showing the: Pros/Cons; Strengths/Weaknesses; What they could do/What they could not do
Following 13 years of rule using the Articles of Confederation, they were finally replaced by the Constitution.
Select on the following key documents that were created during the American Revolutionary Period
- The Declaration of Independence (especially the first 2 paragraphs)
- The Preamble to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights (the first 10 Amendments)
- The Constitution
- Article I: Legislative (Sections 1-6)
- Article I: Legislative (Sections 7-10)
- Article II: Executive
- Article III: Judicial
- Article IV
- Articles V-VII
Possible focus questions to address:
- Why is this document important?
- How is it used/applied?
- What are the key ideas?
Find a fun and creative way to share the contents of the document with a wider audience. Here are some potential project ideas: create a School House Rock-type video; design a comic book version; make a children's book; put the main ideas into a rap or song; design a series of posters that share the main ideas; re-write in an update form; dress in costume as town crier as you share part of these documents by memory.
This should be a brief interpretation of the document. It should take no longer that 5 minutes to share the main ideas with the class.
Evaluation: You will be graded on the following.
- How well you captured/explained the main ideas presented in your assigned document.
- How well you addressed your selected focus question.
- Your creativity in how you present these ideas to the class.
Enlightenment Political Thought in the Atlantic Basin
Learning Objective: How did Enlightenment Thoughts and Ideas circulating around the Atlantic Basin influence the transition from Autocracy (Monarchy) to Democracy?
Growth of the Democratic Tradition
Explain how these political thinkers influenced the documents above.
Enlightenment Ideals on Democracy
Select one of the Enlightenment Thinkers from above. Create a modified Biography Poster Report (similar to the one found at this link.) Provide a map that shows where he or she came from in the Atlantic World. Write at least 3 paragraphs about this person influenced democratic thoughts and ideas. Outline their contribution to the Enlightenment Ideals on Democracy listed above. Pick 1 items from the following list to add to the biography:
Resources
Political and Social Impact of the Enlightenment (Read the Section on Democracy)
Which Ideas of the Enlightenment Helped Influence Democratic Thought?
How did the enlightenment effect colonial thought?
Additional Resources
The Enlightenment and American Democracy
The Rise of Democratic Ideas
Roots of Democracy
Evaluation: How well you develop your biography poster to answer the Learning Objective above.
Growth of the Democratic Tradition
Explain how these political thinkers influenced the documents above.
- Edmund Burke [Irish] (Social Contract: good government as a gift from God; contract between dead, living, and unborn; Government and morality joined-- rise above selfish human desires )
- Thomas Paine [born Britain, moved America] (Natural Equality of Men in the Sight of God; Provided Justification for the Americans going to War for Independence; Government as necessary evil to protect natural rights, therefore, the only legitimate government are ones that protect natural rights of individuals)
- Thomas Hobbes (Popular Sovereignty: the people have a voice in government; Social Contract: people give up some individual freedoms in exchange for common security; price for protection; government's duties limited to defense)
- John Locke [Protection of Natural Rights (Life, Liberty, and Property); Rebel against Unjust Governments; Religious Freedom; Women's Rights]
- Jean Jacques Rousseau [French] (Government is a Social Contract between Rulers and Ruled; Equal Rights)
- Baron de Montesquieu [French] (Separation of Powers, 3 Branches of Government, Checks and Balances)
- John Stuart Mill (Great Good; Majority Rules/Minority Rights)
- Voltaire[French] (Freedom of Speech and Religion)
Enlightenment Ideals on Democracy
- Government's Role in Society: Protect 'Natural Rights' (Broadly defined in the Declaration of Interdependence as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. An original version had the ownership of property rather than the pursuit of happiness.)
- Social Contract between those who govern and those who are governed.
- Separation of Powers [3 branches of government: Legislative (Congress makes laws); Executive (the President enforces the laws; Judicial (Supreme Court determines if the laws and executive actions are constitutional)]
- System of Checks and Balances [each branch has the authority to overrule each other-- Judicial can declare Executive actions and Legislature laws as unconstitutional; the Legislature has to approve many of the decisions of the President and they have to approve appointments to the Supreme Court; the President can veto a law and he appoints people to the Judicial (with Congress's approval)]
- Greatest Good (Brings Happiness to the Majority)
- Separation of Church and State
- Freedom of Speech and Ideas
Select one of the Enlightenment Thinkers from above. Create a modified Biography Poster Report (similar to the one found at this link.) Provide a map that shows where he or she came from in the Atlantic World. Write at least 3 paragraphs about this person influenced democratic thoughts and ideas. Outline their contribution to the Enlightenment Ideals on Democracy listed above. Pick 1 items from the following list to add to the biography:
- Show direct evidence of how this person influenced either the Declaration of Independence or the US Constitution.
- What were this person's big ideas?
- What impact has this person's ideas had on today?
Resources
Political and Social Impact of the Enlightenment (Read the Section on Democracy)
Which Ideas of the Enlightenment Helped Influence Democratic Thought?
How did the enlightenment effect colonial thought?
Additional Resources
The Enlightenment and American Democracy
The Rise of Democratic Ideas
Roots of Democracy
Evaluation: How well you develop your biography poster to answer the Learning Objective above.